Introduction to Deviance: A Sociological Perspective, Lecture notes of Sociology

Download Introduction to Deviance: A Sociological Perspective and more Lecture notes Sociology in PDF only on Docsity!

Introduction to Deviance

Chapter 1

Just to get the wheels in your head going…

…let’s look at the list of behaviors below and decide which are deviant and which are not:

• (^) drinking beer
• (^) selling human organs
• (^) being childless Your answer for each should be “it depends.” Forget whether any of these are illegal or not in certain situations (e.g., drinking beer if you are under 21 years of age is illegal, therefore deviant). There are other things to consider. For example:
• (^) Drinking beer at a party of people over the age of 21 is not deviant. However, if an Alcoholics Anonymous member were to do the same, it may be considered deviant.
• (^) Selling human organs is both illegal and deviant in the U.S., but not in Lima, Peru.
• (^) A single person who has no children is acceptable, but married couples without children is deviant, to a degree. (In the U.S. there is this idea that we should get married, have kids, and pay taxes.) Now let’s see why.

To understand how sociologists…

…observe the behaviors of groups, we need to talk about the sociological imagination. Sociologists use a tool referred to as the sociological imagination when observing and attempting to understand any human behavior. This basically means we use “creative thinking.” A better way to understand what this tool means is to think about it as “thinking outside the box.” The course text refers to it as “a big picture understanding.” (p. 7) Refer to the section in your book about the sociological imagination for examples. The salad bar analogy is a common one when understanding the sociological imagination. But first try this: Copy this pattern on a piece of paper. Now, without picking up your pencil, connect the dots. Each dot can be “touched” by your pencil only once. Remember, you are not allowed to pick up your pencil. When you are done, see the following slide for the solution.

Were you able to figure it out? If so, then you are an “out-of-the-box” thinker! If you did not figure it out, then you will be an “out-of-box” thinker by the time the course ends.

Controlling behavior

I just stated that it is very likely that we all have [participated] in deviant behavior. But most people refrain from participating in serious forms of deviant behavior, such as most crimes. Why? Because of social control (of the norms of society). Norms are controlled formally by laws, and are controlled informally by various institutions such as family, church, friends, etc. Reactions to norm violations can range from a simple “dirty” look from audience members, to incarceration – possibly the death penalty. Pay attention to the “street vs. suite” examples in each chapter. We are socialized such that abiding by the norms is rewarding and satisfying, and violating the norms results in feelings of guilt or shame. Some norms require a conscientious decision to follow (such as denying your will to pick your nose in a restaurant), and other norms are so widely accepted that a conscientious decision is not required…we just follow automatically (e.g., cannibalism – well, I don’t have to think about NOT having a person’s organs for dinner!).

Remember what sociology is?

If you recall, the definition of sociology includes the “systematic’ study of human behavior. Why is it important to make sure that ‘systematic’ is included? Because sociology is a discipline that uses theory and the scientific method. Since we will be discussing deviance from a sociological perspective, we will be incorporating theory and the scientific method. The text does a very good job of familiarizing you with the role of theory and methods, so be sure to review that information carefully. In short, however, keep in mind that a theory is not a fact. Theories are used to help us study human behavior in a systematic way, and if necessary, offer solutions to any problems we observe. The scientific method provides a process that researchers can use to avoid any bias that may surface.

The notes I have provided via slides is to be used

as supplemental material, not main material. You

need to consolidate these notes with the

publisher’s slides provided to you, as well as the

material in the text (including assigned readings).

You will not do well if you are not reading the text.