Theories of deviance 1

It is detail presentation on the different theories of deviant behavior and crime

1. Title of the Presentation Chapter Four: Major Theories of Deviance • Anomie Theory • Conflict Theories • Labeling Theory • Control Theory • Learning or Socialization Theory

2. ANOMIE or STRAIN THEORY Main contributor Robert K Merton (1968) Society is composed of two structures: A value structure and a normative structure. The value structure determines culturally identified desired end-states (or goals), while the normative structure defines culturally prescribed means to achieve those goals. Socialization initially prepares every person in society to accept each of these two structures. In some societies, however, an imbalance results when certain values carry more weight than the standards for acceptable means to attain them. This imbalance creates social strain, which affects some groups more than others, and the members of those groups must adapt to the social circumstances . Anomie is the condition in society that results when the normative structure does not let individuals achieve valued goals. Therefore, people are not anomic, whole societies are.

3. Anomie or Strain Theory cont … Robert Merton came up with the strain theory which says that deviance is more likely to occur when a gap exists between cultural goals and the ability to achieve those goals by legitimate means like hard work and education . There are four types of deviation involved with the strain theory.

4. Cont … Conformity According to Merton, the most common adaptation leads people to conform to society’s norms and avoid becoming deviant Innovation - When a person accepts the goals of success but uses illegal means to achieve it.  Ex. drug dealing, robbery, etc . Ritualism - When the person rejects the goal but continues to use the legitimate means. This person will go through daily routines without any concern for the quality of their work Retreatism - This is when both the legitimate means and illegitimate means are rejected.  This person is not successful by either means and they don't seek success.  ex. homeless person who chooses not to work Rebellion -  This is when people reject both success and the approved means for doing so.  At the same time they substitute a new set of goals and means.

5. Conflict Theory or Conflict Perspective on Deviance The conflict approach to deviance can be said to involve five broad themes . First , deviance is related to the inequalities of power and materialism that are inevitable in a capitalist system. Such inequalities lead to both street crime and corporate criminality. Second, what is considered “deviant” is not the result of an impartial decision-making process. Rather , the key to being able to define some behavior as deviant is social power. In general, the injurious acts of the powerless (like burglary, taking crack cocaine, and drinking in public) are said to be deviant, while the injurious acts of the powerful and rich (like the manufacture of defective products, taking powder cocaine, and drinking in one’s own living room) often escape sanction.

6. Cont.… Third, the system of social control, in the form of the criminal justice system, psychiatrists, counselors, religious officials, and parents, often uphold the interests of the capitalist system rather than those of the poor and socially marginal. Fourth , the root cause of deviance is capitalism, which often ignores the needs of the poor . the school system, welfare authorities, and the police among others—the poor often turn to crime and forms of escapism, such as alcohol and drugs, and suicide. Fifth, the solution to most forms of deviance is a more equitable society. Reducing the gaps between the rich and the poor is essential, as is the reform of systems of social control to make them more responsive to the needs of the poor .

7. Differential Association theory Differential Association: Edwin H. Sutherland’s view that criminality is a function of the socialization process The differential association theory says the more we are exposed to people who break the law, the more apt we are to breaking the law ourselves .   Criminal behavior is learned Learning is a by-product of interacting with others Learning criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups Learning criminal behavior involves assimilating the techniques of committing crime, including motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes The specific direction is learned from perceptions of various aspects of the legal code as favorable or unfavorable

8. Cont.…. A person becomes criminal when perceiving the consequences of violating the law as favorable Differential associations vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity The process of learning criminal behavior involves the same mechanisms as any other learning process Criminal behavior and noncriminal behavior express the same needs and values

9. Cont.…

10. Social Bond or Control Theory The Social Control Theory, originally known as The Social Bond Theory in 1969, was developed by Travis Hirschi . The central question of the theory asks why do people follow the law? The theory suggests that people engage in criminal activity when their bond to society has weakened. “social control theory refers to a perspective which predicts that when social constraints on antisocial behavior are weakened or absent, delinquent behavior emerges.” In other words, when an individual has experienced a lack of social connections or a lack of social network that would normally prohibit criminal activity, the likelihood that the individual will participate in criminal activity increases

11. Elements of Social Control Theory Four Main Concepts or Elements of Social Bonding Theory 1.Attachment: - close, affective ties to others,; identification with others (to parents)(the more insensitive we are with others the less we care about their values. Attachment to parents Attachment to peers Attachment to school

12. Cont.… 2. Commitment: Feelings that conventional activities offer rewards; development of a “ stake in conformity” and the feeling that deviance jeopardizes valued benefits 3. Involvement : The amount of time spent in conventional activities ; insufficient idle time for possible deviance 4. Belief: The extent of internalization of conventional norms; development of “inner controls” over deviance

13. Testing Social Bond Theory Hirschi’s Supporting Research Youths who were strongly attached to their parents were less likely to commit criminal acts. Commitment to conventional values, such as striving to get a good education and refusing to drink alcohol and “cruise around,” was indicative of conventional behavior. Youths involved in conventional activity, such as homework, were less likely to engage in criminal behavior. Youths involved in unconventional behavior, such as smoking and drinking, were more delinquency prone. Youths who maintained weak and distant relationships with people tended toward delinquency. Those who shunned unconventional acts were attached to their peers. Delinquents and no delinquents shared similar beliefs about society.

14. Labelling theory Labelling Theory is “An approach to the study of deviance which suggests that people become ‘deviant’ because certain labels are attached to their behaviour by political authorities and others” - (Giddens, 2006: p1022 ) Meaning that people are not inherently deviant or non-deviant by nature but rather that, they are seen as deviant by others, causing them to become deviant. 15

15. Who Labels Whom? “People who represent the forces of law and order, or are able to impose definitions of conventional morality on others, do most of the labelling ” Thus by “wealthy for the poor, by men for women, by older people for younger people, and by ethnic majorities for minority groups” - (Giddens, 2006:p800) 16

16. Howard Becker Becker believed that the act done by the person was not deviant, rather that the labelling caused it to be viewed as such . Becker’s Outsiders (1963) shows that smoking of marijuana in the early 1960s, was a marginal activity, within sub-cultures . Also that it depended on acceptance into the culture, association with current users and disassociation with non-users . 17

17. Edwin Lemert Lemert (1972) created a theory for how deviance might occur through labelling. Primary deviance is the first deviant act committed by a person, sometimes it is normalised. If not the person is labelled as criminal. Secondary deviance is when the person accepts the label. This may lead to the reproduction of that behaviour more frequently. Becker described this as becoming a ‘master status’ or when the label becomes the most important part of the person’s identity and it is self-fulfilling. 18

18. Thanks Your Questions are Welcome