1. DEAN'S LIST DELINQUENTS:
Mararita Bray
Sociology Research Group
Gonzaga University
Spring 2015
Techniques of Neutralization and
Deviance in Private University Students

2. Previous studies have primarily focused on the guilty or convicted deviants; more specifically,
the underprivileged and uneducated population.To broaden our understanding of deviance our
perspective must shift to the understudied and rarely caught population of the privileged and
educated.
This brings me to my research questions…
1. What are some of the motivating factors as to why this population commits deviance?
2. Does the culture of college influence higher rates of deviance?
3. Are neutralization techniques used to rationalize deviant behavior within the college
subculture?

3. Background
Literature
Studies have shown that labeling individuals as
deviants has a negative effect on their self-concept.
This also makes the individual conscious and self-
conscious of their wrongful actions (Williams III and
McShane, 1988). However, since the college culture
changes the general norms set by the “outside”
society, students are able to neutralize the effects of
their deviance – utilizing their current culture as a
means of neutralization.
“The moral injunction against killing, for example,
does not apply to the enemy during combat in time of
war” (Sykes & Matza, 1999).
External demands of society are neutralized by the
internal demands of the college subculture (Sykes &
Matza, 1999).
The delinquent remains committed to the dominant
system, yet the violation of the norms are
considered acceptable within the subculture (Sykes
& Matza, 1999).
Individuals who internalized the “college student”
identity, do not interpret their behaviors as morally
wrong or socially inappropriate (Tewksbury &
Mustaine, 1998).
Embedded within the college culture, deviance is
considered “normative” (Liska & Messner, 1999).

4. Method
Variables Taken into
Consideration:
 Labeling
 Techniques of
Neutralization
 Deviance
 Culture
Survey
The General Gonzaga Survey (GGS) is
an annual survey administered by the
Department of Sociology and Criminal
Justice. Distributed online to a
probability sample of 1,427 full-time
undergraduates. The survey was
emailed to the sample on February 23,
2015, and was closed on March 6th,
2015.
A total of 403 students provided enough
data to be included in the final data set.

5. Party
Culture
Adherence
Questions
1. In college, I can behave in ways that would
not be appropriate outside of college.
2. Heavy drinking has become a normal part of
college life.
3. Students work hard during the week; they
should be allowed to party on the weekends.
4. I think that people who criticize the party
culture at Gonzaga are overreacting
Individual indicated whether
they strongly agree, agree,
neither, disagree, or strongly
disagree per statement

6. Deviance
Questions
1. Consumed alcohol as a minor?
2. Used a fake ID to buy alcohol/enter a bar?
3. Used marijuana?
4. Used ecstasy/MDMA?
5. Used “hard drugs” (ex. cocaine/crack,
heroin, methamphetamine)?
6. Used a prescription drug (ex, OxyContin,
Adderall) without a prescription?
Individual indicated a yes or no
to each of the following
statements

7. Neutralization
Questions
1. My drinking habits do not affect
anyone but myself.
2. Drinking makes it easier for me to
relax and enjoy myself.
3. When I am out with my friends,
I feel like I am expected to drink.
4. I trust my friends to keep me safe
when I am drinking with them.
1. As long as I get good grades, people
should not criticize my drinking
habits.
2. Because I work hard at school during
the week, I believe that it’s okay to
drink, even drink heavily, on the
weekends.
3. Once I leave college, I expect that I
will drink less than I do now.
4. I have a high tolerance for alcohol, so
drinking a large amount is not a
problem.

8. Drinking
Questions
1. On average, how many days per week do you drink
alcoholic beverages?
2. On the days that you do consume alcohol, how
many drinks do you usually consume? Please keep
in mind that one drink = 12 ounces of beer (a
standard can), 5 ounces of wine (a standard glass),
or 1.5 ounces of liquor (a standard shot).
3. Thinking back over the last two weeks, how many
times have you consumed the following amounts of
alcohol: For MALES—Five or more drinks in a row.
For FEMALES—Four or more drinks in a row.
4. How does your drinking compare to your friends’
drinking?

9. Party Culture
Adherence
and Deviance
Those who adhere to the party
culture the most, participated
in the most amount of
deviance – a mean of 2.56 .

10. BingeDrinking%
Number of Party Culture Statements Agreed With
24.2%
17.8%
5.6%
28.9%
8.9%
24.2%
29.8%
47.2%
76.1%
85%
Binge Drinking and
Party Culture Adherence

11. Conclusion
Although the population sample was small, my findings held a
high level of significance. My research clearly shows a
relationship between neutralization, deviance and the college
culture.
As a subculture, the college experience maintains a different set
of norms of which the students are held to.This change in the
culture allows the “norms” of society to be disregarded, while a
majority of the students take on the college student identity.
This results in enabling students to rationalize their deviance and
neutralize any guilt that would otherwise occur.
With my research being limited, it is important to note that not
all deviance was accurately reported, nor can one seek to
understand the college culture so easily. I hope that with my
research, we will be able to move forward and better understand
the motivations of college delinquents.

12. References
Chambliss,William. 1973. "The Saints and the
Roughnecks."Society 11(1):24-31.
Liska, Allen and Steven Messner. 1999. "The Labeling
Perspective." Pp. 114-146 in Perspectives on
Crime and Deviance.Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Mohamed, Rafik and Erik Fritsvold. 2006. "Damn, it Feels
Good to be a Gangsta:The SocialOrganization
of the Illicit DrugTrade Servicing a Private
College Campus." Deviant Behavior 27:97-125.
Mohamed, Rafik and Erik Fritsvold. 2012. Dorm Room
Dealers: Drugs and the Privileges of Race and
Class. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Neighbors,Clayton,Christine Lee, Melissa Lewis, Nicole
Fossos and Mary Larimer. 2007. “AreSocial
Norms the Best Predictor of Outcomes Among
Heavy-DrinkingCollege Students?”JStud
Alcohol Drugs 68(4):556-565.
Sykes,Gresham and David Matza. 1957. "Techniques of
Neutralization:ATheory of Delinquency."
AmericanSociological Review 22(6):664-670.
Tewksbury, Richard and Elizabeth Ehrhardt Mustaine. 1998.
“Lifestyles of theWheelers and Dealers: Drug
Dealing Among AmericanCollegeStudents.”
Journal of Crime andJustice 21(2):37-56.