DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL

Overview:

Every culture has norms that establish expectations about what types of behavior are
appropriate for particular people in certain social situations. When a person violates a norm, members
of society respond by recognizing the act as deviant. However, no act is inherently deviant; other people
as deviant from a norm must first define it. Deviance is a property conferred upon behavior rather than
an intrinsic quality of behavior.

One kind of deviance is crime, which may be punished by the State because a legal norm has
been violated. All crimes are deviant, but some deviant behavior, such as alcoholism or attempted
suicide, is not criminal because the norms have not been made into law by a recognized political
authority.

What is Deviance?

Deviance is behavior that some people in society find offensive and which excites, or would
excite, if it were discovered, disapproval, punishment, condemnation, or hostility. Deviance is
behavior that is likely to get you into trouble. Deviant behavior is outside the bounds of the
group or society. Many times during a day we disagree with people, but we don't usually label
those we disagree with as deviant. Deviance is not simply behavior. It involves a moral
judgment. Deviance involves a judgment made by somebody. Actually, any act can be defined as
deviant.

Deviance exists because people make judgments; it is a product of society

1) It exists only in relation to cultural norms
2) People become deviant when others define them that way
3) Both norms and the way events are defined are related to patterns of social power

Meaning and Nature of Deviance

When sociologists speak of deviance, they are referring to non-conformity with social norms.
Deviance is, therefore, referred to any violation of social norms and expectations. It is a breach of social
disorder.

According to Erickson, deviance is something that is conferred upon by others to individuals who
commit the act of deviation.

In other words, deviation is the act of violating social norms. Hence, a person who violates this
norm is label as deviant person. In every society, there are to follow. However, sometimes we deviate
from those rules depending upon the person’s motives and behavior.

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 Deviance is a behavior that does not conform to norms; behavior that in some way does not
meet with the expectations of a group or of society as a whole. Deviant behavior refers to those human
acts that are socially defined by the group or society as deviant.

Deviance includes many other type of non-conformity, some viewed as mild, and others are
more serious. To some, men with many highly visible tattoos may be seen as deviant. In addition, the
poor-who may find it difficult to conform to many conventional middle class patterns-are also widely
defined as deviant.

Most of the examples of non-conformity that come readily to mind involve negative definitions.
However, the opposite may also be the case. Since we all have shortcomings, we might define especially
righteous people as deviant, although we accord them a measure of respect (Huls, 1987). Deviance then
involves difference, both negative and positive, causes us to reach to others as “outsider” (Becker,
1966).

Robert Merton’s Strain Theory

The analysis of the work of Durkheim noted that modern societies are prone to anomie or
normlessness. Such a condition leaves individuals socially unregulated and prone to deviance.

Sociologist Robert Merton has modified Durheim’s concept and came up with the Strain Theory.
According to this theory, people deviate from societal norms because of their inability to reach cultural
goals through legitimate means.

Merton(1968) cited four types of deviant behavior and the mode adaption to the use of means
and goal attainment. These are:

1) Innovation – Deviant behavior occurs when the individual accepts the cultural goal but his
or her position within society prevents adequate access to legitimate means for goals
attainment. The individual then resorts to illegitimate means to achieve culturally approved
goals such as economic success, material possessions, and social status. Not surprisingly,
some resort to making their own rules, engaging in what is conventionally defined as theft,
selling illegal drugs, or other kinds of street hustling and racketeering.

When an individual accepts the goals but uses illegitimate means in order to achieve
them, he commits crimes in order to emulate the values of those who conform; in other
words, they must use innovation in order to achieve cultural goals. (Example: Drug
dealer who sells drugs to support a family.)

2) Ritualism – Under this mode, the individual gives up or abandons the goals, but follows or
conforms to, in strict fashion the legitimate means. Ritualism is common among people of
modest social standing who have little opportunity to gain more in life but fear risking what
they have though innovation. Examples of these are the lower-level officials who
compulsively conform to rules to the points of losing sight of their overall purpose. The
means become ends in themselves. Such people are deviant, although they may be viewed
as good citizens because of their rigid adherence to the rules. In Filipino, we call them “wala
ng ambisyon sa buhay,” or “kuntento na sa kanyang kalagayan”

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 An individual may lose faith in cultural goals but still feel obligated to work under the
routines of legitimate daily life. This person is practicing ritualism. (Example: A employee
who holds a job, but has become completely discontent with the American dream.)

3) Retreatism – This is the mode where the individual abandon the goal and the means to
attain such goal. In other words, he rejects both the goals and the norms of one’s culture.
Retreatists are society’s dropouts. They resort to suicide, drug addiction, and chronic
alcoholism. The deviance of retreatists is their unconventional way of life and, perhaps
more seriously, their assumed lack of desire to change.

Individuals may also reject both goals and means and fall under retreatism, when they
ignore the goals and the means of the society. (Example: Drug addicts who have
stopped caring about the social goals and choose a drug induced reality in favour of the
socially accepted lifestyle.)

4) Rebellion – Finally, there is a fifth type of adaptation which is that of rebellion, where the
individual rejects the cultural goals and the institutionalized means, but seeks to redefine
new values for society. (Example: Radicals who want to repair or even destroy the current
system in order to build a new social structure.)

What is Social Control?

Societies have various mechanisms of social control- systematic practices developed by social
groups to encourage conformity and to discourage deviance.

Society has different ways in making its members conform and behave according to its norm
and standards. This process of making its members play their roles as expected of them is termed social
control.

According to Landis, social control is a process, planned or unplanned, by which people are
made to conform to collective norms. There are two basic control processes. These are:

1) Internalization of group norms as a result of the socialization process. Internalization occurs

when individuals accept the norms and values of their group and make conformity to these
norms part of their self-concept.

2) Social reactions through external pressures in the form of sanctions whenever there are
deviations from the norms. People fear the negative reactions from others once norms are
violated like condemnation, or being the object gossip.

Social control also refers to the measures and pressures designed to ensure conformity to the
approved standards of behavior in a group or society.

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Types of Social Control

There are different ways of controlling the members to fill their roles expected of them. These are the
informal and formal social Control.

1) Informal – Informal social control can best be observed in a primary group or small society
like remote rural areas where one knows everyone. Informal social control is a self-restraint
exercise because of fear of what others will think. Informal social control brings with it
sanctions and punishments when one fails to follows accepted behavior. Sanctions may
either be in the form of ridicules, criticism, and ostracism. Socialization may help prevents
social deviation pr promote conformity among members.

Social sanctions - both positive and negative (smile, ostracism, reprimand, turning cold
shoulder, guilt)

2) Formal – When society becomes more complex, formal social control is needed to maintain
control over the behavior of its members. Under this means, rules are written down and
laws specified. Members then are expected to know, obey, and follow the rules. Failure to
conform means punishment. These may range from fines, imprisonment, or death penalty.

Criminal justice system- reaction to alleged reaction of laws on the part of the police, courts,
and prison officials.

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 FORMS OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR

A. Drug Abuse

One form of deviant behavior is drug abuse. Drug abuse relates to the subjective effects on the
individual when he takes the drug. It can be simply defined as the repeated misuse of drugs.

Causes of Drug Abuse

Some people, especially the youth, resort to drugs because of varied reasons. Among them are:

1. Socio-cultural deprivation such as rejections, inadequate stimulation and communication and other
deficiencies in the family setting.

2. Faulty model and learning. Faulty parent-child and family interaction has been studied to be the
origin of children who are poorly equipped for adult responsibilities and role behavior.

3. Lawlessness and alienation. This is characterized by the breakdown of social norms and regulations,
disorganization and undesirable peer model. Alienation is an intense feeling of separation and
withdrawal from society’s established values and subculture from the individual’s goals and life
meaning.

4. Pathogenic family patterns. A stable family may be defined as one in which at least one parent has a
continuous physical and affectionate relationship with the children. Higher proportions of drug users
are products of parental separation, death and parental absence.

5. Peer group association. Peer group influences individual’s attitude even towards drug abuse.

B. Crime

A crime is a violation of any one of the specific norms that we call laws. Conviction for violation
of a law results in application of certain sanctions or punishment to the offenders, which can range from
fines to imprisonment to death.

Serious offenses are classified as:

1. Crime against person;

2. Crime against property;
3. Crime against chastity; and
4. Crime against morale and orders.

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Serious offenses are legally termed as “felonies” and receive a minimum penalty of one-year
imprisonment, a heavy fine or both. Less serious offense are legally termed as “misdemeanors” for
which it involves less than one year of imprisonment, a limited fine or both.

Causes of Crime

1. Lack of parental guidance

2. Lack of cooperation between the community and police authorities;

3. Laxity on the part of law enforces to implement the laws;

4. Breakdown of some Filipino values;

5. Association with undesirable elements of society;

6. Proliferation of undesirable and obscene literature;

7. Violence in movies and television.

C. Prostitution

Prostitution is said to be the oldest profession in the world. It is a problem, which is more
serious than many of the more popularly recognized sociological problems that confront the Philippines
urban areas today.

According to Sanchez and Agpaoa, prostitution is a type of sexual deviation, which is the
indiscriminate provision of sexual relations in return for money.

Types of Prostitution

1. Female prostitutes. These refer to women who make use of sex as a means of livelihood. They
are either kept in the brothels or the roaming type commonly called “street walkers.” Those
who stays in a brothel are usually supervised by a woman called”Madam” who is most likely a
former prostitute.

2. Male prostitutes. A male prostitute usually caters to homosexual males, matrons and other
woman clients. They roam around in conspicuous places like the lobbies of department stores
and hotels or gay bars where homosexuals flock.

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 3. Child prostitutes. Child prostitutes are becoming rampant now a days with the influx of foreign
tourists in our shores. Sociologists view it as a manifestation of a developmental gap between
two types of countries: the highly industrialized and the latter is where the children become
available as “pedophilia” an innate tendency of an adult to engage with a sexual act with a child.

D. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

According to Dr. Antonio Novak Feliciano, founder of the American Venaral Disease Association,
Philippines, there are cells in our blood that signals the immune system to produce immunity anti bodies
to fight against germs bacteria and virus that enters the body. These cells called “T-Helper” cell. These
cells are the one attacked by the AIDS virus. Once the cells are destroyed the human body can no longer
produce the anti-bodies, which makes the person vulnerable to any disease.

Prevention and Control of AIDS

1. Stick to only one partner;

2. Test donated blood;

3. Educate the people on the ill-effects of AIDS and how they may be able to control the disease;

4. Report immediately persons who are afflicted by the virus; and

5. Submit yourself for regular check-up.

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