Lecture 1

Question 1

Steve Irwin

Answer 1

• Controversy surrounding him carrying son while feeding crocodile.
• Got into trouble, invited to talk shows. Bad parent?
• Initially, Irwin was defensive. However, he eventually made an apology.
• Other half of argument was that he has certain parental rights.
  
  • How is this any different than father throwing child while in swimming pool?

Question 2

Tracy Thorne-Bogland

Answer 2

• Former naval officer and fighter pilot.
• Came out as being gay.
• Because of this, he was dishonourably discharged.
  
  • “Don’t ask, don’t tell policy.”
• Became prosecutor, was in line for the District Court.
  
  • However, opponents said he would use his homosexuality and get involved in activism.

Question 3

John Edwards

Answer 3

• Got mobbed by onlookers.
• Indicted in 2011 for misappropriating campaign funds to cover up an affair.
  
  • He presented this pure, wholesome white bread image to American public.
• His wife was suffering from breast cancer at the same time.
• Also impregnated mistress. Convinced loyal campaign aide to protect the baby, and Edwards paid out the mistress.
  
  • Is now a personal injury lawyer in the middle of nowhere.

Question 4

Bill Mar

Answer 4

• Hosted successful show “Politically Incorrect.”
• After 9/11 attacks, Bush said that the terrorists responsible were cowards.
  
  • Mar’s guest disputed this claim, saying that the terrorists were actually warriors.
  • “We have been cowards by shooting cruise missiles from 2000 miles away.”
• White House Press Secretary denounced Mar.

Question 5

What are the building blocks of society according to the sociology of deviance?

Answer 5

Judgements of others.

Question 6

True or false? Most deviant behaviour is also illegal.

Answer 6

False, most deviant behaviour is not illegal.

Question 7

The sociology of deviance aims to determine deviance within a society comprised of ___.

Answer 7

Diversity.

Question 8

What is a common phrase used to describe the sociology of deviance?

Answer 8

“Nuts, sluts, and perverts.”

Question 9

What are some examples of broader notions of deviance?

Answer 9

• Adult novelty stores.
• Couples who are childless.
• People who choose not to have sex.
• Furries.

Question 10

A poll on students revealed that students tend to emphasize ___ when talking about deviance.

Answer 10

Criminality.

Question 11

A poll on the public outside of the student body revealed that…

Answer 11

The notion of deviance is much broader.

Question 12

Deviance

Answer 12

Deviating from accepted norms.

Question 13

What is the opposite of deviance?

Answer 13

Normal and average.

Question 14

In mythology, was deviance treated as a bad thing?

Answer 14

No, danger is not only being too deviant, but also becoming too close to average.

Question 15

What historical event made deviance seem bad?

Answer 15

The prevalence of religions like Christianity and Judaism. If you did something bad, the devil caused it.

Question 16

What are the 3 ingredients that are needed for deviance to take place?

Answer 16

1. Having to break some sort of rule.
2. Someone has to judge what you did as wrong.
3. Has to be some type of consequence.

Question 17

Anything we do can be perceived as deviant depending on…

Answer 17

Our social circle.

Question 18

Describe some acts that are perceived as deviant fairly universality:

Answer 18

• Incest.

- Doing drugs while pregnant.

Question 19

What is the problem of definitions in deviance?

Answer 19

How to quantify and qualify deviance.

Question 20

What is the general trend when it comes to defining deviance?

Answer 20

Shift from objective to subjective definition of deviance.

Question 21

Objective Definition of Deviance

Answer 21

Presence of particular characteristics define deviance.

Question 22

The ___ definition of deviance enables people to recognize deviance when they see it – something inherent about an act that tells us something weird is going on.

Answer 22

Objective.

Question 23

Subjective Definition of Deviance

Answer 23

There is no particular characteristic that defines deviance.

Question 24

The ___ definition of deviance does not allow us to necessarily recognize deviance when we see it.

Answer 24

Subjective.

Question 25

The ___ definition of deviance requires someone to tell us that something is deviant.

Answer 25

Subjective.

Question 26

True or false? The objective and subjective definitions of deviance exist in a dichotomy, and are mutually exclusive.

Answer 26

False, they exist on a spectrum. Even if you take the objective approach, you are still going to find disagreement over what that inherent thing is. Judge saying "I know pornography when I see it."

Question 27

What are the objectivist ways of determining whether something is deviant or not?

Answer 27

- Statistical rarity. - Social harm. - Negative societal reaction. - Normative violations.

Question 28

Example of statistical rarity method of determining deviance:

Answer 28

Because smoking rates are going down, it is deviant.

Question 29

What are the limitations to the statistical rarity method of determining deviance?

Answer 29

- There is no agreement over what constitutes “rare.” How many grains of sand make a pile? - Things that are statistically common are not considered acceptable. - Things that are rare are not necessarily treated as deviant. Sports prodigies like Sidney Crosby.

Question 30

The harm to whom is judged in the social harm method of determining deviance?

Answer 30

Individual or society.

Question 31

What are the types of harm that can be inflicted in the social harm method of determining deviance?

Answer 31

Physical, emotional, social (crimes), harm to our understanding of the world and our place in it.

Question 32

True or false? What is harmful is predetermined and does not change over time.

Answer 32

False, perceptions of harm change over time. Examples include smoking, marijuana, and masturbation.

Question 33

Masturbation should be taught in schools? America was not ready for that message. Surgeon General forced to resign. What is this an example of?

Answer 33

Perceptions of harm changing over time.

Question 34

What is hard deviance?

Answer 34

Deviance that is harmful.

Question 35

What is soft deviance?

Answer 35

Deviance that is unharmful.

Question 36

True or false? Harm is in the eye of the beholder.

Answer 36

True.

Question 37

True or false? Reactions to deviance may cause more harm than the individual behaviours. Give an example.

Answer 37

True, Robert Dziekanski was Tasered to death by RCMP in Vancouver Airport.

Question 38

Statistical rarity and social harm models are more often used by ___ and ___ than ___.

Answer 38

The public and politicians than sociologists.

Question 39

What is the negative social reaction method of determining deviance?

Answer 39

Something is deviant if society's masses react negatively (for example, with anger, hatred, or disgust).

Question 40

Give an example of how the negative societal reaction method of determine deviance is flawed:

Answer 40

In the 1930's America, black people were deviant. The tide of public opinion can shift very easily.

Question 41

The negative societal reaction method implies ___ practice, which is not necessarily the case.

Answer 41

Democratic.

Question 42

Why is the negative societal reaction method not democratic?

Answer 42

Because some voices have more impact than others. Scientists, politicians, public intellectuals, and rich people have more power. Referendums are not used often.

Question 43

Give an example of an issue that has public support, but is outlawed due to policy decisions made by those in power.

Answer 43

Gay marriage.

Question 44

Which objective way of determining deviance has the most credibility?

Answer 44

Normative violations.

Question 45

Give an example of the normative violation method of determining deviance:

Answer 45

- Making sure there is a urinal beside you and the next guy. - If not, stare straight at the wall. - Keep your pants up.

Question 46

What is the normative violation method of determining deviance?

Answer 46

A violation of a norm held in certain social circles or by a majority of the members of society at large.

Question 47

Norm

Answer 47

A standard of what a human being should or should not think or do under given circumstances.

Question 48

How is a norm different from rules?

Answer 48

They don’t necessarily come to us as rules. We just kind of know that there are certain things you aren’t supposed to do.

Question 49

Give an example of a minor norm:

Answer 49

Saying thank you when someone holds the door for you.

Question 50

Something is deviant when ___ are violated.

Answer 50

Norms.

Question 51

Give an example of deviance that occurs when norms are violated:

Answer 51

- Not tipping when it is expected, tipping when it isn’t expected. - Wearing your clothing backwards.

Question 52

Are norms universal?

Answer 52

No. This used to be the discourse but they are now thought of to be culturally and historically specific.

Question 53

What is a problem with the current way norms are viewed?

Answer 53

Even if norms are viewed to be culturally and historically specific, they are viewed as static when in fact they may be fluid.

Question 54

What are the limitations with the normative violation method of determining deviance?

Answer 54

- Diversity in culture that is assumed to be homogenous. Putting “Muslim” on the birth certificates of children in Muslim countries. Assumed that they will choose to become Muslim. - Universality is not present in low-consensus deviance such as slurping food, gambling, and various sex acts.

Question 55

What is low-consensus deviance also known as?

Answer 55

Situational deviance. It includes slurping food, gambling, and various sex acts.

Question 56

What are some behaviours that are determined to be deviant fairly universally?

Answer 56

Incest — all cultures have norms governing this. Usually enters the criminal code of the country.

Question 57

Behaviours that are determined to be deviant fairly universally are known as ___ ___ deviance.

Answer 57

High-consensus.

Question 58

___ is a subset of the sociology of deviance as a form of ___ consensus deviance.

Answer 58

Criminology. It is a form of high-consensus deviance.