Sociology of Deviance
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Questions and Answers

Define deviance.

Deviance is the recognized violation of cultural norms.

Which of the following is considered a violation of society's formally enacted criminal law?

  • Wearing a specific color of clothing
  • Being overly enthusiastic about studying
  • Speeding while driving (correct)
  • Participating in a religious ceremony
  • Deviant actions or attitudes always have a negative connotation.

    False

    According to Cesare Lombroso, what physical characteristics did he associate with criminals?

    <p>Low foreheads, prominent jaws and cheekbones, hairiness, and unusually long arms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Deviance is a recognized violation of cultural __.

    <p>norms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the deviance theory with its description:

    <p>Labeling theory = Deviance and conformity result from how others respond to actions Differential Association theory = Deviant behavior is learned through interactions with others Control theory = Focuses on the social ties that bind people and prevent deviant behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used when a person is discredited in the minds of others and becomes socially isolated?

    <p>Stigma</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for a formal stigmatization of a person by a community?

    <p>Degradation ceremony</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Retrospective labeling involves interpreting someone's past in light of their present deviance.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does projective labeling of a stigmatized person involve? Using the person's deviant identity to predict future _______.

    <p>actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has led to the medicalization of deviance according to the content?

    <p>Increasing influence of psychiatry and medicine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the type of social control from Hirschi's Control Theory with their descriptions:

    <p>Attachment = Encouragement of conformity through strong social bonds Opportunity = Accessibility to legitimate opportunities reducing deviant behavior Involvement = Engagement in legitimate activities inhibiting deviance Belief = Strong adherence to conventional morality and respect for authority figures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Definition of Deviance and Crime

    • Deviance: recognized violation of cultural norms, a broad concept varying from culture to culture or group to group.
    • Crime: violation of society's formally enacted criminal law, a category of deviance.

    Social Control

    • Social control: attempts by society to regulate people's thoughts and behavior, often informal.
    • Informal control: from parents, friends, and community, can be praising or scolding behavior.
    • Formal control: involves the criminal justice system, including police, courts, and prisons.

    The Relativity of Deviance

    • Deviance is relative, varying according to cultural norms and context.
    • What is deviant for some people may not be deviant for others.

    Biological Explanations of Deviance

    • Biological explanation of deviance: rooted in the idea that human behavior is the result of biological instincts.
    • Early theories suggested that criminals had distinct physical characteristics, but these were later discredited.
    • Recent research investigates the connection between genes and crime.

    Psychological Theory of Deviance

    • Psychologists see deviance as caused by abnormalities in individual personality.
    • Personality traits are shaped by social experience, and deviance is a result of unsuccessful socialization.
    • The containment theory: a personality that controls deviant impulses helps individuals stay out of trouble.

    Social Foundations of Deviance

    • Deviance varies according to cultural norms and context.
    • People become deviant as others define them that way.
    • How societies set norms and define rule-breaking involves power.

    Structural-Functional Theories of Deviance

    • Deviance is an essential part of social organization, serving several important social functions.
    • Durkheim's functions of deviance:
      • Affirms cultural values and norms.
      • Clarifies moral boundaries.
      • Brings people together.
      • Encourages social change.
    • Merton's Strain Theory:
      • Deviance is a result of imbalance between cultural goals and approved means.
      • People may respond to strain in different ways, including conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.

    Symbolic-Interaction Theories of Deviance

    • Labeling theory: deviance and conformity result from how others respond to actions.
    • Differential association theory: people learn deviant behavior through associations with others.
    • Control theory: conformity depends on anticipating the consequences of behavior.

    Labeling Theory

    • Deviance is a result of how others respond to actions.
    • Primary deviance: initial norm violation that provokes a slight reaction from others.
    • Secondary deviance: when a person begins to employ deviant behavior as a means of defense, attack, or adjustment.
    • Stigma: a powerfully negative label that greatly changes a person's self-concept and social identity.

    Differential Association Theory

    • Learning any behavioral pattern, including deviant behavior, takes place in groups.
    • Associations with deviant groups or conformists influence behavior.
    • Studies confirm that young people are more likely to engage in delinquency if they believe their peers encourage it.

    Control Theory

    • Social control depends on people anticipating the consequences of their behavior.
    • Hirschi's control theory links conformity to four types of social control:
      • Attachment: strong social attachments encourage conformity.
      • Opportunity: greater access to legitimate opportunities encourages conformity.
      • Involvement: involvement in legitimate activities inhibits deviance.
      • Belief: strong belief in conventional morality and respect for authority figures control deviance.

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    Description

    This quiz explores the concept of deviance, including its definition, biological and psychological explanations, and social foundations. It also delves into theoretical approaches to understanding deviance, including structural-functional and symbolic-interaction theories.

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