Deviance and Social Control

Social Norms Social expectations that guide people’s behaviour Folkways: informal practices, based on tradition or accepted group behaviour Mores: norms involving moral or ethical judgments…some so important made into laws

Degrees of Conformity Freedom of thought and expression important to be individuals Same time, society needs people to conform to social norms in order to function Need balance between two

Social Roles Set of expected behaviours and beliefs related to the part one plays in society.

Deviant Behaviour Behaviour that differs from social norms of the group and is judged as wrong by members of that group.

Causes of Deviance Biological Theories: based on brain function or genetics Psychological Theories: looks at early experiences: ie as children. Criminals learned to think and act in certain ways and were rewarded for deviant behaviour Sociological Theories: it’s a learned response due to the environment

Motivational: some people are encouraged to achieve but do not have the tools to succeed, so they use deviant ways to reach their goals Learning: people learn deviant behaviour from people that they know really well

Control: people display deviant behaviour if they experience an absence of social control and if the rewards for such behaviour are more certain than the punishment Labeling: looks at how definitions define people in certain ways and how people react to that label

Deviant Behaviour or Social Norm? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYIOjNISsmY