Chapter 8: Deviance and Social Control

1. Chapter 8: Deviance and Social Control

2. What is Social Control? • Each group, culture, subculture, etc., has a system of norms and values • Social control is the means of instilling said values within a certain group • Where does social control come from when we are young? • Parents • What are some other obvious means of social control? • Friends • Schools • Work • Government

6. Sanctions • We follow social norms without even thinking • Driving • School • Even a situation like elevators • This reflects our socialization • Why do we follow these norms? • The fear of being punished or sanctioned • There are formal and informal sanctions • Ridicule • Jail time or fines

9. Effectiveness of Social Control: Mixed Messages • Why can social control be difficult? • People are always trying to tell you to do the opposite • Functionalists believe social norms are key to the survival of a society • Rule breaking will end us all • Conflict theorists believe that it is needed for a society to grow and expand • We are founded on resisting social control • What other issues has the United States attacked with resistance to social control? • Slavery • Women’s suffrage • Civil rights

13. Conformity and Obedience • Social control functions at group levels and societal levels • Peers and authority figures have some “control” over us • There is a difference in how it happens • Conformity is going along with peers to fit in • Who do we conform to? • Peer pressure can grow from conformity • Obedience is compliance with authority • Who do we obey?

18. Conformity and Prejudice • We often seek to conform to common opinions • This can lead to prejudice and racism • How did the Nazis get started? • Hearing one person say something can make you think and feel the same way • Not unlike opinion leaders • A study was conducted in 1991 with racism at Smith College • They found the students’ responses mirrored the opinions of the other survey takers • Proved that in a small group conformity can influence people’s outward attitudes

21. Obedience and One Messed Up Study • Stanley Milgram conducted a study starting in 1961 (published in 1963 and later in 1975) • Got the idea from the obedient nature of the Nazi Party in Germany • In a way he wanted to examine who should be held responsible for what happened • The study was conducted at Yale University • Subjects included people from all walks of life: engineers, teachers, laborers • He told those involved he was researching the “effects of punishment on learning”

24. How Did It Work? • There were three roles: experimenter, teacher, learner • Learner and experimenter were in on the study • The teacher is the one being studied • The learner would be strapped into what appeared to be an electric device • Teacher would have control of the device with varying levels of electricity • Teacher was shocked to prove the realness • The experiment was “rigged” • Learner would give incorrect answers and would respond to the shocks in increasingly vocal ways • If the teacher wished to stop they would be told: • “The experiment requires that you continue” • “You have no other choice: you must go on”

31. What Were the Results? • In one word, kind of messed up • Prior to the study many social scientists believed only a small number of people would administer shocks to complete strangers • Study found quite the opposite • Nearly 2/3rds of the “teachers” were obedient • They obeyed the “experimenter” because he was an authority figure • The “experimenter” was a scientist in a lab coat • We often obey people we don’t know because of a uniform or a title • Who? • In the study they viewed themselves as carrying out their duty • Study has come under criticism as many feel it was psychologically damaging to the “teacher” and immoral • Milgram went on to state that “if a system of death camps were set up in the United States…one would be able to find personnel in any medium sized American town”

32. Types of Informal Control • Informal social control can be good or bad • Smiling, laughter • Ridicule, sideways look • These are casual ways of enforcing our norms • In the United States we view spanking and striking our children as acceptable • Called corporal punishment • Some sociologists warn this can cause more violence later in the child's life and aggressive behavior • Despite this, in 1998, almost 60% of pediatricians advocate the use of corporal punishment

35. Types of Formal Control • Formal control comes from authority figures • Lets review: Who are they? • In some ways it is a last resort if socialization and informal sanctions have failed • Which punishment is becoming the most common? • Six to seven million adults are either in jail, on parole, or on probation • One in thirty adults • How severe should punishments be? • Varies from country to country

39. Changes in Social Control • What event caused changes in social control? • Post 9/11 we have ramped up social control at airports and government buildings • Informal controls have changed as well • It is your patriotic duty to report things that look out of the ordinary now • Some of the increases in control may not be legal • Thank you, Patriot Act • FBI can pry into your life without a warrant • School records • Library records • Health records • Pretty much whatever they want • What group is negatively stereotyped as a result?

43. Laws and Society • Some norms or values are so important that we make them into laws • A law is a governmental social control • Laws govern just about every aspect of life • Laws against murder • Laws regulating hunting • Laws regulating taxes and corporations • Lawmaking is a social process • Laws were originally passed down from generation to generation • Now it reflects an ever-changing society • Right and wrong can change as well as the punishments for them • Laws are debated almost constantly • Prohibition and the 55-mph speed limit failed • Why?