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Social Structure and Social Structure and AnomieAnomie

Merton, R.K. (1938)Merton, R.K. (1938)

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Modes of adaptationModes of adaptation to to anomieanomie

Cultural goals Cultural goals Institutional Institutional means means

I.I. Conformity Conformity + + ++II.II. Innovation Innovation + + --III.III. RitualismRitualism - - ++IV.IV. Retreatism Retreatism - - --V.V. Rebellion Rebellion xx xx

[+] = "acceptance" / [-] = "elimination" / [x] = "rejection and substitution of [+] = "acceptance" / [-] = "elimination" / [x] = "rejection and substitution of new goals and standards“new goals and standards“

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self-fulfilling prophecyself-fulfilling prophecy

““The The self-fulfilling prophecyself-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, is, in the beginning, a a falsefalse definition of the situation evoking a new definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the original false behavior which makes the original false conception come 'true.' This specious validity of conception come 'true.' This specious validity of the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates a reign of the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates a reign of error. For the prophet will cite the actual course error. For the prophet will cite the actual course of events as proof that he was right from the of events as proof that he was right from the very beginning.”very beginning.”

[Merton, R.K. (1968). [Merton, R.K. (1968). Social Theory and Social StructureSocial Theory and Social Structure. New York: Free Press. pp. 477]. New York: Free Press. pp. 477]

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Key assumptionsKey assumptions

1.1. Culture not biology accounts for crimeCulture not biology accounts for crime

2.2. Structural strain breeds antisocial Structural strain breeds antisocial behaviorbehavior

3.3. Lack of opportunity Lack of opportunity + stress on financial + stress on financial success + egalitarian ideologysuccess + egalitarian ideology anomie anomie

4.4. Poverty per se does not lead to crimePoverty per se does not lead to crime

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Ch. 17: Career DevianceCh. 17: Career Deviance

Howard Becker, excerpted from Howard Becker, excerpted from OutsidersOutsiders (1963) (1963)

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Symbolic interactionismSymbolic interactionism

Symbolic interactionismSymbolic interactionism is a is a micro-level micro-level theory based on the idea that people act in theory based on the idea that people act in accordance with shared meanings, accordance with shared meanings, orientations, and assumptionsorientations, and assumptionsFocus is on etiology (vs epidemiology), and Focus is on etiology (vs epidemiology), and the process by which a person becomes the process by which a person becomes deviantdeviant e.g., labeling theorye.g., labeling theory

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Labeling theoryLabeling theory

Labeling theoryLabeling theory assumes that public assumes that public labeling, or branding, as deviant, has labeling, or branding, as deviant, has adverse consequences for further social adverse consequences for further social participation and self-imageparticipation and self-image the most important drastic change is in public the most important drastic change is in public

identity, which is a crucial step towards identity, which is a crucial step towards building a long-term deviant careerbuilding a long-term deviant career

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Master statusMaster status

master statusmaster status is a status that assumes priority, is a status that assumes priority, overrides other status considerationsoverrides other status considerations“…“…possession of one deviant trait may have a possession of one deviant trait may have a generalized symbolic value, so that people generalized symbolic value, so that people automatically assume that its bearer possesses automatically assume that its bearer possesses other undesirable traits allegedly associated with other undesirable traits allegedly associated with it” (199) – i.e., auxiliary traitsit” (199) – i.e., auxiliary traits Becker gives example of race – Still the case? Or are Becker gives example of race – Still the case? Or are

we in a “post-racial” society? we in a “post-racial” society? Or do we need to look at the intersection of race and Or do we need to look at the intersection of race and socioeconomic status?socioeconomic status?

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……deviance a self-fulfilling prophecydeviance a self-fulfilling prophecy

If the master status is If the master status is deviantdeviant, deviant , deviant identification becomes the controlling oneidentification becomes the controlling one self-fulfilling prophecyself-fulfilling prophecy

due to being excluded from participation in most due to being excluded from participation in most other conventional groupsother conventional groups

due to the “treatment,” which may itself produce due to the “treatment,” which may itself produce increasing devianceincreasing deviance

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Ch.21: Information Control Ch.21: Information Control and Personal Identityand Personal Identity

Erving Goffman, excerpted from Erving Goffman, excerpted from Stigma: Management of a Spoiled Stigma: Management of a Spoiled

Identity Identity (1963)(1963)

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Society has a way grouping people into Society has a way grouping people into social categories, each with a set of social categories, each with a set of

typical attributestypical attributes

Whenever we meet someone new, we use our Whenever we meet someone new, we use our experience to anticipate his/her category & experience to anticipate his/her category & attributes, his/her attributes, his/her social identitysocial identity a person’s a person’s virtual social identityvirtual social identity refers to the refers to the

anticipated category and attributes anticipated category and attributes a person's actual social identity is their actual a person's actual social identity is their actual

category and attributes category and attributes

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StigmaStigma

StigmaStigma is a discrepancy between actual and virtual social identity is a discrepancy between actual and virtual social identity that causes us to alter our estimation of them downwardthat causes us to alter our estimation of them downward

Stigma is an attribute that is deeply discrediting – but it depends on Stigma is an attribute that is deeply discrediting – but it depends on circumstancescircumstances

an attribute that stigmatizes one person may be typical for another an attribute that stigmatizes one person may be typical for another person and is thereforeperson and is therefore neither creditable nor discreditable in itself neither creditable nor discreditable in itself

e.g., some jobs cause employees w/o the expected college education to e.g., some jobs cause employees w/o the expected college education to hide this fact; other jobs, however, can lead employees with a degree to hide this fact; other jobs, however, can lead employees with a degree to keep it a secret, so that they aren't seen as outsiders keep it a secret, so that they aren't seen as outsiders e.g., a middle class boy may have no problem being seen going to the e.g., a middle class boy may have no problem being seen going to the library, whereas a gang member may worry about being seen by his library, whereas a gang member may worry about being seen by his associatesassociates

Stigma then is really a special kind of relationship between Stigma then is really a special kind of relationship between attribute and stereotype attribute and stereotype

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Stigmas vary in how obtrusive they areStigmas vary in how obtrusive they are

When one possesses a stigma that is When one possesses a stigma that is known about, s/he is known about, s/he is discrediteddiscredited focus turns to managing tension in focus turns to managing tension in

interactions with “Normals”interactions with “Normals”

If the stigma is not known about, s/he is If the stigma is not known about, s/he is discreditablediscreditable focus turns to managing undisclosed focus turns to managing undisclosed

information about a supposed failing - information about a supposed failing - passingpassing

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Symbols – of prestige & stigmaSymbols – of prestige & stigma

symbols are signs that convey social symbols are signs that convey social informationinformationprestige symbolprestige symbol (aka, status symbol) (aka, status symbol) coveys social information about an coveys social information about an individual indicating prestige, honor, or individual indicating prestige, honor, or desirable class positiondesirable class positionstigma symbolstigma symbol are signs drawing are signs drawing attention to a debasing identity attention to a debasing identity discrepancy, which reduce society’s discrepancy, which reduce society’s valuation of the individualvaluation of the individual

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disidentifierdisidentifier

In addition to prestige and stigma, there’s a 3rd type of In addition to prestige and stigma, there’s a 3rd type of sign – a disidentifiersign – a disidentifierdisidentifiersdisidentifiers are signs intended to break up an are signs intended to break up an otherwise coherent picture, but in a positive direction otherwise coherent picture, but in a positive direction desired by the actordesired by the actor

the actor attempts to undermine social stereotypes about the actor attempts to undermine social stereotypes about him/her by displaying some symbol (a disidentifier) that doesn’t him/her by displaying some symbol (a disidentifier) that doesn’t fit with the stereotype, e.g., fit with the stereotype, e.g.,

a homeless person reads a newspaper or book in an attempt to a homeless person reads a newspaper or book in an attempt to stay the night in some public spacestay the night in some public space

putting on glasses in an attempt to look more “intellectual” putting on glasses in an attempt to look more “intellectual” putting on “religious” attire in an attempt to feign beliefputting on “religious” attire in an attempt to feign belief taking off “religious” attire in an attempt to disguise belieftaking off “religious” attire in an attempt to disguise belief