SOCA01H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: The Myriad, Social Constructionism, Social Control
Document Summary
Typical first response: list types of people or behaviours: criminals, child molesters, drug addicts. These lists do not explain why these people are considered to be deviant. Deviance is identified by rarity -> being relatively unusual. However, this definition forgets about the distinction between negative and positive deviance. Obscures distinctions between people who exceed and people who fall short of certain expectations . Equated to an action that produces destructive outcomes. Name calling, ridicule, ostracism, incarceration, and even killing. The ways of acting and ways of being that, within particular social contexts and in particular historical social contexts, elicit moral condemnation. Of particular interest is why the lgbt people are treated and regarded the way they are. Distinction between ordinary deviance and extreme deviance: ordinary deviance: something most of us engage in. Occasional little white lie, sporadic abuse of alcohol: extreme deviance: only a small amount of us commit. Believing one has been kidnapped by aliens, white supremists.
