soc101 deviance & social control
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Sociology | Hunter College
Jessie Daniels, PhD
Deviance & Social Control
what is ‘deviant’?
definition: violation of established
contextual, cultural, or social
norms, whether folkways, mores, or
codified law
Who gets labeled ‘deviant’?
Is getting tattoos a ‘deviant’ act?
Labeling Theory
• Everyone labels
• Those with power are able to label
someone and make other accept that label
• Labeling can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy
• If the label is especially damaging, it can
become a ‘master status’
Labeling is a Powerful Mechanism of Social
Control
(symbolic interactionism)
key sociological question:
structure vs. agency?
structural approaches: emphasize how
people are influenced by structural
forces
(functionalism + conflict theory)
How much agency do individuals
have?
social action theories: emphasize how
individuals operate in society as
relatively free agents, creating identities
through symbols and interactions
(symbolic interactionism)
What makes someone evil?
Is it their individual agency?
Or social structure?
Erving Goffman (1922-1982)
dramaturgy: we use “impression
management” to present ourselves to
others as we hope to be perceived.
Each situation is a new scene, and
individuals perform different roles
depending on who is present.
The Performed Self
Goffman: no stable inner
core of identity
what does this mean…
…about what makes someone
evil?
If there is no stable inner core of
‘self’
then the ‘self’ is shaped by the role,
then the ‘self’ is shaped by
institutions,
then the ‘self’ is shaped by
structure.
What should you do before
next class?
1. Be sure you’ve read the assigned
readings: Ch.7, Zimbardo, & McKelvey
2. Watch the video, “Stanford Prison
Experiment.”
3. Answer questions on the discussion
board.