Why do people commit deviant acts?
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Transcript Why do people commit deviant acts?
There are three sociological
perspectives that explain
deviance?
Functionalist
Conflict
Interactionist
Functionalist
Strain theory – views deviance as a
natural outgrowth of values, norms, and
structure of society.
Societies goal is to achieve economic
success
However not every one has access to the
legitimate means to achieve these goals.
Anomie- the situation that arises when
the norms of society are unclear or no
longer applicable.
Merton’s Structural Strain Theory
Conformity
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreatism
Rebellion
Conflict Perspective
Competition and social inequality lead to
deviance.
See social life as a struggle between
those who posses power ( ruling class )
and those who do not ( lower class )
People with Power
Commit deviant acts in a effort to
maintain their position.
Label any behavior that threatens their
power base as deviant
Explain deviance as a problem of the
lower class
Crime enforcement efforts are most
directed toward crimes committed by the
lower classes
People without power
Commit deviant acts to obtain economic
rewards.
Low self esteem and feelings of
powerless
People without power don’t necessarily
commit more crimes than other people.
Rather, they commit crimes that are
most likely to be detected and punished
Interactionist perspective
Control theory: explains deviance as a
natural occurrence.
Cultural transmission theory: explains
deviance as a learned behavior
Differential association: frequency and
closeness of a associations a person
has with deviant and non deviant
individuals
Other aspects of Deviance
Labeling theory: how individuals come to
be identified as deviant
Primary deviance: deviance that goes
undetected
Secondary deviance: results in a
individual being labeled a deviant
Degradation: public setting, trial , guilty,
punished and labeled deviant