March 2013 1. Part A. Describe the sociological concept of deviance. Briefly explain each of the approaches to explaining deviance (functionalist perspective, interactionist perspective, conflict perspective), telling which is most convincing to you and why. Provide examples from your own experience as appropriate. 2. Part B. Analyzing your own life; discuss your status in terms of ascribed status, achieved status, and master status. For each of these statuses, discuss the roles that you play…
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imagination is defined as being a way of thinking that helps us use information or data to form theories about the social patterns around us. We collect information and from that information we may make judgments or prediction. However we cannot view society in one’s own point of view. Everyone is different so it is important to not only form our own theories but also to take into consideration other theories. It is not possible to understand why people act the way they do if we are not open to hearing…
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structures in causing crime and deviance. Crime is where an individual commits and act in a way that violates the law. Deviance can also be a crime as this is where an individual's behavior or action goes against what is socially accepted by society. Different sociologists hold different views on the causes for crime and deviance in society. Functionalists refer to access of opportunity structures within society. Merton suggests that crime and deviance can be explained through…
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Jennifer Nieto-Robinson Professor McBroom Sociology of Deviance Midterm 326 1) What do sociologists mean when they describe deviance as being relative? Provide an example of a deviant behavior and identify how it is relative. Deviance is behavior that a considerable number of people in a society view as reprehensible and beyond the limits of tolerance. In most cases it is both negatively valued and provokes hostile reactions. Deviance does not exist independently of norms. Without norms, and…
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In the essay I will discuss the notion of deviance and will demonstrate that people do not become deviants on the strength of their behaviour alone, but by the sanctions of a society whose norms that the offender has deemed to have violated. I will examine approaches to deviance through biological, psychological and sociological methodologies and while the examination of the theories is necessarily brief, it will interrogate some of the main theories related to deviant behaviour in society. The…
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Contrary to positivist assumptions ‘deviance’ is socially constructed by actors interpreting the behaviour of themselves and others.” Using empirical evidence and argument from your reading, discuss with regard to one of the following mental illness Positivism consists of three strands which apply the methods of the natural sciences to study deviance the three strands are made up of biological, psychological and sociological positivism. Biological positivism is based on the idea that those…
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Assess the usefulness of functionalist and sub-culture theories in our understanding of crime and deviance today (21 marks) Durkeim … Social Solidarity – achieved by society having 2 main mechanisms 1) Socialisation – instils a shared culture of society’s norms & values and act in the way society requires 2) Social Control – rewards for conformity and punishments for deviance (helps people behave the way society wants you to) Society fulfils 2 important positive functions - 1) Boundary Maintenance…
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Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the usefulness of subcultural theories in explaining ‘subcultural crime and deviance’ in society today (21 marks) Subcultural theories hold a belief that everyone in society has groups that hold different norms and values to the minority of people who commit crimes, for example; Sociologists in Chicago University conducted a participant observation with a huge number of migrants from Europe and South USA, they founds that deviant groups in society…
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interaction theories of deviance suggest that deviance is learned through interaction with others, leading to the development of a deviant self-concept. A deviant person is one departing from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual behavior. Deviance is believed to result not from broad social structure but from specific face-to-face interactions. There are three forms in which symbolic theories are argued. Differential Association Theory, Deterrence Theory, and Labeling Theory. The…
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There is a variety of issues that can impact American families today. One of the issues that can impact families is deviance. Deviance is a behavior that contravenes the conduct, standards, and expectations of society. People and groups with status and power are the ones that define what behaviors are deviant and what behaviors are not. Deviance can impact families because of the way the deviant individual was raised. For example, children living in a single parent household may become deviant as…
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