Unit 6 Introduction
Reading: Chapter 7 in Macionis, pp. 173 - 203
Unit 6 considers the concepts of deviance and social control. Deviance refers to ideas and actions that are outside the norms of society.
An important function of our interaction is groups is to produce a sense of normalcy, but not everyone obeys social norms. When people break norms, sociologists call this deviance, and studying deviance offers a basis of comparison that helps us understand and affirm social norms. Also, by studying deviance we can better understand how social institutions and organizations control the behavior of individuals. In Unit 6, we will study deviance from the perspective of different theoretical paradigms, we will consider crime as a specific type of deviance and examine how the criminal justice system in the United States is organized to address deviance in society.
 Fig. 6-1: The prison yard at the former Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, San Francisco, California |
Social norms are not absolute; each society differs in its definitions and assumptions of what is normal. Whatever is considered normal for a particular society or group, deviance represents behavior that is different. Thus, deviance is socially constructed, that is, along with a sense of normalcy deviance is the product of our social interaction.
Members of society try to control deviance and reinforce social norms in a variety of ways. Many are informal in nature - an odd look or a short cough sometimes serve to show us our behavior is out of line. If violations are more serious, stronger sanctions are applied. Institutions, such as the criminal justice system, are created to enforce social norms. Taken together, the efforts that people make to keep others in line are known as social control.
In Unit 6 you will learn to appreciate the formal and informal ways that social groups control behavior and better understand why we require social norms.
GO TO WEEK 6 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES>>>
<<<GO TO WEEK 6 THRU 10 SCHEDULE