SOCY 275 Lecture Notes - Social Control, Corporate Crime, Human Nature

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Social Sci, Edu and Soc Work - Sociology
• Course: SOCY 275
• Professor: Stacey Alerie

Document Summary

Deviance: actions not conforming to group values, defined by the reactions of others, conformity. Behaviour that is in accordance with social norms. Agreeing with social values or fear of being punished. Crime: act that goes against the law, dictated by authority, subject to punishment. Ambiguity: deviance has more than one meaning, different interpretations for one event, can be vague, collection of theories. Can involve philosophy and politics: diversity. When behaviour becomes common, it becomes less deviant. People"s judgement of deviance is dependant on: context, circumstances, personal biography, socialization. Deviance as a last resort: if there are no other possible explanations for behaviour it is labeled deviant. Theories of deviance are influenced by other theories: deviance stems from the construction of moral rules. Deviance is not a single problem with a single solution: deviance is connected with exercise of power and application of rules, study of deviance leads to formation of policies.