Chapter 1: Introduction to Deviance PDF

Chapter 1: Introduction to Deviance Fremont Solstice Parade Bikes (the public displays of nudity) A serial flasher was sentenced in San Diego in the summer of 2019 180 days in jail and three years of probation waive his Fourth Amendment rights register as a sex offender mandated t...

Chapter 1: Introduction to Deviance Fremont Solstice Parade Bikes (the public displays of nudity) A serial flasher was sentenced in San Diego in the summer of 2019 180 days in jail and three years of probation waive his Fourth Amendment rights register as a sex offender mandated to attend counseling 3  Discussion Although both events involve public displays of nudity, one is celebrated while the other is condemned. What accounts for this difference? Under what circumstances is a public display of nudity considered deviant, and when is it celebrated? Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 4  Conceptions of Deviance Normative conception and relativist conception. Positivist and social constructionist perspective. Norms: rules of behavior. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 5  Conceptions of Deviance Clinard and Meier suggest two conceptions of deviance: 1.Normative conception: Normative conception is the conception of deviance that assumes there is a general set of norms of behavior, conduct, and conditions on which all individuals can agree. 2.Reactionist or Relativist conception: It assumes that the definition of deviance is constructed based on interactions with those in society. Given by Thio, Taylor, and Schwartz: 1.Positivist perspective: It is a deterministic approach that focuses on “factual” knowledge acquired through observation and measurement. 2.Social constructionist perspective: Assumes that behaviors or conditions are not inherently deviant but that they become so when the definition of deviance is applied to them. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 6  Conceptions of Deviance Although the authors use different terminology, they are describing similar ideas of deviance. The first conception—normative, or positivist conception of deviance- assumes a universally accepted set of norms for behavior, conduct, and conditions that we can agree upon as a basis for determining deviance. Norms: 1. There is a general set of norms of behavior, conduct, and conditions on which we can agree. 2.Norms are rules of behavior that guide people’s actions. 3.Sumner (1906) broke norms down into three categories: folkways, mores, and laws. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 7  Conceptions of Deviance Folkways: everyday norms. Mores: moral norms. Law: backed by official sanctions. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 8  Conceptions of Deviance Folkways: Folkways are everyday norms that typically don't cause significant reactions when violated. Examples include behaviors like standing too close to someone while talking, which may be considered rude but are generally not met with strong disapproval. Mores: Moral norms that can provoke stronger reactions if violated. For example, behaviors like excessive drinking or alcoholism may be viewed as a serious failure in moral judgment. Law: “Considered the strongest norm because it is backed by official sanctions or a formal response.” Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 9  Discussion Take a post-it note and anonymously write down an act that you or someone in your group has committed that you consider to be deviant. We will discuss each act and determine which category it fits best. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 10  Conceptions of Deviance The First conception of deviance (normative, or positivist conception of deviance): Deviance is a violation of the law: 1.Deviance occurs when someone violates a rule that is recognized by the majority of a group. 2.If the rule is minor, the deviant is often viewed as "strange but harmless," whereas if the rule is significant, the deviant may be seen as a "criminal." Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 11  Conceptions of Deviance The second conception of deviance ( reactionist or relativist, social constructionist) According to the second conception, behaviors or conditions are not inherently deviant; they become so when the definition of deviance is applied to them. Construction of norms: 1.The study of deviance is not about why certain individuals violate norms, instead, about how those norms are constructed. 2.Social constructionists believe that our understanding of the world is in constant negotiation between actors. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 12  Conceptions of Deviance A third conception of deviance is a critical definition of deviance. 1.Critiques the existing social system that creates norms of oppression. 2.Argue that the normative understanding of deviance is established by those in power to maintain and enhance their power. 3.Suggests that deviance has been framed from a White, male, middle- to upper-class perspective. 4.Implies that people of color, women, and the working poor are often viewed as inherently deviant. 5.Focuses not on individual acts of deviance, but on critiquing the social system that creates these norms. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 13 Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.  The Sociological Imagination To understand the societal, institutional, and historical conditions. The salad bar example. Pathologizing of individuals. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 15  The Sociological Imagination “C. Wright Mills argued that the only way to truly understand the experiences of the individual is to first understand the societal, institutional, and historical conditions that individual is living under.” “No man, woman, or child is an island”. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 16  The Sociological Imagination The “salad bar” example: “One of the persistent philosophies is that of individualism and personal responsibility. Under this philosophy, individuals are assumed to be solely responsible for their successes and failures.” The salad bar example helps those who rely heavily on this conception of the individual to see the importance of social structure to individual behavior. 1. Every person makes his or her own salad, and no two salads look exactly alike; a salad is only as good as the salad bar it is created from. 2.Individuals making a salad can only make a salad from the ingredients supplied from the salad bar. The sociological imagination is especially important to understand because it is the building block for our understanding of deviance and sociological theory.” Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 17  salad bar Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 18  The Sociological Imagination Pathologizing of individuals: 1. The sociological imagination helps us understand how social forces influence deviance and reactions to it. 2. A common response is to label people who engage in deviance as "sick" or "mentally ill.“ 3. This approach places all responsibility for deviant behavior on the individual, ignoring the impact of social forces and structures. 4. The sociological imagination reminds us that individuals exist within a larger social system that shapes their actions, just as their behavior impacts the system. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 19  The Importance of Theory and Its Relationship to Research Theory: helps to think about deviance. The scientific method: safeguards against researcher bias. – Deductive research. – Inductive research. Without the scientific method and theory, our understanding of deviance would rely on anecdotal evidence and subjective observations, which can be misleading and unrepresentative of social reality. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 20  The Importance of Theory and Its Relationship to Research Theory: 1.Theory helps us systematically think about deviance. 2.In the absence of a theory, classes about deviance may be entertaining, but we have no clear understanding. 3.“Theory turns anecdotes about human behavior into a systematic understanding of societal behavior” Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 21  The Importance of Theory and Its Relationship to Research The Scientific Method: The scientific method is a structured process that minimizes researcher bias and reliance on anecdotes by following clear steps. The process begins with a research question. 1. In deductive research, the question is derived from a theoretical perspective. The theory and question lead to the formation of hypotheses (testable statements) about the phenomenon being studied. 2. In inductive research, the researcher starts with a research question but the theory evolves from the data. This approach often uses grounded theory. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 22  The Importance of Theory and Its Relationship to Research Theory: offers solutions to problems. The carnival sideshow nature. The study of deviance. Responses to deviant behavior. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 23  The Importance of Theory and Its Relationship to Research In addition to being systematic and testable, theory offers solutions to the problems we study. The carnival sideshow nature: 1. Historically carnival sideshow nature of much of the study of deviance. 2.By focusing on individuals and using less-than-systematic methods, deviance researchers were just pointing at “nuts, sluts, and perverts” and not advancing their broader understanding of the interplay of power, social structure, and behavior. 3.Theory can focus our attention on this interplay and offer solutions beyond the individual. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 24  Global Perspectives on Deviance Article on weird laws. Examine deviance. Relativist nature of deviance. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 25  Global Perspectives on Deviance Article on weird laws. USA Today article highlighted bizarre laws from around the world, some of which seem odd but have logical reasons behind them. For example: 1. In Rome, it is illegal to eat or drink near landmarks, and 2. In Greece, wearing high heels is prohibited. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 26  Global Perspectives on Deviance 3. In Thailand, it is illegal to step on the nation’s currency. All currency in Thailand carries a picture of the king, and because the king is so respected 4. In Singapore, the sale and import of chewing gum have been banned since 1992, with certain exceptions. This law was introduced as part of the country's effort to maintain cleanliness and order in public spaces, Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 27  Global Perspectives on Deviance Examining Deviance: A fascinating way to study deviance is by exploring it across different cultures or globally. By comparing practices and beliefs in different countries, we can better understand how our perceptions of deviance are shaped by varying cultural contexts and experiences. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 28  Global Perspectives on Deviance Relativist Nature of Deviance: The relativistic nature of deviance is most evident when we look at the laws of different countries or regions. What may be considered deviant behavior in one place might not be seen the same way elsewhere. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 29  Deviance and Disparity Deviance and disparity: In some situations behaviors are seen as deviant, while in other situations they are not, or that some individuals may be considered deviant while other individuals are not. Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 30  Disscusion How does the matrix relate to the social structure and the creation/implementation of social norms? How does the red pill relate to the sociological imagination? Why might someone want to take the blue pill? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ1_IbFFbzA Inderbitzin, Deviance and Social Control, Third Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021. 31