DSOC 1101 1st EditionExam # 2 Lectures 9-14Lecture 9 (2/25)Deviance- behavior that violates a norm-culturally dependent -socially constructedTwo Perspectives on Deviance:-Absolutism- assumption that all human behavior can be considered either inherently good or bad (frequently based on stereotypes)-Relativism- deviance is socially constructed (what is considered deviant is based on the time and historical context)Note: Lower status individuals (e.g. ethnic minorities, unemployed individuals) are more likelyto be considered deviant than high status individualsExplanations of Deviance:-Sociobiology- focuses on genetic predisposition-Psychology- focuses on abnormalities within the individual-Sociology- Focuses on factors such as social class, race, and gender that are outside of the individualFunctionalist Perspective on Deviance:-Deviance serves vital functions for society-Sets examples for unacceptable behavior-Provides guidelines for behavior that is necessary to maintain social order-Bonds people through common rejection of deviant behavior-Provides jobs for those who deal with deviant behavior-Can serve as a positive stimulus by signaling problems in society that need to be addressedSymbolic Interactionist Perspective on Deviance:-We act according to our interpretation of situations-Differential Association Theory-we can learn deviance from different groups we associate with-Labeling Theory-No act is in itself deviant until it is labeled as such-Depends on who sees it, who commits it, and the actions takenConflict Perspective on Deviance:-Deviance is a result of social inequalityLecture 10 (3/2)Macro-level Explanations of Deviance:-Anomie- breakdown of norms guiding behavior leads to social disorganization-Strain Theory- those with fewer resources are less able to achieve societally shared goals andmay resort to deviant behaviors to achieve their desired goalsWays of Adapting to Strain-Conformity: embracing society’s definition of success and adhering to the established means of achieving success-Innovation: use of illicit means to reach approved goals-Ritualism: strict adherence to culturally prescribed rules, even though individuals give up on the goals they hoped to achieve-Retreatism: giving up both the means and the goals-Rebellion: rejecting the socially approved ideas of success and the means of attaining that success and coming up with news means and new goalsMicro-Level Explanations of Deviance:-Social Control Theory- crime results from an imbalance between impulses toward criminal activity and the social or physical controls that deter it-Differential Association Theory- we can learn deviance from different groups we associate with-Labeling Theory- No act is in itself deviant until it is labeled as suchDeviance Controlled by Sanctions-Formal Sanctions- imposed by legal system (laws, law enforcement, prisons, court system)-Informal Sanctions- Rules and expectations about behavior; may be unspoken, generally understoodWhite-Collar Crime: A crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation-Fraud, bribery, inside trading, embezzlement, computer crimes, forgery-White collar criminals rarely spend time in jail even though it costs more than street crimeCorporate Crime: Criminal activity on the behalf of a business organization-Crimes of fraud, concealment, and misrepresentationLecture 11 (3/4)The American Dream-Land of opportunity-Social Class is achieved-Horatio Alger: rags to riches beliefSocial Stratification: system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy basedon their access to scarce resources-Caste System- social stratification based on ascribed status-Class System- social stratification based on achieved statusOccupational Prestige is ranked according to:-how vital task is to society-how much authority and responsibility job involves-degree of autonomy-knowledge and skills required-dignity of job-financial rewardSocial Mobility-Person’s movement over time from one class to another-Mobility can either be intergenerational, occurring between generations or intragenerational, occurring within generationClass and Life Chances:Max Weber saw class as being closely related to people’s life chances-opportunities to acquire material goods, positive living conditions, and favorable life experiences-In times of danger, affluent and powerful people have a better chance of surviving than people of ordinary meansLecture 12 (3/11)Social Class and Consumerism:-Social Comparison Theory- states that individuals compare their own possessions against those of others to determine their relative social standing-Status Consumption- process by which consumers actively increase their social standing through conspicuous consumption of possessionsSocial Class-Upper-Upper Class-Lower Upper Class-Upper Middle Class-Lower Middle Class-Working Class-Lower ClassSociological Perspective on Health-Health is not just genetic and biological; it is influences by social and economic conditions in which we live-Inequalities in social conditions give rise to unequal and unjust health outcomes for different social groups-The most consistent finding is that poorer people have poorer healthLecture 13 (3/16)Race refers to physical variations in human beings singled out by members of the communityor society as socially significantRacism- set of beliefs and social practices in which people are treated differently and accorded advantages and disadvantages on the basis of culturally defined racial classificationsWhile prejudice refers to the opinions and attitudes of an individual regarding another individual or group, racism refers to the actual behavior of the individual towards the other individual or group.Racism originated during explorationSuperior European technology meant that Europeans were more powerful than nativesLaws such as the VA Racial Integrity Act and Indian Reorganization Act were based on the percentage of Indian blood an individual hadLecture 14 (3/23)Scope and Sources of Gender Inequality-Male domination and female subordination are evident in all social relations-Gender inequality derives from historical fact that women have been allocated to the private sphere and men to the public sphere-this has created differential opportunities for acquiring wealth, power and prestigeSexism- belief in the innate superiority/inferiority of one group (men or women) over the other based on the assumption of innate