Lecture Notes Know Sutherland s basic assumption about conformity deviance o Conformity and deviance are learned through socialization interaction Be able to explain how deviant behavior is the result of deviant definitions and how this makes deviance normal from a learning perspective o Deviant behavior occurs when definitions that are favorable to breaking norms hold more importance are more appealing than definitions favorable to following norms Hold definitions of breaking norms higher than definitions of following norms o We learn these definitions from other people through interactions which makes deviant behavior the product of the same learning processes as normal behavior Know the 9 general principles of differential association o 1 Deviant behavior is learned o 2 Deviant behavior is learned through interaction with others Direct someone teaches you Indirect something learned without interaction with someone o 3 Most learning occurs within intimate groups Closer relationships more influence o 4 Learning includes technique and mindset Technique actual skills Mindset motives rationalizations attitudes o 5 Direction of mindset is learned Is our mindset geared towards normal behavior or deviant behavior o 6 Deviance is the result of an excess of definitions favorable to violations of norms Happens when an individual learns too many definitions that are in opposition to norms More pro deviance definitions in mind than pro normal o 7 Different associations vary in 4 ways Frequency how often Duration length Priority timing Intensity degree of identification with associations o 8 Learning deviant behavior involves the same mechanisms of all other kinds The only thing that changes is the content of the lessons o 9 Deviant behavior is NOT explained by general needs and values of learning Know the 4 dimensions of how associations can vary Principle 7 o Frequency how often is the individual learning the associations o Duration how long do they learn the associations o Priority at what point in their life do they learn the associations o Intensity how much do they identify with the associations Be able to explain in your own words why deviant behavior cannot be explained by general society wide human needs and values o Most of the time deviant behavior is an expression of the same needs and values that normal behavior is motivated by for example a thief steals in order to secure money but an honest laborer also works to secure money so their needs and what they value are the same so needs and values can t explain deviant behavior Know the 4 components of Akers social learning theory o Differential associations Individuals are exposed to varying definitions of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors o Definitions general and specific General definitions include broad beliefs about conforming behavior that is influenced principally through conventional norms as well as religious and moral values Specific definitions are seen as those that orient a person to particular acts or series of acts o Differential reinforcement Actual OR anticipated consequences Positive OR negative consequences o Imitation Individuals engage in behavior that they have previously witnessed others doing From a learning theory perspective be able to explain the 2 reasons individuals engage in deviance o We learn to value deviance Valuing definitions of deviant behavior o We learn to justify deviance Learn to enjoy smoking pot Explain away our behavior Know Howard Becker s 3 steps in learning to be deviant also be apply to give an example of these steps using a particular deviant behavior o Learn the technique of deviance Smoking pot the right way in order to even get you high o Learn to perceive the effects of deviance Learning to recognize what being high entails feels like o Learn to enjoy the effects Learning to enjoy the feeling of being high Know and be able to give examples of the 5 techniques of neutralization o Denial of responsibility it s not my fault o Denial of injury no one got hurt o Denial of victim they deserved it o Condemn the condemner who are you to judge me hypocrisy o Appeal to higher loyalties this was more important than that Be able to explain what is meant by frameworks of reality perception from Bill Russell s guest lecture o There are different levels or frameworks from which one can interpret reality Objective level divine religious energy psychic spirit symbol dream thought form holistic cosmic Be able to define the fundamental difference between belief and knowledge o The fundamental difference between belief and knowledge deals with faith vs fact Faith is belief without proof Facts are known to exist Know the 3 types of phenomena discussed in class and what makes them different from each other i e why a phenomenon falls into a given type o Scientific beliefs and practices recognized as legitimate by science o Religious beliefs and practices recognized as legitimate by religion but NOT by o Paranormal beliefs and practices NOT recognized as legitimate by science OR science religion Be able to explain what it means to say that reality is socially constructed o If people define situations as real then they are real in their consequences Our perceptions of reality are colored by our beliefs and backgrounds that are socially constructed Know the relationship between empirical facts interpretation and belief o Just because something is empirically observable does not make our interpretation of that thing true we need to believe it to be true If we think something is real we act accordingly Be able to describe general patterns that emerge in accounts of alien abduction contact e g the type of alien what the experience was like etc o Notion of aliens has been around a long time and is something that has been widely popularized in the modern era through TV movies comics books and conspiracy theories Roswell NM o Type of Aliens Greys Usually do the abducting Have victims Do experimentation Are seen as evil Inflict psychological trauma Nordics Usually do the contacting Educated and enlightened contact people to pass along wisdom and knowledge Are seen as good Be able to give several reasons that beliefs in alien abduction contact are deviant o The belief that life exists elsewhere than earth can be seen as deviant by some people o The possibility that there is an alternative explanation for what happened to them can be seen as deviant by some people o The process of coming to believe that