Ch 1

Question 1

Objective approaches

Answer 1

Focuses on the act of deviance (the “what”)
→ deviance is defined by a common characteristic (we know it when we see it)

Question 2

Subjective approaches

Answer 2

Focus on the reactions and perceptions of deviance (the “how/why”)
→ deviance is not associated with a common characteristic but is rather socially constructed (deviance is taught)

Question 3

Objectivism

Answer 3

Deviance as an act

Question 4

Statistical rarity (objectivism)

Answer 4

statistical rarity: something is deviant if it is rare
→ some behaviours are not rare but are still considered deviant and wise versa
→ cannot define what ‘rare” is

Question 5

Harm (objectivism)

Answer 5

• harm: something is deviant if it causes harm (physical, emotional, social)
  → perceptions of harm are subjective
  → reactions can cause more harm than the deviance itself

Question 6

Societal reaction (objectivism)

Answer 6

• societal reaction: something is deviant it society reacts negatively
  → policy-making is often based on other factors aside from societal opinion
  → some reactions count more than others

Question 7

Normative violation (objectivism)

Answer 7

• Normative violation: something is deviant if it violates a norm; absolutist views (universally wrong) have given way to more relativist views (context matters)
• Types of norms: folkways (informal; etiquette), mores (informal; immoral), laws (formal)
  → consensus view (shared norms), conflict view (power dynamics/inequalities), interactionist view (demands of different interest groups carried out by the government)
• high-consensus deviance (high agreement) vs low-consensus deviance (some disagreement/debate)
• proscriptive norms: things you should NOT do
• prescriptive norms: things you SHOULD do

Question 8

Subjectivism

Answer 8

Deviance as a label

Question 9

Dominant moral codes (subjectivism)

Answer 9

-The foundation for determining deviance
→ culturally and historically specific
→ based on power dynamics (determine what’s acceptable)
→ emerges through social construction (labelled as deviant)
- radical/strict constructionism: no objective reality (cannot be generalized)
- soft/contextual constructionism: facts and empirical contributions
- levels of social construction: individual, interactional, institutional (broad sociocultural views implemented into laws), sociocultural (autonomy), global (culture/media)
- contemporary understandings of deviance incorporate elements of absolute moral order (inherently deviant) and radical constructionism (individual experience/interpretation)

Question 10

Social typing process (subjectivism)

Answer 10

Process by which a person, behaviour, or characteristic is defined as deviant
1. Description (noun) - the label or category being identified; particular type of individual/social category (ex. goth, hippie, schizo)
2. Evaluation (adjective) - the judgement or assumptions for people with descriptions (ex. unstable, dangerous, unpredictable)
3. Prescription (responses) - the social control (sanctions)
→ informal vs formal
→ retroactive (response to deviance that has already taken place) vs preventative (socialization to deter deviance)
→ regulation of others vs self-control
→ resistance (fighting against something seen as deviant)