) Define deviance. Discuss the range of behavior that is considered deviant. Tha
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Question
) Define deviance. Discuss the range of behavior that is considered deviant. That is, explain how some deviant behavior is defined as crime and some is much more minor (formal and informal deviance).
2) Define the medicalization of deviance. Provide an example. Why does society prefer this view of deviance?
3) Explain why functionalists suggest deviance is functional to society.
4) According to Durkheim, what does the term, anomie, refer to? Differentiate between the three types of suicide that Durkheim identified. (NOTE: Durkheim identified 4, but only focus on the 3 in the Deviance PPT)
5) Define Robert Merton’s structural strain theory. What are cultural goals and institutionalized means? Identify all five reactions to cultural goals and institutionalized means as outlined by Merton.
6) Define and discuss Edwin Sutherland’s theory, differential association. How does Sutherland suggest deviant behavior develops? What major sociological perspective is this theory a product of? (Conflict, Symbolic Interactionist, Functionalism)
7) What is labeling theory? What is the importance of a label to this theory of deviance?
8) Discuss the extent labeling can have on people’s lives as illustrated in Chambliss’ study on the Saints and the Roughnecks.(PPT Show)
9) What is white-collar crime? And corporate crime? Explain how the punishment for committing white-collar crimes and corporate crimes differs from that received for committing a personal or property crime. Who receives a tougher punishment? Why?
10) What is a hate crime? What is the most common motivation for a perpetrator of a hate crime? And victimless crimes
Explanation / Answer
1. Deviance is the violations of accepted social norms including a formally enacted rules as well as informal norms.
Formal deviance: behaviour of person that contradicts wih the established laws of society and are not acceptable in any circumstances. Examples of formal deviance is murder, theft, robbery, rape and assault.
Informal deviance: the behaviour that is not according to the society trend but it is not illegal. eg. smoking and drinking
2. medicalisation of deviance is the deviant behaviour of a person due to some underlying sickness and to find the causes of deviation within the person itself and not in the social structure and treating him with the medical personals. eg. mental ilness, alcholism, child abuse, hyperactivity etc.
Society prefers this view of deviance because by punishing a person for his crime is not ethical but rather we should under which circumstances or thinking he is comitting the crime. By knowing the underlying root causes we can treat them and ensure that he does not again commit the crime in future.
3. According to functionlist deviance is functional to society because
Social regulation: It helps in social regulation by explaining behaviours which are unacceptable in the society. eg when a police arrests a person they are making people about the boundaries of unacceptable behaviour and waring not to break these boundaries.
Social cohesiveness: It strengthenes the bond or cohesiveness of a society. eg when a horrible crime takes places then society out of outrage against the crime join together and hence their bond is strengthened.
Social change: Criminals actions sometimes test the boundaries of the permitted action. Legal reform is necessary when the law is out of the feelings of the majority. Therefore criminals help the law to reflect people demands and hence legalise the social change.
Anomie is the conditon in which the bond between an individual and a society is broken which arises due to mismatch between personal and wider society standards and produces moral deregulations and is a nurtured condition.
3 types of suicides given by Durkehim:
Egoistic suicide: in which the social integration of a person is low and he thinks that he is supported in his group and is an outsider in his group. He feels isolated and helpless duing his difficult times like stress.
Altuistic suicide: In this the social integration is very high and is highly involved in a group. The person only thinks about the norms and goals of the society without considering his own needs and goals . He thinks that is taking his lives for his group. eg suicide bomber
Anominic suicide: when the social integation of a person is too low and he person commites suicides during great stress. They get extremely frustrated because they cannot reach their goals without regualtion and cannot handle this situation. They think their life has become meanningless
5. structural strain theory is that in which a society pressuries an individual by setting up goals which are unachievable by no means so the individual commits crime.
Five reactions to cultural goals and institutionalised means
Conformity: acceptance of cultural goals as well as traditional means to attain them
Innovation: acceptance of cultural goals but also rejecting of tradition means to attain them
Ritualism: rejction of cutural goals but acceptance of traditional means to achieve them
Retreatism: rejection of both cultural goals as well as traditional means of achieving them
Rebelism: A special in which a person rejects cultural goals as well as traditional ways to achieve them but rather sets new goals or ways to achieve them.
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