SLIDE

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Deviance and Social Control
1.a) What do you understand by deviance?-21
(b) Briefly discuss the relationship between deviance and social control.4+4+6
(c) Discuss the causes of social deviance.
2. a) What is Social Control ? ক) সামাজিক নিয়ন্ত্রণ নক?20(4+10)
b) Discuss the agencies of Social Control. খ) সামাজিক নিয়ন্ত্রণণর বাহি গুনি আণিাচিা কর।
3. a. What are the factors that facilitate social deviance? (সামাজিক নবচযুনিণক ত্বরানিিকারী
উপাদািসমূহ কী?-19(4+4+6)
b. How is Social deviance related to Social control ? (নকভাণব সামাজিক নবচযুনি সামাজিক নিয়ন্ত্রণণর
সাণে সম্পৃক্ত।
c. Discuss the agencies of social control in brief. (সংণেণপ সামাজিক নিয়ন্ত্রণণর এণিজিসমূহ
আণিাচিা কর ।)
4. নবচযুনি বিণি িযনম নক বুঝ? নবচযুনি এবং সামাজিক নিয়ন্ত্রণণর মণযুকার সম্পকক সংণেণপ আণিাচিা কর।
সামাজিক নবচযুনির কারণসমূহ আণিাচিা কর। 2017
(What do you understand by deviance? Briefly discuss the relationship between deviance
and social control. Discuss the causes of social deviance.)
What is the definition of deviance?
Deviance refers to rule-breaking behaviour of some kind which fails to conform to the
norms and expectations of a particular society or social group. Deviance is closely related
to the concept of crime, which is law breaking behaviour. Criminal behaviour is usually
deviant, but not all deviant behaviour is criminal. Both biological and psychological
explanations assume that deviance stems from problems arising inside the individual.
Since then the concept has become quite popular. It is true that most of the people follow
or conform to most of the norms most of the times But all the people or even most of
people do not conform to all the norms always. Young and Mack have pointed out, "No
norm is always obeyed; no individual always conforms to every set of expectations.
Deviant behaviours such as knavery, cheating, adultery, unfairness, crime, malingering
etc.

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Definition of Deviance Deviancy:
1.Herton and Hunt. The term deviation is given to any failure to conform to customary
norms.
2. Grville G. Brim Jr: "Deviance can be defined as failure to conform to the expectations
of other persons"
3. Louise Weston: "Deviance can be defined as behaviour that is contrary to the standards
ofconduct or social expectations of a given group or society
In simple words, deviance many be defined as the act of going against the group-shared
expectations and norms.
TYPES OF DEVIANCE: Deviance may assume different forms. Some of them may be noted
here.
1.Innovation. Society sets forth goals for the individuals to aim at and also lay down
means to achieve them. When a person accepts both goals and means the result is
generally "conformity" Sometimes, person may accept the goal but not the means. He
may innovate or create his own means for achieving the goals and in this sense, he
becomes a deviant. If this innovated means brings positive results it poses no problem for
the social order and if it brings negative results if may pose a danger to the society
Example Some poor people and pleasure-seekers may be forced to innovate or resort to
illegitimate, "dishonest" means to get money.
2.Ritualism. Sometimes a person gives up important social values yet does lip service to
them by carefully observing related norms of behaviour. They are ritualists. They abandon
the pursuit of success as fruitless and yet strictly adhere to the prescribed means. out of
then commitment to the rules.Ritualasts are also deviants because such persons refuse
to take courageous and possibly dangerous action demanded by true adherence to
values.
3.Retreatism – Sometimes individuals deny the social norms, values and conventional
methods altogether. Rather than conforming to traditional values or innovating their aims
and methods, they completely reject the normal way of life that is expected and accepted
by society. They don’t choose any illegal form or way of life to achieve their means but
simply deviate themselves from society.
4.Rebellion – Rebellion is one step ahead of retreatism. It not only denies and deviates
from the normal expectations, socio-cultural norms and goals of society but also expects
a change and revolution in the already existing system. Individuals look for complete

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change and destruction of the present social order and construction of a new and drastic
order which is relevant to the coming times. These individuals within society and the
community are viewed as rebels.
FACTORS FACILITATING DEVIANCE: Social deviance refers to the non-conformity to or
violating of the norms of the group. H.M. Johnson had listed a few factors that facilitate
deviance among which the following may be noted:
1.Faulty socialisation. Socialisation is the process by which the individual learns to
conform to the norms of the group. When he fails to conform to the norms systematically
he becomes a social deviant. Socialising agents often fail to inculcate in the new born
person the strong morals. Sometimes socialising agents themselves may directly or
indirectly encourage such deviant behaviour of the new members. Parsons has painted
out that deviance proneness is more potential in the lower classes mainly because of
failure in socialization.
2.Weak Sanctions. Sanctions refer to the rewards or punishments used to establish social
control or to enforce norms in a society. If the positive sanctions (rewards) for conformity
and the negative sanctions (punishments) for deviance are weak, the individual may
simply neglect them.
3. Poor Enforcement. Even though the sanctions are stronger they are often not enforced
effectively due to the too small enforcement staff. Because of this the validity of the norm
is weak ened. For example, it is not possible for a handful of traffic police staff to enforce
traffic rules.
4. Ease of Rationalisation: The violators of norms try to soothe or satisfy their conscience
by inventing some plausible rationalisations. Such people have constructed an intricate
system of ‘ego defense’ which they use to brush aside the reactions and comments of
other people. The violators of norms try to soothe or satisfy their conscience by inventing
some plausible rationalisations. Such people have constructed an intricate system of ‘ego
defense’ which they use to brush aside the reactions and comments of other people.
5.Unjust or Corrupt Enforcement. People may lose respect for law and norms when they
have no faith in law enforcement agency or authority. It is known that police corruption
and illegal violence damage very much respect for the law in the areas affected by such
practices. It is also observed that in some instances police maintain informal relations or

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secret understandings with the violators. As a result, such relations condone the activities
which the police are supposed to suppress.
6. Ambivalence of the Agents of Social Control. Ambivalence refers to the co-existence
in one person of opposing emotional attitudes towards the same object. For example, a
person may consider woman not only as an object of respect, but also as an object of
love, particularly of sexual love A doctor with such ambivalent attitude may inflict sexual
crime on young and beautiful female patients. Policemen, teachers, parents, business
superiors, all may have such complex personalities with unconscious deviant tendencies.
7.Subcultural Support of Deviance. Different groups have different ideas of permissible
behaviour. The range of acts that would be approved by the working class people differs
from the which would be approved by the middle class people. What is non-conforming
in the outside world becomes conforming in the group. For example, the frustrated
children of the working class flock together in little gangs. The subculture of this gang may
emphasise malice and negativism
8. Sentiments of Loyalty to Deviant Groups. When once a person is involved in a deviant
group he is obliged to co-operate with other members. He will find it difficult to "betray'.
He is forced to approve of the behaviour even if he no longer believes in their activities.
As Parsons has remarked, deviant groups deal harshly with disloyal members. Because,
such members not only pose a threat of exposure to enforcement agen cies but also a
threat to the stability of the group.
9. Indefinite Range of Norms. Some norms relating to some values are not probably spec
fied. For example, the scope of patriotism and freedom (political values) is not clearly
definol Hence, some even defend their deviant behaviour in the name of patriotism and
freedom. Thus, one may use harsh language against another in the name of freedom.
10. Secrecy of Violations. Some susceptible persons are more prone to commit deviant
acts they are assured that such acts are not going to be made public. For example, sex
crimes and sile abortions very often take place because of the confidence on the part of
the actors that their behavi would remain secret.
SOCIAL CONTROL:
Social control is the basic mean of social solidarity and conformity rather than deviance.
It controls the behavior, attitudes and actions of individuals to balance their social
situation. Man is born free but in chains everywhere he lives. A person living in a society
has to adopt certain rules and regulation. These are the social norms on which the whole

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society is running. For smooth functions and running of these norms these controls are
necessary. It means to bring people of society within the limits and compel them to adopt
conformity to social norms.
E, A. Ross. "Social Control refers to the "system of devices whereby society brings its
mem- bers into conformity with the accepted standards of behaviour".
Manheim. "Social Control is the sum of those methods by which a society tries to
influence human behaviour to maintain a given order.
Nimkoff has said that social control refers to "the patterns of pressure which a society
exerts to maintain order and established rules."
TYPES OF CONTROL: Social Control can be classified into two major types on the basis of
the means of social control that are employed.
They are: (1) Formal control, and (i) Informal control
1.Formal Control. The state makes use of law, legislation, military force, police force,
administrative devices, etc., for the purpose of social control. Similarly, different political,
religious, economic, cultural and other associations and institutions also institute formal
control over the behaviour of the members. Formal control is deliberately created.
Various rules are laid down to make it specific. The necessity of following formal control
or rules is clearly stated by associations and institutions. an association, whether it is a
state or a bank, or an army, or a factory or any thing has its own norms through which it
controls the behaviour of the members. All these come under formal control. Formal
control has become a necessity in the modem complex societies in which interaction is
mostly impersonal in nature.
2. Informal Control. Informal Control includes gossip, slander, resentment, public
opinion, sympathy, sense of justice, folkways, mores, customs, religion, morality and such
other agents. These are not purposefully created. They arise on their own way and in
course of time gain currency and popularity. They do not have the physical force to
enforce confor- mity to them. Hence, people may not observe them or go against them
without being physically punished for the same. Faith in religion, moral convictions, public
opinion, artistic standard, and the general state of enlightenment are found to be more
important in informal control. Informal control is more effective in primary social groups

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such as family, neighbourhood, tribe, rural community where interaction takes place on
a personal basis.
Agent of social control: Society or group maintains social control by creating its own
agencies which may enforce formal or informal control. The role of some of these
agencies may be briefly discussed here.
1.Control by Law:Law is a powerful method of control. The state runs its
administration through the government. It enforces law within its territory with the
help of the police the violators of social rules are punished as per law; the state carries
out certain function by means of law. E.A. Ross says that ‘law is the most specialized
and highly furnished engine of social control employed by society It is law, which
prevents the people from indulging in antisocial activities. It helps in governing our
social conduct and behaviors.
2. Public Opinion: Public opinion is very powerful in the democratic age. It not only
controls the behavior of people but also controls the government. People these days
are more concerned with the opinion held by the public. Fear of public opinion in
general makes people control their conduct and behavior. The state controls the
behavior of the people through public opinion and mould people in favor of its
policies. It forms public opinion through various media like the newspaper, cinema,
radio, television etc.
3.Propaganda: Propaganda is a systematic attempt by a individual or individuals to
control the attitudes of people through suggestions and consequently, their actions.
With the development of means of mass communication, propaganda has become an
effective means of social control. The state controls the people through this powerful
means of social control namely propaganda.
4.Religion: Religion serves as an important agency of social control. It is religion,
which supports the folkways and modes of a society by playing super natural
sanctions behind them. It adopts negative as well as positive means to regulate the
behavior of the individuals in society.
5. Administration: Administration is very powerful and the most effective instrument
of social control. It forces the individual to obey social control. The administrations
punish the violators with the help of the police, the army etc.

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6.Personality: Sometimes local people, pious teachers, political leaders, social
workers, and religious leaders can be idols to the people. They are symbols of
honesty. Their lifestyles influence the people. This helps us to maintain social control.
7. Coercion: Coercion is the use of force to compel a person or group to adopt a course
of conduct that has been determined by another person or group. Coercion may
involve the use of physical force, such as when criminals are arrested or detained. It
is a very violent act. Only the state has the authority to use coercion to maintain social
order. Through formal and unofficial channels, it serves as a social control agent.
8.Education: Education is an agency of socialization, through which man studies his
society, social institutions and control. The education also transforms the knowledge from
one generation to another. Education moulds the behavior of individual.
9. Customs: customs means a form of social behavior having persisted for a long period
of time with a degree of social recognition. It is a kind of informal social control. Customs
are the daily activities of individuals. It is closely related with culture. Customs related
with religion, caste, practices etc regulate
individual behavior in society.
10. Morality: It is an institution closely related with religion. It is a body of rules and
principles concerned with good and evils. Through morality individual feels that social
control is good for society and necessary for social control. Relevance of Social Control
11. Folkways and Mores: Folkways provide traditional definition of proper ways of
behaving in a particular society. It simply means the ways of people especially the way of
people in primitive society. In primitive societies people are controlled through their
cultural practices. Mores are those social norms that provide the moral standards of
behaviour of a group. It implies that the morals; it is a category of norms. Through mores
the community or organizations control the behavior of individuals.
Social control is a common occurrence. Every community has a peculiar control
mechanism. Different forms of control, both formal and informal, have existed
throughout history. It controls individual behaviour and social interaction as a component
of society.