Deviance

Chapter Outline :
• Definition of Deviance and Deviant
Behavior
• Types of Deviant Behavior
• Function and Dysfunction
• Theories of Deviance
Deviance and Deviant Behavior
by: Joyce

• Refers to a behavior that does not conform to

social norms and values. A deviant behavior
elicits negative response. Deviant behavior can
be formal or informal, and voluntary or
involuntary. An involuntary violation of an
informal norm is far less offensive than a
voluntary violation of a formal form.

• Acts in society refer to behavior that violate

social norms and expectations.
TYPES OF DEVIANT
BEHAVIOR AND THE MEANS
OF INDIVIDUAL ADAPTATION
Types of Deviant Behaviors
by: Jhovy

1. Innovators- are those who accept culturally

approved goals but disregard the institutional
means to achieve them.
Examples: Government officials and low-wage
earners who commit graft and corruption to
achieve a higher standard of living.
2. Ritualists- are those who give up cultural goals
but follow the prescribed norms.
Examples: A religious fanatic; an employee who
reports to work but does nothing about it.
3. Retreatists- are those who abandon the
cultural goals and the prescribed means to
achieve them.
Examples: Drug addicts, hippies, alcoholics.
4. Rebels- are those reject both the societal
goals and prescribed means to achieved them
but try set up new norms or goals.
Examples: Rebel soldier, ISIS, New People’s
Army.
(Communists).
FUNCTIONS AND
DYSFUNCTION OF DEVIANCE
by: Toper

• Function/necessity: Clarification
• Deviance is necessary so that the limits of permissible
behavior are clarified.

• Function/necessity: Solidarity
• It's necessary so people become aware of their solidarity
when the conforming group reacts against deviance,
reaffirming their norms and values- a point so important that
Emile Durkheim maintained that deviants would be invented if
they did not already exist.
• Function: Outlet for frustration
Deviance functions as an outlet for frustration with institutions,
whereby they break rules rather than attack the actual institution the
rules uphold.

• Function: Strain off

Deviance takes the strain off the social system by preventing an
excessive accumulation of discontent (Robertson 1989).

• Function: Problems in social system

Deviance serves to identity problems in the social system

• Dysfunction: Norms, Social order

Widespread violation of social norms can disrupt social order
(Robertson 1989).

• Dysfunction: Norms and Values

extensive deviance leads to confusion over norms and values, leaving
people unsure of what the expected behavior is and what is right and
wrong (Robertson 1989).
• Dysfunction: Resources
to control widespread deviance often uses resources that could
be better directed elsewhere (Robertson 1989).

• Dysfunction: Trust
Deviance violates the trust on which social relationships are
built.

• Concluding sentence
Deviance arises from the very nature of society and the
necessity for establishing and maintaining social order
(Robertson 1989) and whether good or bad, useful or
destructive, deviance will always be an intrinsic aspect of
society.
Theories of Deviance
By: Eddie, Gerald and Ruel
Biological Theories
• Deviant behavior is a result of abberant genetic traits.
• Cesare Lombroso – an Italian criminologist who studied the
skulls and bodies of many prisoners, reported that there are
“animalistic” physical patterns found in criminals, savages and
apes; that people with enormous jaws, high cheekbones, and
prominent superciliary arches – are born criminals.
• Charles Goring – a British physician, who found no differences
between criminals and ordinary citizens.
• Witkin (1976) – found that prisoners with an XYY chromosome
pattern or with an extra Y chromosome (a normal man has an
XY chromosome pattern) might predispose themselves to
deviance.
Social Disorganization Theory
• believes that deviant behavior as caused by the breakdown of
norms, laws, mores, and other important values of society.
• there are ecological factors that lead to high rates of crime in
these communities, and these factors linked to constantly
elevated levels of "high school dropouts, unemployment,
deteriorating infrastructures, and single-parent homes"
(Gaines and Miller).
• The theory is not intended to apply to all types of crime, but
instead to street crime at the neighborhood level. The theory
has not been used to explain organized crime, corporate
crime, or deviant behavior that takes place outside
neighborhood settings.
Labeling theory
• Society’s labeling on behaviors as deviant causes deviant
behavior. Behaviors are labeled or tagged as proper or
improper, moral or immoral, good or bad. Behaviors which
transgress the social norms and values are labeled or socially
defined deviant; they are, in turn, sanctioned by ostracism or
punishment.
• concerned with how the self-identity and behavior of
individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms
used to describe or classify them. It is associated with the
concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping. Labeling
theory holds that deviance is not inherent to an act, but
instead focuses on the tendency of majorities to negatively
label minorities or those seen as deviant from standard
cultural norms.
• Unwanted descriptors or categorizations - including terms
related to deviance, disability or diagnosis of a mental
disorder - may be rejected on the basis that they are merely
"labels", often with attempts to adopt a more constructive
language in its place.
• Labeled persons may include drug addicts, alcoholics,
criminals, delinquents, prostitutes, sex offenders, disabled
people, and psychiatric patients, to mention a few.
ANOMIE THEORY OR STRUCTURAL
STRESS THEORY
• deviance exists when people are denied access to accepted
means to reach approved goals.
• Durkheim – introduced the concept of
“anomie” as a condition within society in
which individuals find that the prevailing
social norms are ill-defined, weak, or
conflicting. For example, many people
expect to have a job, but the economy
may not provide enough jobs for
everybody. Thus, a jobless job – seeker
may resort to illegitimate or illegal means
to achieve his goals.
CONFLICT THEORY
• states that deviant behavior is caused by an
unjust social structure where unequal
distribution of wealth and power exists.
• conflict arises between individuals and
groups or deviance is a reaction due to
conflict between individuals and groups.
• The greater the power differentials and
inequalities, especially class, the greater the
conflict in a society.
• Conflict is inevitable under the current
capitalist power arrangement
CULTURAL TRANSMISSIONS OR
DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY
• is a theory developed by Edwin Sutherland
proposing that through interaction with others,
individuals learn the values, attitudes,
techniques, and motives for criminal behavior.
• This theory focuses on how individuals learn
to become criminals, but does not concern
itself with why they become criminals.
• deviance is created through the socialization
or transmission of norms within a community
or group.
• People also learn their norms from various
socializing agents—parents, teachers,
ministers, family, friends, co-workers, and the
media.
Thank you…
Seat work :

In 1 whole sheet of yellow paper.

Question : Essay 20pts.

 As an individual/Student, What are your Deviant
behavior? why And how will you going to prevent it? 10pts.
 In our society today, give at least 2 examples of deviance
and elaborate your answer? 10pts.