Theories Of Deviance
Deviance is a violation to social norms, or at least every-changing social norm according to Professor Aguilera. Deviance can very well be over looked, for example not everyone is going to make a big deal out of a women who decides to keep her maiden name after getting married. This is still a deviant act, because she broke a common social norm. Not every deviant act is essentially bad in other areas, because they have or believe in different social norms. There are theories that realize the reward in deviance and some that believe that deviance is the only way to succeed. The theories they I will compare and contract are, The Strain Theory, The Rational Choice Theory, and The Differential Association Theory. I will use these theories by giving
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Professor Aguilera states, “Those with fewer resources are less able to achieve societally shared goals and may resort to deviant behaviors to achieve their desired goals”. This theory could be an example for someone who comes from an unprivileged neighborhood, and is force to steal from the local super market to achieve his goal of feeding his family. Another example of the strain theory is an individual who joins a gang to receive some type of respect in order to achieve the goal of respect, this would then lead to deviant crimes, such as stealing from old ladies or causing a disturbance. From that example, we can see the comparison between The Strain Theory and The Differential Association Theory. According to Professor Aguilera, he states, “The Differential Theory (or reinforcement) theory- conformity or deviance is learned from those we spend time with”. The reason curtain individuals join gangs are because they were taught by, or around the wrong group of people that brought him into the life of deviance. It is a matter of influence that defines this theory. The between the too theories is the matter of choice. Which brings us along to the third theory, The Rational Choice theory. According to Professor Aguilera, the rational choice theory humans choose to see the positive and negative outcomes towards their deviance. Something that can stop deviance in the rational choice theory that cannot be stopped by the others is raising the cost or changing the cost already in order. This will stop deviance by showing the result that will happen if some one breaks a social
Professor Aguilera states, “Those with fewer resources are less able to achieve societally shared goals and may resort to deviant behaviors to achieve their desired goals”. This theory could be an example for someone who comes from an unprivileged neighborhood, and is force to steal from the local super market to achieve his goal of feeding his family. Another example of the strain theory is an individual who joins a gang to receive some type of respect in order to achieve the goal of respect, this would then lead to deviant crimes, such as stealing from old ladies or causing a disturbance. From that example, we can see the comparison between The Strain Theory and The Differential Association Theory. According to Professor Aguilera, he states, “The Differential Theory (or reinforcement) theory- conformity or deviance is learned from those we spend time with”. The reason curtain individuals join gangs are because they were taught by, or around the wrong group of people that brought him into the life of deviance. It is a matter of influence that defines this theory. The between the too theories is the matter of choice. Which brings us along to the third theory, The Rational Choice theory. According to Professor Aguilera, the rational choice theory humans choose to see the positive and negative outcomes towards their deviance. Something that can stop deviance in the rational choice theory that cannot be stopped by the others is raising the cost or changing the cost already in order. This will stop deviance by showing the result that will happen if some one breaks a social