This document discusses theories of deviant behavior including social pathology, biological, psychological, labeling, anomie/structural stress, and conflict theories. Social pathology explains deviance as caused by illness/malfunctions. Biological theories examine genetic/physical traits while psychological theories cite inner conflicts/impulses. Labeling theory argues that society's labeling of behaviors as deviant can cause deviance. Anomie theory links deviance with lack of access to goals. Conflict theory sees deviance arising from an unjust social structure with unequal distribution of wealth/power.

1. Naveed Siddiqui
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2. DEVIANCE
• Any significant departure from what is considered
“normal” or normative.
• behavior that departs from the norm; i.e. departs from
whatever standard is typical within a given situation
or in Society as a whole.

3. Questions to consider in determining if a
certain type of behavior is deviant or not
• Which norms are violated?
• Who violate them?
• Members of the upper class or lower
class?
• How visible is the deviation?

4. Basically, what is considered
deviant depends on how others,
who are socially significant in
power and influence, define act

5. Explanation for
deviant behavior
THEORIES OF DEVIANT
BEHAVIOR

6. SOCIAL PATHOLOGY
Explains that deviant behavior is caused by
actual physical and mental illness, malfunctions
or deformities.

7. Social PATHOLOGY
• Social pathology includes: substance abuse, violence,
abuses of women and children, crime, terrorism,
corruption, criminality, discrimination, isolation,
stigmatization and human rights violations.
• Solutions: Education, re-education,
hospitalization, rehabilitation, imprisonment,
capital punishment.

8. • Deviant behavior is a result of abberant genetic traits
• Cesare Lombroso – an Italian criminologist who
studied the skulls and bodies of many prisoners,
reported that there are “animalistic” physical patterns
found in criminals, savages and apes; that people
with enormous jaws, high cheekbones, and
prominent superciliary arches – are born criminals.
BIOLOGICAL THEORY

9. BIOLOGICAL Theory
• Charles Goring – a British physician, who found no
differences between criminals and ordinary citizens.

10. BIOLOGICAL theory
Solutions: Education, re-education,
hospitalization, rehabilitation, imprisonment,
capital punishment, and behavior
modification.

11. • Deviant behavior is brought about by inner
conflicts or by the inability to control one’s
inner impulses or failure to structure one’s
behavior in an orderly way
• Solutions: Psychiatry, psychological
counseling, hospitalization, and rehabilitation;
shock therapy.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
EXPLANATION

12. Labeling theory
• Society’s labeling on behaviors as deviant
causes deviant behavior. Behaviors are
labeled or tagged as proper or improper, moral
or immoral, good or bad. Behaviors which
transgress the social norms and values are
labeled or socially defined deviant; they are,
in turn, sanctioned by ostracism or
punishment.

13. Labeling theory
• Concerned with how the self-identity and behavior of
individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used
to describe or classify them.
• Labeling theory holds that deviance is not inherent to an act,
but instead focuses on the tendency of majorities to negatively
label minorities or those seen as deviant from standard cultural
norms

14. Labeling theory
• Unwanted descriptors or categorizations - including
terms related to deviance, disability or diagnosis of a
mental disorder - may be rejected on the basis that
they are merely "labels", often with attempts to adopt
a more constructive language in its place.

15. ANOMIE THEORY OR STRUCTURAL
STRESS THEORY
– Posits that deviance exists when people
are denied access to accepted means to
reach approved goals.

16. ANOMIE THEORY OR STRUCTURAL
STRESS THEORY
• Durkheim – introduced the concept of “anomie” as a condition
within society in which individuals find that the prevailing
social norms are ill-defined, weak, or conflicting. For example,
many people expect to have a job, but the economy may not
provide enough jobs for everybody. Thus, a jobless job –
seeker may resort to illegitimate or illegal means to achieve his
goals.
Solutions: Giving access to approved goals; equal opportunity
for all.

17. CONFLICT THEORY
States that deviant behavior is caused by an
unjust social structure where unequal
distribution of wealth and power exists.

18. Conflict theory
• Solutions: The moderates propose more reforms in
the various social institutions; the radicals advocate a
sweeping transformation or a revolutionary approach,
an overhaul of the existing unjust social structure in
order to bring about a more or less equal distribution
of wealth, power, and prestige in the new social order.

19. Crime
• The violation of criminal laws enacted by a
locality, state, or the federal government

20. Crime Categories
20
• Street crime — refers to crime committed in public
and is often associated with violence, gangs, and
poverty.
• White-collar crime — committed by a professional
against a corporation, agency, or other business.

21. Types of Crimes
• Violent personal – murder, rape, robbery, assault, hate
crimes
– Probably most reported, but still underreported
– Not “random violence” as media portray
• Gang related
– Traditionally loosely organized, petty and street crime
– Today formally organized, involved drugs, money, violence
– More likely to involve youth
• Nonviolent personal and property crime – burglary,
theft, breaking/entering, prostitution, drug use