Social Control, Conformity And Resistance: How Sociologists Explain Deviance And Non-conformity, Including Subcultures, Under-socialisation, Marginalisation, Cultural Deprivation And Social Resistance. (Copy)
Functionalism (Émile Durkheim, Robert K. Merton)
Core Idea
- Deviance is a normal and inevitable part of society
- It occurs when socialisation is incomplete or when individuals face strain
Application to Deviance and Non-conformity
- Under-socialisation
- Individuals who are not properly socialised fail to internalise norms and values
- Leads to deviant behaviour
- Subcultures
- Merton: strain between goals and means leads to adaptations (innovation, rebellion)
- Deviant subcultures develop alternative norms
- Marginalisation
- Individuals excluded from mainstream society may not feel bound by its norms
- Cultural Deprivation
- Lack of exposure to dominant values leads to deviance
- Social Resistance
- Less emphasised → deviance often seen as dysfunction rather than resistance
- Application
- Deviance arises due to weak socialisation or strain within social structure
Marxism (Karl Marx)
Core Idea
- Deviance is a result of class inequality and capitalist exploitation
Application to Deviance and Non-conformity
- Under-socialisation
- Not a major focus → deviance linked more to structural inequality
- Subcultures
- Working-class subcultures emerge as response to inequality
- Provide alternative values that challenge dominant norms
- Marginalisation
- Marginalised groups (e.g. unemployed, poor) more likely to engage in deviance
- Cultural Deprivation
- Lack of access to dominant culture contributes to deviance
- Social Resistance
- Deviance can be a form of resistance against capitalism
- Crime may challenge inequality
- Application
- Deviance reflects structural inequalities and acts as potential resistance to capitalism
Feminism (Ann Oakley)
Core Idea
- Deviance is linked to gender inequality and patriarchal control
Application to Deviance and Non-conformity
- Under-socialisation
- Women often more strictly socialised → lower deviance rates
- Subcultures
- Male-dominated subcultures may promote deviance (e.g. aggression)
- Marginalisation
- Women may be marginalised in society → affects behaviour
- Cultural Deprivation
- Gender roles limit opportunities, influencing deviance patterns
- Social Resistance
- Deviance can be a form of resistance to patriarchy
- Feminist movements challenge gender norms
- Application
- Deviance is shaped by gender roles, inequality and resistance to patriarchy
Interactionism (Howard Becker)
Core Idea
- Deviance is socially constructed through labelling
Application to Deviance and Non-conformity
- Under-socialisation
- Rejected → individuals are not inherently deviant
- Subcultures
- Deviant subcultures form when labelled individuals group together
- Reinforce deviant identity
- Marginalisation
- Marginalised individuals more likely to be labelled as deviant
- Cultural Deprivation
- Not a main focus → emphasis on interaction
- Social Resistance
- Individuals may resist labels and redefine identity
- Labelling
- Becker: deviance occurs when behaviour is labelled as deviant
- Application
- Deviance arises from social reactions and labelling rather than behaviour itself
Postmodernism (Jean Baudrillard)
Core Idea
- Deviance is relative and influenced by media and diversity
Application to Deviance and Non-conformity
- Under-socialisation
- Less relevant due to multiple influences on individuals
- Subcultures
- Wide range of subcultures due to diversity and choice
- Marginalisation
- Some groups excluded, but boundaries between deviance and normality are blurred
- Cultural Deprivation
- Less emphasis → individuals can access multiple cultures
- Social Resistance
- Deviance can be a lifestyle choice or identity expression
- Media Influence
- Media shapes definitions of deviance
- Application
- Deviance is fluid, relative and shaped by media and individual choice
Key Synoptic Application
- Functionalists → deviance due to under-socialisation and strain
- Marxists → deviance due to inequality and class conflict
- Feminists → deviance shaped by gender inequality
- Interactionists → deviance socially constructed through labelling
- Postmodernists → deviance is relative and influenced by media and diversity