ANALYSIS OF SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS

ANALYSIS OF SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS



ANALYSIS OF SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS

Introduction

What is deviance?  Who is a deviant?  How do you control deviant behavior?  These questions all have major societal relevance.  Crime, deviance and delinquency are concepts that are inextricably intertwined and, for the purposes of this writing, will be used interchangeably. 

UK Psychological Association. 2000, 62-78 defines deviance as “behavior or characteristics that some people in a society find offensive and that generates--or would generate if discovered--in these people disapproval, punishment, condemnation of, or hostility toward, the actor or possessor “ (p. 29).  And individuals are described as delinquent or deviant when the individuals (more often than not, adolescents), acts out their hostility towards the parent, guardian, caregiver, abuser, or society at large, in a deviant manner (Lemert, 1972).  Obviously, as Lemert seems to suggest, deviant personalities do not develop overnight.  He argues that there are initial acts that deviate from normal or socially acceptable behavior. These acts result in reactions from the immediate social environment since they represents violations of social norms. The social reaction would often involve some measure of reprimand and, despite warnings, other deviant acts and reactions will continue to occur UK Psychological Association. 2000, 62-78

Lemert also notes that because some instances of deviance are simply cases of unintended clumsiness, the resultant punishment or admonition may very well be the reaction that provokes a sense of unfairness, victimization and, ultimately, deviant retaliation (p. 59).  Eventually, the individual will begin to use deviant behavior as a means of defense, attack, or response to the corrective reaction that the initial behavior provoked (p. 200).  Other researchers argue that within the family structure, divorce, neglect, abuse, deviant parents, and general familial conflict, are the main determinants of the deviant or criminal behavior of the offspring.  In fact, early researchers first thought that parental absence only affected girls and whites UK Psychological Association. 2000, 62-78)

Explanation Poverty has also been identified as having a significant impact on family conflict and deviance .  Research has shown that children need close and supportive relationships with their parents; therefore an inability to communicate with parents could probably promote deviance, especially if the child feels a need for attention.  Family size also has the potential to affect an adolescent who does not receive the requisite level of individual attention.  Middle children, for example, are more likely to behave deviantly because they receive less attention than their older or younger siblings (p. 48). Deviant behavior is also linked to other influences occurring outside of the home. Peers, media images, and mainstream society set the standard norms in any given environment, and the degree of the impact on each individual depends on the level of peer influence as well as media influence.  UK Psychological Association. 2000, 62-78

 

Theories, Approaches and Perspective of Deviance

               Within the last century alone, a plethora of theories, approaches and perspectives have emerged all attempting to explain the causes of deviance.  Most of these explanations tend to emphasize events and stimuli that occur prior ...