Society as Amplifier of Deviance Labels and More
Halo Effect a cognitive bias in which one trait influences expectations and evaluations of others in one's judgment of a person or object.
Cooley and Mead C. H. Cooley ( ) G.H. Mead (1863–1931) Humans interact via meaningful symbols Self emerges in interaction Provides the ideas that (1) how people react to you creates “reality,” (2) we play roles
What is a “role” Coherent set of behavioral expectations
Social Status A social status is a position in society Social status is the prestige or honor associated with a position/role/identity
History of Societal Reaction I Tannenbaum "Dramatization Of Evil“ 1930s – “As a maladjustment that arises out of conflict between a group and the community at large. The issue involved is not whether an individual is maladjusted to society, but the fact that his adjustment to a special group makes him maladjusted to the large society because the group he fits into is at war with society” (Tannenbaum 1938:8). Act as evil Actor as evil Other behaviors of actor evil
History of Societal Reaction II E Lemert ( ) Deviance = Reaction + Label 1 dev (original act) reaction accept label 2 dev (act part)
History of Societal Reaction III Becker, Erikson, Kitsuse (1960s)
Becker Reaction/ResponseNo Reaction Rule Abiding Falsely accused. Stereotypes. Rebellious critique. “Normal” conformity Rule Breaking“Pure” Deviance“Secret” Deviance
Natural History of Labeling Behavior Notice Reaction Label act Label actor StatusMaster Status RoleInstitutions Secondary Deviance mundane Something I did Something he did Something he does He’s different He’ll do it again
Selection One behavior comes to define the entire person
Labels Easy to apply Hard to lose
Labels Can block opportunity and yield more deviance
Labels Can play into techniques of neutralization and cause more deviance
Labels Can generate subcultures and lead to more deviance
Labels Can lead to differential association and more deviance
Labels Can block access to legitimate means for achieving legitimate goals