SOC 2070 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Differential Association, Social Learning Theory, Anomie
30 Nov 2015
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Week 3: explaining deviance: sociological theories of deviance. Opportunity theory, general strain theory, status frustration theory. Social control theories: social bonds theory, general theory of. There is nothing more practical than a good theory. Early 20th century biological theories of crime. Mid-20th century social theories of criminal and non-criminal deviance. Theories of deviance co-exist, some theories are more useful than others, depends upon the research question, each theory has its strengths and weaknesses. Those with more objective interests: study the deviant act, person, or trait, use positivist theories. Those with more subjective interests: study social construction & social typing use interpretive and critical theories. Durkheim as a structural functionalist advanced the theory that society is a moral phenomenon. Manifest (functions that are intended) and latent (functions that are unintended) functions. A certain level of deviance is functional: This public response to deviance serves to remind people what is acceptable. Only beyond a certain level, deviance is dysfunctional.
