Sociology of Deviance

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Questions and Answers

What are some examples of how definitions of deviance vary?

Deviance is behavior or trait that violates cultural norms. Some examples would be burning the flag or the KKK.

How does labeling theory explain deviance?

Labeling theory stresses the idea that deviance is a relative term.

What are some examples of how labels can be used as a means of social control?

Social processes of labeling and treating someone as criminally deviant actually fosters deviant behavior.

What is the difference between primary and secondary deviance?

Secondary deviance is deviant behavior that results from being labeled as a deviant by society. Primary deviance does not result in long-term consequences or labeling. Signup and view all the answers

What is a stigma?

A negative label that changes a person's self-concept and social identity. Signup and view all the answers

How does social conflict theory explain deviance?

Social conflict theory is about inequality in society and suggests that laws and norms reflect the interests of powerful members of society. Signup and view all the answers

How does Steinem's essay ('If Men Could Menstruate') illustrate social conflict theories of deviance?

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According to Granfield, ('Making It by Faking It'), what skills did working-class students have to acquire to succeed in law school?

Working-class students must hide their background and be resocialized. Signup and view all the answers

What is stigma management?

Individuals possessing invisible stigmas can choose either passing or revealing strategies in order to manage their identities when interacting with others. Signup and view all the answers

What major strategies do people adopt to manage stigma?

Strategies include passing, withdrawal, associating with others who share the stigma, forming counter-cultures, and challenging cultural norms. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three major sectors of the economy?

Primary: draws raw materials from the natural environment; Secondary: transforms raw materials into manufactured goods; Tertiary: provides services. Signup and view all the answers

What are the characteristics of pre-industrial societies?

Self-sufficient family farm or workshop, limited opportunities for wage labor, skilled craft production, and limited production of customized products. Signup and view all the answers

What major changes were associated with the industrial revolution?

Centralization of work in factories, creation of a wage labor force, mass production of standardized products, and secondary groups and formal organizations. Signup and view all the answers

According to Emile Durkheim, what is the principal challenge facing society?

How to promote and maintain solidarity - or unity - among its members. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between mechanical and organic solidarity?

Mechanical: unity based on shared values and common lifestyles; Organic: unity based on the interdependence of institutions and social roles. Signup and view all the answers

What is anomie?

A state of 'normlessness' where society provides too little moral guidance and norms lose their hold over human behavior. Signup and view all the answers

How does Karl Marx define social class?

The ruling class controls the means of production. In a capitalist society, the bourgeoisie owns the means of production, while the proletariat owns nothing but their labor. Signup and view all the answers

What are the major classes in a capitalist economy?

Bourgeoisie (Ruling Class): own the means of production; Proletariat: own nothing but their labor. Signup and view all the answers

According to Marx, why is capitalism an exploitative system?

Production is socialized, but profit is privately appropriated by the bourgeoisie. Signup and view all the answers

What is alienation?

Feeling of estrangement from one's work or society. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Definitions of Deviance

Deviance violates cultural norms; examples include flag burning and the actions of the KKK.

Labeling Theory

Explains deviance as a relative concept, suggesting that definitions of deviance change based on societal context.

Labels can reinforce deviant behavior through societal reactions, particularly in the sociology of crime.

Primary vs. Secondary Deviance

Primary deviance is non-consequential behavior not labeled as deviant. Secondary deviance arises from being labeled deviant by society.

Stigma

A negative label that alters a person's self-concept and social identity.

Highlights inequality, suggesting laws and norms serve the interests of the powerful; deviance labels depend on societal power dynamics.

Demonstrates how gender dynamics illustrate social conflict and the implications of labeling.

Skills for Working-Class Students

Working-class students must adapt to elite environments by concealing their backgrounds and adapting social behaviors; illustrates social conflict theories of deviance.

Stigma Management

Strategies for identity management among individuals with invisible stigmas, involving passing or revealing strategies during interactions.

Major Strategies for Managing Stigma

Image management approaches include passing, withdrawal, associating with similar individuals, forming counter-cultures, and challenging norms.

Economic Sectors

Primary: gathers raw materials.
Secondary: transforms materials into goods.
Tertiary: offers services.

Characteristics of Pre-Industrial Societies

Self-sufficient farms/workshops, limited wage labor, craft production, and customized product creation.

Changes from the Industrial Revolution

Shift to factory work, development of a wage labor force, mass production, and emergence of formal organizations.

Durkheim's Principal Challenge

Society's challenge is to ensure unity and solidarity among its members.

Mechanical vs. Organic Solidarity

Mechanical: based on shared values and lifestyles.
Organic: rooted in interdependence among roles and institutions.

Anomie

A state of normlessness where society fails to provide moral guidance, leading to social isolation and self-destructiveness.

The ruling class controls production; contrasts between the bourgeoisie (owners) and the proletariat (laborers).

Major Classes in Capitalism

Bourgeoisie: owners of production.
Proletariat: workers with no ownership beyond their labor.

Exploitative Nature of Capitalism

Capitalism socializes production through workers but allows profits to be seized privately by the bourgeoisie.

Alienation

A sense of estrangement experienced by individuals, often linked to capitalist production processes.

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Description

Explore the various concepts surrounding deviance in society, including labeling theory, stigma, and social conflict theory. This quiz delves into how societal norms shape our understanding of deviant behavior and the implications of labeling individuals. Test your knowledge on primary and secondary deviance and the role of social control.