Summary
Highlights
Deviance is introduced as simply being non-normative or different, not necessarily bad. Examples like vegans, pacifists, and even runaway slaves are given to illustrate that deviance is anything that deviates from generally accepted normal behavior, distinguished from statistically uncommon traits like red hair.
The concept of social control is explained as society's attempts to regulate thoughts and behaviors. Negative sanctions (e.g., strange looks) and positive sanctions (e.g., congratulations) are discussed as forms of social control. The video differentiates between informal norms (folkways) and formal norms (laws), which are enforced by the criminal justice system.
The video briefly covers historical biological explanations, such as Cesare Lombroso's theory that criminals were subhuman and identifiable by physical traits. It then discusses William Sheldon's work on body types and criminality, noting that these biological theories are now considered flawed. Psychological approaches are presented as focusing on improper or failed socialization, with an example being containment theory by Reckless and Dinitz, which links deviance to impulse control.
Both biological and psychological explanations are critiqued for focusing on individual abnormalities and overlooking external factors like peer influence or opportunities for deviance. They also fail to explain why certain behaviors are deemed deviant in the first place, or that many deviant individuals are biologically and psychologically typical.
The sociological approach to deviance emphasizes that it is a result of societal structure. The first principle states that deviance varies according to cultural norms, meaning nothing is inherently deviant. Historically, practices like slavery were considered normal, and rejecting them was deviant, as exemplified by the concept of drapetomania.
The second sociological principle highlights that deviance is defined by societal responses and labeling. An action's deviance can depend on context, and being labeled deviant can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy. The third principle asserts that defining social norms involves social power, where the powerful elite can protect their interests through laws and control reactions to public actions, such as the difference in treatment between a campaign rally and a spontaneous protest.