Deviance and Social control
Deviance: In all societies the behavior of some people at times goes beyond that permitted by norms. Norms only tells us what we are supposed to do or what we are not supposed to do; they do not tell us what people actually do. And what some of us actually do very often runs counter to what other people judge to be acceptable behavior. In brief, social life is characterized not only by conformity but by deviance.
“Deviance is behavior that a considerable number of people in a society view as reprehensible and beyond the limits of tolerance” (Sociology The Core-Vander Janden). We typically view behavior as deviant to the extent to which it is negatively valued and provokes hostile reactions.
For sociologists, the term deviance does not mean perversion or depravity. Deviance is behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society (Wickman, 1991:85)
Deviance involves the violation of group norms which may or may no be formalized into law. It is a comprehensive concept that includes not only criminal behavior but also many actions not subject to prosecution. (Sociology-Schaefer& Lamm)
From a sociological perspective, deviance is not objectively defined within a particular society. Rather it is subject to social definitions. In most instances, those individuals and groups with the greatest status and power define what is acceptable and what is deviant.
Deviance is violation of social norms that offend a large number of people or people in a position to influence social judgments. Deviance is any act that upsets social expectations, elicits social disapproval, and causes people to explain “something must be done!”(K. Erickson).
Deviance is universal (E. Goode, 1984). Every society establishes rules and regulations, experiences violations of those rules, and in one way or another punishes offenders. (Gelles & Levine-Sociology: An Introduction)
“Deviant behavior is that behavior which does not conform to social expectation”. (Ross, 1972)
Which acts are defined vary greatly from time to time, place to place, and group to group. For example, when ordinary people break into tombs, they are labeled as looters. When archeologists break into tombs, they are hailed as scientists advancing the frontiers of knowledge. Yet in both cases burial sites are disturbed and items are carted away.
Redefinitions of normality and deviancy:
Within recent years, many behaviors Americans have traditionally judged to be deviant have undergone redefinition. Not too long ago compulsive gambling, alcoholism, drug addiction, and even many forms of mental illness were defined as evil and sinful. While such notions still persist, the view has increasingly gained currency that these behaviors are “medical problems.” The disorders are considered illness analogous to physical ailments such as ulcers, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Their sufferers are placed in “hospitals” where they are called “patients” and “treatment” by the “physicians.”
Social Control:
Societies seek to ensure that their members conform to basic norms by means of social control, the methods and strategies that regulate behavior within society.
Social control refers to any and all efforts to prevent and/or correct deviant behavior. The most powerful instrument for social control is socialization. It helps people what they are supposed to do. But socialization is never perfect because human beings are not social robots. To achieve social control all societies depend on sanctions, that is, on rewards for conforming behavior and punishments for deviant behavior.
There are three main types of social control processes operating in social life.
- those that lead us to internalize our society’s normative expectations
- those that structure our world of social experience, and
- those that employ various informal and formal social sanctions
Informal social controls: subtle, unofficial pressures to conform to society’s norms and values. They are so tightly woven into the fabric of everyday life that we often overlook their impact-a smile or nod that indicates that one person approves of what another person has said (positive sanctions).the averted eyes or stiff handshake that indicates the other person wants to maintain distance(negative sanctions). Gossip is one of the most familiar and pervasive forms of informal social control. Ervin Goffman pointed out, a breach of social rules embarrasses the people who witness the mistake and as well as who commits it.
Formal social controls:
In large secondary groups and complex societies, more formal mechanisms of control are required. Formal social controls are institutionalized, codified, public mechanisms for preventing or correcting deviant behavior. In modern societies, certain institutions and organizations specialize in social control. The police, courts, and prisons are responsible for enforcing the law by apprehending and punishing criminals; psychiatrists and other mental health workers decide whether or not an individual is mentally ill and if so, how that persons “illness” will be treated. Individuals may be subject to social controls in many different domains at the same time-home, office, church, or even on the street, where the police exert formal social control and the stare of the crowd exerts informal social control.
The social effects of Deviance:
Most of us think deviance as “bad”-as behavior that poses a “social problem”. Such a view is not surprising given the negative or disruptive consequences of much deviance, what sociologists call dysfunctions. But deviance has also positive or integrative consequences for social life, what sociologists call functions.
(Lewis A. Coser, Albert K. Cohen, Edward Sagarin ).
Dysfunctions of Deviance:
Apparently most societies can absorb a good deal of deviance without serious consequences, but persistent and widespread deviance can impair and even undermine organized social life. Social organization derives from the coordinated actions of numerous people, if some individuals fail to perform their actions at the proper time in accordance with accepted expectations, institutional life may be jeopardized. For example when a parent desert a family, a squad of soldiers fails to obey orders and runs away. Even if some individuals get disproportionate rewards, without playing by the rules- we develop resentment and bitterness. Morale, self-discipline and loyalty suffer.
Functions of Deviance:
Although deviance may undermine social organization, it may also facilitate social functioning in a number of ways.
First it may promote conformity. Sociologist Edward Sargin (1975) observes, one of the most effective methods of keeping people in line is to throw some people out of line. This leaves the remainder not only in better alignment but at the same time in fear of exclusion…..
Second many norms are not expressed as firm rules or in official codes. Accordingly, as spelled out by E. durkheim, easch time the members of a group censure some act as deviance, they highlight and sharpen the contours of a norm. Their negative reactions clarify precisely what behavior is disallowed by the “collective conscience”.
Third, by directing attention to the deviant, a group may strengthen itself. Campaigns against withes, traitors, perverts, and criminals reinforce social cohesion among “the good people.”
Fourth, deviance is a catalyst for change. Every time a rule is violated, it is being contested. Such challenges serve as a warning that the social system is not functioning properly and the moral structures of the society require reexamination.
