Sociology of Deviance Concepts

Definition of Deviance

• Deviance refers to behavior that breaks societal norms and rules.
• It is defined in a social context, making it socially constructed and influenced by social movements.

Sociological Theories on Deviance

• Functionalist Theory: Views deviance and crime as functional, affirming societal norms by clearly defining unacceptable behavior.
• Structural Strain Theory: Suggests societal inequalities compel individuals towards deviant and criminal actions.
• Conflict Theory: Describes deviance as resulting from unequal power dynamics and societal inequality.
• Symbolic Interaction Theory: Emphasizes that deviance stems from the meanings individuals assign to behaviors.
• Differential Association Theory: Posits that deviance is learned through social interactions with others who are deviant.

Importance of Labeling

• Labeling theory highlights that societal reactions to behavior can lead to deviance.
• Some groups hold more power to label deviant actions, leading to stigmas that can define individuals as deviant.

Deviant Careers and Communities

• Deviant careers involve sequences through specific subcultures of deviance.
• Deviant communities consist of groups organized around forms of social deviance.

Social Factors in Criminal Justice

• Class disparities exist in arrest and victimization rates; middle- and upper-class individuals face lower crime risks.
• Minorities and disadvantaged groups are often more likely to be both offenders and victims.
• Gender disparities exist throughout the criminal justice system, affecting experiences from profiling to sentencing for Black Americans and Hispanics.

Characteristics of Deviance

• Deviance occurs in social contexts and can vary over time or between settings.
• Different groups assess behaviors uniquely, with what is deviant to one group possibly normative to another.
• Established rules and norms are socially created and not merely individually imposed.
• Social responses to behavior play a significant role in understanding deviance.

Types of Deviance

• Formal Deviance: Involves breaking laws or official regulations.
• Informal Deviance: Involves violating customary social norms.

Labeling Theory

• Deviance encompasses not just the violation of norms but also societal reactions to such behaviors.
• It focuses on how societal responses contribute to the creation and persistence of deviant behavior.

Social Movements

• Comprise networks of groups that organize to promote or resist societal changes.

Medicalization of Deviance

• Interprets deviant behavior as indicative of a "sick" state of mind, advocating for psychological treatment as a solution.

Emile Durkheim and Deviance

• Emphasized the importance of societal coherence and how it relates to deviance.
• Identified social factors as the primary causes of suicide, leading to the classification of four types: anomic, altruistic, egotistical, and anomic.

Anomie

• Represents a breakdown in societal regulations leading to normlessness.
• Refers to collective societal conditions rather than individual emotions.

Anomic Suicide

• Occurs when societal disintegration results in individuals feeling disconnected and alienated.