Deviance & Culture

What is Culture?• Anthropologists say culture is a system of ideas,

values, behaviours, & attitudes shared by the members of a society

• Sociologists believe culture refers to the ways in which social groups differentiate themselves from other groups• Differences are based on language, attire, food, social

etiquette, attitudes & roles, religious values, and political beliefs

• Culture is commonly accepted & learned by members of a society through the process of socialization (passed on)• Socialization unifies, communicates, & maintains societies

cultural beliefs

• Culture is a tool that helps explain behaviour among & towards other groups

Culture & Social Identity• Culture influences an

individual’s perception & self-concept• So it effects the development

of social identity too

• Sociologists are very interested in cultural universals• They are beliefs common

across all cultures --- examples?

• Ppl rely on culture to guide us in social situations (to make appropriate decisions)

Deviance• Recall – norms help est.

acceptable behaviours in society

• Social behaviour that doesn’t fit w/ est. rules of society is either shunned or punished• It is Deviance: a violation of

society’s social norms & accepted standards

• Emile Durkheim was the 1st sociologist to write about anomie• Durkheim stated anomie referred

to a state of normalness & represents an individual’s breakdown in relation to social order and structure (a violation of society’s est. norms)

Robert Merton & Deviance• Deviance is an attractive option

esp. if societies rules are restrictive

• Merton claimed deviance occurs when individuals cannot obtain the society’s goals, through the means society provides

• Strain Theory of Behaviour• Belief that indy’s will pursue

illegitimate actions to obtain societies highest goals when they are blocked from accessing institutional means to them

• IOW Society causes deviance b/c it pressures ppl to conform to its goals • Work w/in the structure or join/create

a deviant subculture

Alienation• Unequal access to social

rewards/privileges can lead to alienation

• Alienation is a feeling of separation or isolation (from society)• It can occur in any situation when

someone is left-out

• Causes: social inequalities, cultural differences, alt. lifestyle

• Can feel alienated from social norms, values, roles OR from social institutions not serving needs effectively

• Often leads to a rejection of the dominant culture

Subcultures• Mainstream culture is what we

define culture as on a large scale (i.e. CDN culture)• Most ppl fulfill their needs w/in it

• Others look to subcultures to meet needs• Small groups w/in a larger group

that share common values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviours, and/or lifestyles different from the dominant culture

• Differences are often exaggerated or distorted versions of mainstream culture

• Sociologists describe subcultures as deviance from the norm & prevalent amongst youth

• Subcultures are often labelled• Labelling is a theoretical approach

to defining deviant behaviour through the creation of a subculture

• Subcultures over-time can become popular enough to become mainstream

Countercultures• More extreme than

subcultures are countercultures• These reject the most popular

values & most important norms of society, replacing them w/ their own extreme views on violence, family, & loyalty

• Can be +ve or –ve for society

• Most extreme are cults• Extremist religious groups w/

rigid social/moral views that oppose mainstream culture & led by a charismatic leader