Deviance & Culture

1. Deviance & Culture

2. What is Culture? • Anthropologists say culture is a system of ideas, values, behaviours, & attitudes shared by the members of a society • Sociologists believe culture refers to the ways in which social groups differentiate themselves from other groups • Differences are based on language, attire, food, social etiquette, attitudes & roles, religious values, and political beliefs • Culture is commonly accepted & learned by members of a society through the process of socialization (passed on) • Socialization unifies, communicates, & maintains societies cultural beliefs • Culture is a toolthat helps explain behaviour among & towards other groups

3. Culture & Social Identity • Culture influences an individual’s perception & self-concept • So it effects the development of social identity too • Sociologists are very interested in cultural universals • They are beliefs common across all cultures --- examples? • Ppl rely on culture to guide us in social situations (to make appropriate decisions)

4. Deviance • Recall – norms help est. acceptable behaviours in society • Social behaviour that doesn’t fit w/ est. rules of society is either shunnedor punished • It is Deviance: a violation of society’s social norms & accepted standards • Emile Durkheim was the 1st sociologist to write about anomie • Durkheim stated anomie referred to a state of normalness & represents an individual’s breakdown in relation to social order and structure (a violation of society’s est. norms)

5. Robert Merton & Deviance • Deviance is an attractive option esp. if societies rules are restrictive • Merton claimed deviance occurs when individuals cannot obtain the society’s goals, through the means society provides • Strain Theory of Behaviour • Belief that indy’s will pursue illegitimate actions to obtain societies highest goals when they are blocked from accessing institutional means to them • IOW Society causes deviance b/c it pressures ppl to conform to its goals • Work w/in the structure or join/create a deviant subculture

6. Alienation • Unequal access to social rewards/privileges can lead to alienation • Alienation is a feeling of separation or isolation (from society) • It can occur in any situation when someone is left-out • Causes: social inequalities, cultural differences, alt. lifestyle • Can feel alienated from social norms, values, roles OR from social institutions not serving needs effectively • Often leads to a rejection of the dominant culture

7. Subcultures • Mainstream culture is what we define culture as on a large scale (i.e. CDN culture) • Most ppl fulfill their needs w/in it • Others look to subcultures to meet needs • Small groups w/in a larger group that share common values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviours, and/or lifestyles different from the dominant culture • Differences are often exaggerated or distorted versions of mainstream culture • Sociologists describe subcultures as deviance from the norm & prevalent amongst youth • Subcultures are often labelled • Labelling is a theoretical approach to defining deviant behaviour through the creation of a subculture • Subcultures over-time can become popular enough to become mainstream

8. Countercultures • More extreme than subcultures are countercultures • These reject the most popular values & most important norms of society, replacing them w/ their own extreme views on violence, family, & loyalty • Can be +ve or –ve for society • Most extreme are cults • Extremist religious groups w/ rigid social/moral views that oppose mainstream culture & led by a charismatic leader