Overview
This lecture covers the concept of social deviance, exploring its definitions, theories, types, and examples, including both individual and systemic factors.
What is Social Deviance?
- Deviance means violating the norms, rules, or laws of society.
- Norms include expectations for behavior, both formal (laws) and informal (mores, customs).
Theories and Types of Deviance
- Individual Deviance: Results from personal choice; the individual is blamed for their actions.
- Systemic Blame: Society or social conditions are blamed for deviant behavior in groups (e.g., lack of education or resources).
- Differential Association: Edwin Sutherland’s theory states that deviance is learned from peer groups and social influences.
- Culture of Poverty: Suggests deviance is more common in poor communities, often linked to worse health and life outcomes.
- Labeling Theory: Once labeled as deviant, it is difficult for individuals to escape that label.
- Primary Deviance: The first act of rule-breaking.
- Secondary Deviance: Continued deviance after being caught or labeled.
- Tertiary Deviance: Individuals embrace and identify with their deviant label.
Types of Crimes and Deviance
- White-collar Crime: Involves financially motivated, nonviolent crime by high-status individuals (e.g., embezzlement, insider trading).
- Juvenile Crimes: Committed by individuals under 18; includes status offenses like skipping school or sneaking out, and petty theft.
- Adult Crimes: Includes misdemeanors (less serious offenses, often with minor penalties) and felonies (serious crimes with harsher penalties such as murder or robbery).
- Drug Crimes: Common and often controversial due to changing laws and harsh sentencing in the past.
- Crimes Against the Government: Includes fraud, falsifying documents, or stealing government funds.
- Sexual Deviance: Covers a range of behaviors seen as deviant depending on cultural norms and defined broadly in diagnostic manuals.
- Technology Crimes: Modern forms of deviance such as cyberbullying and identity theft.
- Body Image Deviance: Acts like tattooing and body piercing may be considered deviant by some groups.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Deviance — Violation of social norms, rules, or laws.
- Individual Deviance — Personal responsibility for rule-breaking actions.
- Systemic Blame — Attributing deviant behavior to societal factors.
- Differential Association — Theory that deviance is learned through social groups.
- Culture of Poverty — Idea that poverty increases likelihood of deviance.
- Labeling Theory — Being labeled as deviant influences future behavior.
- Primary/Secondary/Tertiary Deviance — Stages of deviant behavior from first act to embracing the label.
- White-collar Crime — Nonviolent, financially motivated crime by professionals.
- Misdemeanor — Minor legal offense with less severe punishments.
- Felony — Serious crime often resulting in prison time.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review theories of deviance and examples for test preparation.
- Prepare to discuss real-world examples of deviance in class.