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This video reviews the theoretical perspectives on deviance. There are three major paradigms
or perspectives.
The first is called functionalism. The general definition of functionalism, if you look at
the root of the word, examines the function or purpose of things in society. Basically
looking at how things are interrelated in society. The organs of your body are related
and work together to help sustain life. Society works the same way.
Under functionalism there are three different perspectives when it comes to deviance. The
first is called strain theory. What's important about functionalism as it examines deviance
is it looks at how we challenge our views regarding rules and norms, and also looks
at how we set boundaries and what the rules of society are going to be. In strain theory
what happens is people are unable to legitimately obtain their goals so they have to do it in
an illegitimate way. That means they have to break the rules to get what they want.
For example, if I lose my job and I'm unable to pay my mortgage or feed my kids and there
are no jobs in my community I may start to get stressed and develop anxiety so a way
I might respond is to rob a mini mart. That would be an illegitimate way to of obtaining
my means or strain theory.
The second perspective is called social disorganization. Social disorganization examines the social
environment and how the structure of the social environment inhibits us from being successful.
In other words, if I live in a community that is impoverished and there is a lack of jobs
then I am unable to have the opportunities of other communities where jobs are present.
So, it's the social environment that might lead me to break the rules or be deviant because
I don't have access to the things that will help me be successful.
Social disorganization is related to cultural deviance theory. What we find is that in poor
communities there's a culture that develops because they don't have access to the structure
they need to support success. So, what happens is they develop their own cultural norms or
rules that are different than mainstream society's norms. In a community where there are no jobs
another way to make an income could be prostitution or selling drugs so the norm for an impoverished
community becomes doing illegal activities and committing crimes.
The second paradigm or perspective is called conflict theory. Conflict theory examines
conflict over resources in society. This perspective looks at is inequality in society based on
resources. So, this is an examination of what we in sociology call the haves versus the
have nots. The haves are the people that have resources and money. These people have influence
because of their resources to create the laws. They create the laws that govern society but
then that means that they are creating the laws that provide themselves opportunities
that impoverish the have nots and limit their access. The other thing about the haves, the
wealthy and the powerful, is they often go under-punished for their crimes. For the same
reason they are able to create laws, money gives them the access not just to defense
attorneys and things of that nature but also helps them influence the judicial system.
The last paradigm or perspective is called symbolic interactionism. Symbolic interactionism
examines symbols and words, and how we apply meaning to things in society. Within deviance
we look at how we apply meaning to deviant behavior and how people view it.
The first perspective under symbolic interactionism is labeling theory. In our society we tend
to label those who are delinquent. We'll call them juvenile delinquents criminals, trouble
makers, even mentally ill. What happens with labels is they become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The more we use the label on someone the more they begin to accept it and it becomes real
to them, and they start acting out those behaviors. So, if you call a young person who might be
a trouble maker at school a delinquent, tell them you're not going amount to anything,
or you're no good, and sometimes even use ugly labels like you're retarded, these students
or young people start to believe it and then they start fulfilling the prophecy and become
the label.
The second perspective is called differential association. This perspective looks at how
we learn from our associates which is called group learning. In other words, the people
we hang out with socialize us. So, if we grow up in an environment where our parents are
gang members then we are socialized around gang culture, ideals, and rules or norms and
are more likely to act out gang behavior. That is differential association.
The last perspective is called control theory. In control theory we all use social controls
that help us stay in line. When there are no social bonds we don't feel obligated that
we have to stay in control then we will break the rules and become deviant. With no social
bonds we have an opportunity to break the rules. So, if I'm in a classroom full of students
and class is over, everyone leaves and someone leaves a backpack on the desk and no one is
around except me, I now have no social bonds to anyone because there is no one is in the
room I have an opportunity to take the backpack or go through it and take things I want. That
is an act of deviant behavior under control theory.
Thank you, next time we will review ASA formatting.