Ch. 7 Deviance, Crime, & Social Control

deviance

behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society (social norms)

stigma

the labels society uses to devalue members of a certain social group; term coined by interactionist Eric Goffman

social control

the techniques and strategies for preventing deviant human behavior in any society

sanctions

penalties and rewards for conduct concerning a social norm

conformity

complying with peers/individuals of our own status who have no special right to direct our behavior

obedience

compliance w higher authorities in hierarchical structure

informal social control

the unofficial social practices used to enforce norms; ie. spanking children, smiling/raising an eyebrow

formal social control

the enforcement of social norms by authorized agents; ie. police officers, management, judges, military officers

law

governmental social control

control theory

our connection to members of society leads us to systematically conform to society's norms( mores & folkways)

functionalist perspective

people violate social norms, because deviance is a common part of human existence both positive and negative

Durkheim's view

this person's view is that the punishment (formal/informal social control) helps define acceptable behavior which contributes to a society's stability

Kai Erikson

Sociologist who studied the 17th century Puritans to develop the boundary-maintenance function of deviance

anomie

loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective; term coined by Durkheim

anomie theory of deviance

five basic forms of adaptation to which people deviate or conform to cultural expectations in order to reach success or higher aspirations; developed by Robert Merton

conformity

the only non-deviant behavior in the anomie theory of deviance which accepts the societal goal & institutionalized means

innovator

accepts the societal goals, but improper means ie. safecracker

ritualist

abandons societal goal, and becomes committed to institutionalized mean--> they miss the big picture & just do work

retreatist

withdraws from both the societal goals and means ie: drug addicts/alcoholics/vagrants

rebel

creates/seeks new social structure/ abandons typical means/goals of society

cultural transmission

one learns criminal behavior by interacting w others

differential association

process through which exposure to attitudes favorable to criminal acts leads to the violation of rule; ie. smoking/early sexual behavior

social disorganization theory

increase in crime/deviance due to breakdown of communal relationships & social institutions; ie. the family, school, church. local gov

labeling theory

case of The Saints/The Roughnecks; discrepancy in social class; why certain people are viewed as deviants whereas others are excused for misbehavior

social-reaction approach

labeling theory; the response to act not the behavior itself determines deviance

deviance

behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society (social norms)

stigma

the labels society uses to devalue members of a certain social group; term coined by interactionist Eric Goffman

social control

the techniques and strategies for preventing deviant human behavior in any society

sanctions

penalties and rewards for conduct concerning a social norm

conformity

complying with peers/individuals of our own status who have no special right to direct our behavior

obedience

compliance w higher authorities in hierarchical structure

informal social control

the unofficial social practices used to enforce norms; ie. spanking children, smiling/raising an eyebrow

formal social control

the enforcement of social norms by authorized agents; ie. police officers, management, judges, military officers

law

governmental social control

control theory

our connection to members of society leads us to systematically conform to society's norms( mores & folkways)

functionalist perspective

people violate social norms, because deviance is a common part of human existence both positive and negative

Durkheim's view

this person's view is that the punishment (formal/informal social control) helps define acceptable behavior which contributes to a society's stability

Kai Erikson

Sociologist who studied the 17th century Puritans to develop the boundary-maintenance function of deviance

anomie

loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective; term coined by Durkheim

anomie theory of deviance

five basic forms of adaptation to which people deviate or conform to cultural expectations in order to reach success or higher aspirations; developed by Robert Merton

conformity

the only non-deviant behavior in the anomie theory of deviance which accepts the societal goal & institutionalized means

innovator

accepts the societal goals, but improper means ie. safecracker

ritualist

abandons societal goal, and becomes committed to institutionalized mean--> they miss the big picture & just do work

retreatist

withdraws from both the societal goals and means ie: drug addicts/alcoholics/vagrants

rebel

creates/seeks new social structure/ abandons typical means/goals of society

cultural transmission

one learns criminal behavior by interacting w others

differential association

process through which exposure to attitudes favorable to criminal acts leads to the violation of rule; ie. smoking/early sexual behavior

social disorganization theory

increase in crime/deviance due to breakdown of communal relationships & social institutions; ie. the family, school, church. local gov

labeling theory

case of The Saints/The Roughnecks; discrepancy in social class; why certain people are viewed as deviants whereas others are excused for misbehavior

social-reaction approach

labeling theory; the response to act not the behavior itself determines deviance