CHAPTER 5: CONFORMITY, SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, AND DEVIAN BEHAVIOR

I.

Definition of Conformity, Social Control, and Deviant Behavior

A. Conformity
1. Conformity is the compliance or agreement of an individual to the norms of
the society either voluntary or involuntary.
2. It is the following the prevailing standard of the social group, institution or
society.
3. Achieved through the use of various forms of social control.
B. Social Control
1. Social control refers to the process or mechanisms by which conformity
and adherence to approved values are ensured.
1.1 Two Types
a. Informal Social Control consists of mores and traditions,
unwritten standards and values, and sanctions and punishment
b. Formal and institutionalized means enforced by authority
power, law, government and religion.
C. Deviant behavior
1. A disregard for existing norms or standards or any act that violates a
social norm

II.

Theories of Deviant Behavior

A. Structural-functional Theory
1. Deviance is an abnormal characteristic of the social structure.
2. Conformity is attained by individuals when behavior is in consonance
with the culturally accepted means and goals.
3. The structures have the authority to impose on individuals about
standard of conformity.
4. Forms of Deviant Behavior or Theory of Anomie
4.1 Innovation refers to the use of new or illicit techniques to
achieve desired ends.
4.2 Ritualism results when one cannot achieved valued goals gives
up but continues to conform to prevailing rules and outward forms
in order to allay the anxieties created by the lower levels pf
aspiration.
4.3 Retreatism total escape from a situation where one cannot
achieve the goals and therefore gives up all sanctioned means to
reach them
4.4 Rebellion results from the frustration generated by very limited
opportunities to reach desired goals and leads to alienation from
the norms and standards

III.

IV.
V.

B. Symbolic Interactionism
1. Deviance is the fault of the system, not the individual.
2. Fundamental Principles of Symbolic Interactionism
2.1 Differential Association Theory Deviance is learned like other
social behavior
2.2 Self-esteem theory Self-esteen is enhanced if an individual
would deviate from the rules instead of abiding to them.
2.3 Control Theory Deviance is normal and it is conformity, which
must be explained.
2.4 Labeling Theory
2.4.1 Deviance is relative and depends on how other labels acts
as deviance.
2.4.2 People whose acts are labelled deviant may accept that
label and become deviants.
Crime as a Deviant Act
1. Crime is a form of deviant behavior.
2. It is a violation of the legal framework or written law of the society.
3. Theories
3.1 Structural-Functional Theory
III.1.2 Criminal behavior is an abnormal characteristic of the social
structure.
III.1.3 Criminal behavior is a failure of the individual to adjust to the
institutional frameworks of the society with regard to normal
behavior.
III.1.4 Criminal behavior is an innovative behavior.
III.1.5 Innovative behavior is maladjustment of the individual from the
existing legal standards of the society
3.2 Phenomenological Theory
3.2.1 The definition of crime is arbitrary and it would depend on
whose imposing the legal system.
3.2.2 Criminal behavior can be rehabilitated if the authorities would
exert effort to comprehend the situations of the victims and
perpetrators of crime through in-depth analysis.
3.2.3 Crime should ne seen from the individual perspective.
3.3 Social Bond Theory and Self-Control Theory
3.3.1 Social bond theory gives values to the bonding process that
people get in a situation.
3.3.2 Self-control theory emphasizes the child rearing aspect of the
development of the child.
Left and Right Realism: New Perspective in Understanding the Criminal
Justice System
The Connection of Animal Abuse and Criminal Behavior: An Empirical
Investigation