Deviance and social control shape our society's norms and behaviors. Deviance breaks social rules, while social control enforces them. These concepts help us understand how societies define acceptable behavior and deal with those who don't follow the rules.

Sociologists study deviance and social control from different angles. They look at how power structures, social interactions, and societal functions all play a role. This helps explain why some actions are seen as deviant in one context but not another.

Deviance and social control

Defining deviance and social control

• Deviance refers to behaviors, beliefs, or conditions that violate social norms and expectations within a particular society or group
  • Deviance is a relative concept that varies across cultures and time periods (public displays of affection, dress codes)
• Social control encompasses the formal and informal mechanisms used by a society to enforce conformity to norms, rules, and laws
  • Social control aims to regulate behavior and maintain social order (laws, peer pressure, socialization)
• Sociologists study deviance and social control to understand how societies define and respond to behaviors that are deemed unacceptable or threatening to the social order
  • This includes examining the social construction of deviance and the consequences of being labeled as deviant (stigma, marginalization)

Sociological perspectives on deviance and social control

• Functionalist perspective views deviance as necessary for reinforcing social norms and promoting social cohesion
  • Deviance serves as a boundary-maintaining mechanism that clarifies moral boundaries and promotes unity among conforming members (Durkheim's concept of anomie)
• Conflict perspective emphasizes the role of power structures in defining and enforcing norms and deviance
  • Dominant groups use their power to label certain behaviors or groups as deviant in order to maintain their own status and authority (criminalization of marginalized populations)
• Symbolic interactionist perspective focuses on the social processes through which deviance is defined and responded to
  • Labeling theory suggests that deviance is not inherent in an act, but is a consequence of the responses of others to the act (primary and secondary deviance)

Deviance vs conformity

Characteristics of deviant behavior

• Deviant behavior violates social norms, which are the shared expectations and rules that guide behavior within a society or group
  • Conformity, in contrast, refers to adherence to these norms (dress codes, traffic laws)
• Deviance is often associated with negative sanctions, such as disapproval, stigma, or punishment
  • Conformity is typically rewarded with positive sanctions, such as acceptance, respect, or rewards (praise, social status)
• Deviance is context-dependent, meaning that what is considered deviant in one social setting may be acceptable in another
  • Conformity is defined by the specific norms of a given social context (workplace norms vs family norms)

Primary and secondary deviance

• Primary deviance refers to the initial act of norm violation
  • This may be intentional or unintentional and does not necessarily lead to a deviant identity (jaywalking, experimenting with drugs)
• Secondary deviance occurs when an individual is labeled as deviant and subsequently internalizes that label
  • This can lead to further deviant behavior and the adoption of a deviant identity (recidivism, joining deviant subcultures)
• Conformity does not involve this labeling process, as it aligns with social norms and expectations

Social norms and deviance

Types and functions of social norms

• Prescriptive norms specify what behaviors are expected or encouraged
  • These norms guide positive behavior and promote social cohesion (helping others, being polite)
• Proscriptive norms specify what behaviors are prohibited or discouraged
  • These norms set boundaries for acceptable behavior and help maintain social order (prohibitions against violence, theft)
• Norms are socially constructed and can vary across cultures, subcultures, and historical periods
  • What is considered deviant in one context may be acceptable or even expected in another (cultural relativism)

Enforcement of social norms

• Norms are enforced through various forms of social control, including socialization, peer pressure, and formal sanctions
  • Socialization teaches individuals the norms and values of their society from an early age (family, school, media)
  • Peer pressure encourages conformity to group norms through the threat of social exclusion or disapproval (adolescent peer groups)
  • Formal sanctions, such as laws and regulations, provide official consequences for norm violations (fines, imprisonment)
• The strength and clarity of social norms influence the degree to which deviance is tolerated or punished within a society
  • Strongly held norms with clear boundaries are more likely to result in strict definitions of deviance (taboos, sacred values)

Deviance and power structures

Power and the social construction of deviance

• Power structures, such as those based on class, race, gender, or religion, play a significant role in defining and enforcing norms and, consequently, in shaping definitions of deviance
  • Dominant groups in society often have the power to define what is considered normal and deviant, and to impose these definitions on subordinate groups (criminalization of poverty, pathologizing of mental illness)
• Deviance can be used as a tool for social control, as those in power may label certain behaviors or groups as deviant in order to maintain their own status and authority
  • This can lead to the marginalization and stigmatization of certain behaviors or identities (LGBTQ+ identities, political dissent)

Resistance and challenging power structures

• Resistance to power structures can also be labeled as deviant, even when the actions are aimed at challenging social injustices or inequalities
  • Social movements and acts of civil disobedience are examples of deviance that challenge existing power structures (civil rights movement, protests against police brutality)
• The intersection of multiple power structures, such as race and class, can create unique experiences of deviance and social control for individuals who occupy multiple marginalized identities
  • This intersectionality shapes the ways in which deviance is defined, enforced, and resisted (disproportionate policing of low-income communities of color)