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Topics in Sociology: Deviance, Social Control, and Law
Key Concepts
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Deviance: Behavior that violates established
social norms. Sociologists do not see any act as intrinsically
deviant.
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Social control: Social practices and
mechanisms that encourage conformity to established norms, prevent deviant
behavior, and deal with the repercussions of deviance.
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Law: A formal type of social control
associated with complex societies; includes a system of rules and sanctions
with specialized personnel and institutions to carry them out.
Major Perspectives
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Functionalism, Durkheim
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Deviance has positive functions: it provides opportunities
for society to reassert common values and norms, and it spurs
social change.
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One of the first social thinkers to explain deviance in
social rather than biological and psychological terms. (Durkheim
only)
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Conflict theory
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Symbolic interactionism
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Focuses on how people come to engage in deviant behaviors
and assumed deviant identities.
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The labeling of deviants as such strengthens their deviant
identities and may encourage further deviant
behavior.
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