1. Explaining Deviance

2. Deviance is behavior that violates significant social norms.
DEVIANCE…What is it?
Deviance is behavior that violates significant social norms.
To be considered deviant by society:
A person’s deviant behavior has to be known to other people.
Individual must be stigmatized
Stigma – mark of social disgrace that sets deviant apart from rest of society

3. Emile Durkheim… Observed that deviance can be useful for society
Deviance has several functions:
Clarifying Norms
Unify the group
Diffuse Tension
Promote social change
Provide jobs

4. Functions of Deviance Pg. 177-79
Draw a scene for each function that demonstrates how committing a deviant act performs a certain function. Include a caption explaining the function.
Clarifying Norms
Unify the group
Diffuse Tension
Promote social change
Provide jobs

5. Clarifying Norms – deviance serves to define boundaries of acceptable behavior.
When rules are broken, people are reminded of norms that guide social life
Unify the group – draws line between conforming members of society and “outsiders”
“us against them” attitude reinforces sense of community & belief in shared values
Diffuse Tension – when people are unhappy with their lives, they may want to strike out at society
Small deviant acts allow individuals to relieve tension without harming society.

6. Promote social change – deviance can help prompt social change by identifying problem areas.
When a lot of people violate a certain norm, it usually means that something in society needs to change
Provide jobs – provides legitimate jobs for wide range of people.
Judges, lawyers, police, prison guards, parole officers…all are jobs related to one aspect of deviance (crime)

7. Separate Sheet of Paper!
Justify your deviance!
Work Independently!
Think of a deviant act that you could have hypothetically committed.
Imagine you have just been caught by a parent/guardian or teacher/administrator and you are told to “explain yourself.”
Write out your justification for committing this deviant act. Incorporate at least 2 of Durkheim’s functions of deviance in your explanation.

8. Theoretical Perspectives on Deviance
FOLDABLE – to be turned in TODAY
Pgs
Functionalism
Conflict
Interactionism
EXPLAIN how this perspective views deviance
Explanation of deviance
Explanation/view of deviance
3 deviant acts
LIST 3 deviant acts with the perspective’s justification of that act
3 deviants acts
Main theory or theories
IDENTIFY the main theory or theories
DEFINE Key Terms/Vocabulary
Vocabulary

9. Perspectives on deviance
Functionalism: deviance is a natural part of society. It’s a result of society’s structure, values, and norms.
Conflict: Competition & social inequality lead to deviance.
Ruling class vs. lower classes
Both groups commit deviant acts
Interactionism: focuses on how interaction with others influences an individual’s likelihood of being deviant or conforming.

10. Strain Theory Developed by Robert Merton
“Deviance is the natural outgrowth of the values, norms, and structure of society.” WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?
Everyone responds to the stresses (strains) of society’s expectations in different ways.
Out of 5 responses, four are deviant.
Anomie: situation where societal norms are unclear or no longer applicable
Example: We value economic success, but not everyone has legitimate means to achieve that goal. Such an individual experiences anomie. Tries to achieve economic success through deviance (crime, cheating)

11. Merton’s Strain Theory

12. Strain Theory Comic Strip
Illustrate an example of each mode of adaptation (5 total), in which you accurately portray someone’s response to society’s expectations. Include a caption or dialogue that provides an explanation.
Innovation:
Bill Gates wanted to be successful professionally, but he didn’t take the normal route. Instead, he dropped out of college and dedicated himself to inventing and building his company. (ACCEPT cultural goals but REJECTS norms)
Conformity:
Juan feels pressured to be successful. It’s what his family expects. So, he decides to complete high school and go to college.
(ACCEPTS cultural goals and norms)

13. Conflict Theory Competition and social inequality lead to deviance
People with power commit deviant acts to maintain their position.
Those without power commit deviant acts to:
Obtain economic rewards.
Because they feel powerless.
Lower classes commit acts defined as deviant due to limited opportunities
Ruling classes label threatening behavior as deviant
Deviance perceived to be lower class problem; targeted by law enforcement and prosecuted more often.

14. Deviance Gallery Walk At each station:
Use Strain Theory to analyze the situation. Which response (mode of adaptation) does the individual exhibit? Why/How do you know?
Use Conflict Theory to explain why the individual or individuals are committing a deviant act.
Write in complete sentences. Turn in on a separate sheet of paper.

15. interactionism
Labeling Theory–focuses on how individuals come to be identified as deviant. Everyone commits deviant acts, but not everyone is labeled as deviant. There’s 2 types of deviance:
Primary Deviance–nonconformity that goes undetected by those in authority. Society & individuals don’t consider themselves to be deviant
Secondary Deviance –individual is labeled as deviant & accepts the label as true.
With a degradation ceremony: individual denounced in a public setting and given new identity as deviant

16. Labelling theory explained
Action
Action witnessed
No witness
Person labelled
No label
Person rejected
Person rejects society

17. Labeling an individual as deviant may lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy:
“In the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the original false conception come 'true'.” (Merton)
-a false definition, when believed to be true, may influence people so that their reactions fulfill the once false prophecy

18. Spiral of Deviance
You’ve been given a series of events that, if organized properly, demonstrate labeling theory in action.
There are potentially several correct combinations
Use construction paper (and other materials) to create a timeline, diagram, comic book, and put the events in the proper order.
Replace the generic behavior with a specific behavior that is eventually labeled as deviant.
-Ex: “Teens meet up at parks after school” instead of “People act in a certain way.”
Illustrate the series of events. Spice it up!

19. interactionism
Cultural Transmission Theory – deviance is a learned behavior (as is non-deviant behavior). Learned through interaction with others.
Interaction with people engaged in deviant acts means that deviant norms/values are transmitted and individuals are socialized into deviant behavior.
Everyone is a conformist. (Conform to those around you)
Differential association: frequency and closeness of associations a person has with deviant/nondeviant individuals influences one’s conformity/deviance
Techniques of Neutralization: suspend moral beliefs to commit deviant acts