Discussion on the

Theoretical
Foundations
on Social Deviation
using case studies
 TOPIC
 Strain Theory  Conflict Perspective

 Differential Association Theory  Critical Perspective

 Social control Theory  Chicago Perspective

 Deterrence Perspective  Gender Perspective

 Interactionist/Labeling Perspective  Feminist Perspectives

 Ethno-methodology perspective  Psychological Perspective

Strain
Theory
  Strain Theory
 This theory assume people will commit crime because of strain, stress, or
pressure. Depending on the version of strain theory, strain can come from a
variety of origins. Strain theories also assume that human beings are naturally
good; bad things happen, which “push” people into criminal activity.

It is a sociological and criminological theory

developed in 1938 by Robert K. Merton.

 In sociology, proposal that pressure derived from social factors, such as lack of
income or lack of quality education, drives individuals to commit crime.

 This theory, which is also referred to as classic strain theory by criminologists,

attempts to explain why some individuals turn to deviance in order to achieve
success, while others remain law-abiding citizens.
 WAYS TO RESPOND TO STRAIN
● According to Robert Merton, depending on the type of strain experienced, the various modes of
adaptation opted by individuals of a society were: Conformity, Innovation Ritualism,
Retreatism, Rebellion

● Conformity: The mode of adaptation in which an individual chooses to achieve culturally

accepted goals via institutionalized means. Conformists are those who choose to play by the
rules. They are the ones who form a major chunk of society. Without their majority, a society
would tend to move towards a state of disorder, confusion, and disorganization.

● Innovation: The mode of adaptation in which an individual desires to achieve culturally

accepted goals but does so without following the institutionalized means of achieving them.
Innovators, like conformists, are motivated to strive for socially-valued goals but tend to do it in
their own way while rejecting the approved means of achieving them. They can adopt such an
approach because of various strains, such as financial strains, the strain of being discriminated in
society, or, and not limited to, the strains of having marginal or no access to the socially-approved
means of achieving culturally-acceptable goals.
 Two very common emotions
• Ritualism: The mode adaptation in which an individual has lost his interest in
of striving for the socially accepted goals but is satisfied in running through
the rituals of working within the institutionalized means.

• Retreatism occurs when individuals reject both the goals and the means of
achieving them, and instead turn to a life of withdrawal or escape.

• Rebellion occurs when individuals reject both the goals and the means of
achieving them and work to transform the existing social structure.
Differential
Association
Theory
 EDWIN SUTHERLAND
- was an American sociologist. He is considered one of the most
influential criminologists of the 20th century.

- He was a sociologist of the symbolic interactionist school of thought

and is best known for defining white-collar crime and
differential association, a general theory of crime and delinquency.
Sutherland earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the
University of Chicago in 1913.

- Sociologist Edwin Sutherland first proposed differential association

theory in 1939 as a learning theory of deviance.
 Differential Association Theory

- Dr. Sutherland designed the differential association to help with defining deviant behavior.

- The theory states people learn to become criminals through “interactions” with others
(friends, peers, and family members). Motives for criminal behavior are learned through the
values, attitudes, and methods of others.

- Differential association theory is the most talked-about of the learning theories of deviance.
This theory focuses on how individuals learn to become criminals, but it does not concern itself
with why they become criminals.

- Based on the theory, if one hangs around a gang, they will become a game member.
Nine Propositions of Differential Association Theory
- Sutherland’s theory doesn’t account for why an individual becomes a criminal but how it happens. He
summarized the principles of differential association theory with nine propositions:

1.) All criminal behavior is learned.

2.) Criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others via a
process of communication.
3.) Most learning about criminal behavior happens in intimate personal
groups and relationships.
4.) The process of learning criminal behavior may include learning
about techniques to carry out the behavior as well as the motives
and rationalizations that would justify criminal activity and the
attitudes necessary to orient an individual towards such activity.
5.) The direction of motives and drives towards criminal behavior is
learned through the interpretation of legal codes in one’s
geographical area as favorable or unfavorable.
Nine Propositions of Differential Association Theory
6.) When the number of favorable interpretations that support
violating the law outweigh the unfavorable interpretations
that don’t, an individual will choose to become a criminal.
7.) All differential associations aren’t equal. They can vary in
frequency, intensity, priority, and duration.
8.) The process of learning criminal behaviors through
interactions with others relies on the same mechanisms that
are used in learning about any other behavior.
9.) Criminal behavior could be an expression of generalized
needs and values, but they don’t explain the behavior
because non-criminal behavior expresses the same needs
and values.
DETERRENCE
PERSPECTIVE
..
Proponents of Deterrence Perspective

According to Philosophy, there are two utilitarian

philosophers of the 18th century, that formulated the
deterrence theory as both an explanation of crime and a
method for reducing it.
✓Cesare Baccaria
✓Jeremy Batham
 DETERRENCE
- the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.

DETERRENCE THEORY
- based on the idea that a criminal will not commit a crime if there is a chance of being caught and
punished.

-The deterrence theory is a theory about the factors that deter an individual from committing a crime.
This theory has been used to explain why crime rates are low in some societies.

-Deterrence theory is a term that refers to the study of how individuals and groups respond to threats of
punishment or rewards, with the goal of changing behavior through fear or hope for gain.

-Deterrence theory is used by governments as a way to discourage crime or other undesirable actions.
There are four main types of
deterrence theories:

1) Deterrence through punishment or enforcement.

2) Deterrence through fear or anxiety.

3) Deterrence through social pressure or peer pressure.

4) Deterrence through humiliation.

3 components of deterrence
theory
1) Certainty: A person must know that the punishment will be
imposed.

2) Celerity: The punishment must be imposed quickly so that it

is not too late to avoid the consequences.

3) Severity: The punishment must be severe enough to deter

people from committing the crime in the first place.
Deterrence Theory proposed 5 purposes of
punishment- Criminal Law

1. A. Specific Deterrence
- prevents crime by frightening the individual defendant by punishment.

B. General Deterrence
- prevents crime by frightening the public with the punishment of an
individual defendant

2. Incapacitation
- prevents crime by removing a defendant from society.
3. Rehabilitation
- prevents crime by altering a defendants behavior.

4. Retribution
- prevents crime by giving victims or society a feeling of
avengement.

5. Restitution
- prevents crime by punishing the defendant financially.
SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY
 Social Control Theory
Social Control Theory suggests that people are naturally inclined to engage in
criminal behavior, and institutions like the family, schools, and the criminal
justice system, work together to control individuals and prevent them from
engaging in deviant behavior.

Social Bonds Individuals who have strong bonds and relationships with others
are less likely to engage in deviant or criminal behavior. These bonds may be
with family members, friends, school, or other social institutions. Social bonds
create a sense of belonging and attachment, which provides individuals with a
stake in conforming to societal norms and values.
Social Control Theory
BIAC
BELIEF
INVOLVEMENT
ATTACHMENT
COMMITMENT
Interactionalist/Labeling
Perspective
Interactionalist/Labeling Perspective
- This theory does not deal with the question as to why a person becomes a criminal but tells
why the society labels some people as criminals or deviants.

- The idea behind labeling is that people are negatively labeled based on their
behavior. This then forces them to continue behaving in this way because they fear
becoming stigmatized if they do not.

- Labeling theory holds that deviance is not inherent to an act, but instead the result
of the externally-imposed label of “deviant”.

- Deviant roles are very special roles that society provides for deviant behavior.

- Labeling theory is closely related to social-construction and symbolic-interaction

analysis. The theory is concerned with how the self-identity and the behavior of
individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe or
classify them.
Ethno-methodology
Perspective
 Ethno- methodology Perspective

• Ethnomethodology is a sociological perspective that focuses

on the ways in which individuals construct social order
through their everyday interactions. It examines how people
make sense of the world and create shared meanings and
norms within their social groups. When applied to the study
of social deviance, ethnomethodology offers unique insights
into the processes through which deviant behavior is
defined, interpreted, and responded to within specific social
contexts.
CONFLICT
PERSPECTIVE
 CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
 CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE- is a sociological theory that views society as a
competition for limited resources. It suggests that society is characterized by
conflict and inequality between different groups, such as the rich and the poor,
men and women, and different ethnic or racial groups.

 Conflict theories emphasize the social, political, or material inequality of a social

group that critique the broad socio-political system

Example: The conflict perspective can be applied to the issue of income inequality,
where the rich have more economic resources than the poor. According to this
perspective, the rich use their power and influence to maintain their privileged
position, while the poor struggle to access basic necessities such as healthcare and
education. This results in a constant struggle between the haves and have-nots,
leading to social unrest and conflict.
Conflict theory was greatly influenced by the work of German philosopher, economist, and
social scientist Karl Marx. Marx believed that the general population was divided into two
groups.
 Bourgeois
 Proletariat
 a theory that looks at society as a competition for limited resources
 parts of society do not work together harmoniously
 From the conflict perspective, social problems are the natural and inevitable outcome of
social struggle.
 Basis of the social problem is the conflict between the more and less powerful
 The more powerful exploit society’s resources and oppress the less powerful as a result
those who are exploited react to their oppression and create more social problems.
 CRITICAL
PERSPECTIVE
Critical perspective in social deviance refers
to a way of examining deviance that looks
beyond individual behavior and instead
focuses on the social, economic, and political
factors that contribute to deviant behavior.
This perspective considers how power
dynamics, social inequality, and cultural
norms shape our understanding of what is
considered deviant behavior. It also
highlights how deviance is often a response
to systemic injustices and can be a form of
resistance against dominant norms and
institutions.

.
● The main contrast is with the traditional
or mainstream perspective on deviance
that views deviant behavior as solely the
result of individual pathology, moral
failure, or lack of self-control.

● Another perspective that is often

contrasted with critical perspective in
social deviance is the positivist
perspective, which seeks to explain
deviant behavior through scientific
methods and empirical evidence
 CHICAGO
PERSPECTIVE
refers to a school of thought that emerged in
the early 20th century at the University of
Chicago.

The Chicago perspective emphasized the

importance of studying the social and physical
environment of urban areas in understanding
deviance. Researchers focused on the impact
of poverty, overcrowding, and social
disorganization on deviant behavior.
 GENDER
PERSPECTIVE
 Gender Perspectives
 social deviation highlight the ways in which gender influences
the construction, interpretation, and response to deviant
behavior. They emphasize the importance of recognizing and
challenging gendered expectations, power dynamics, and the
intersectionality of gender with other social categories to gain a
comprehensive understanding of social deviation.
FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE
 Feminist Perspectives
 Feminist perspectives is a social, political, and cultural ideology that
advocates for gender equality and the recognition of women’s rights and
experiences. feminism seeks to dismantle oppressive systems and
structures that perpetuate gender-based discrimination and inequality.
 Feminist theory is a conflict theory that studies gender, patriarchy and the
oppression of women.
 Feminist theory also studies the intersections of sex, gender,
sexuality, race, nationality, and economic status
 Liberal feminism - women's deviance is a rational response to
gender discrimination.

 Radical feminism - women's deviance and crime is related to

patriarchy.

 Socialist feminism - women's deviance and crime is the result of

women's exploitation by capitalism and patriarchy.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE
 Psychological Perspectives

 Psychological perspectives in social deviation provide insights into the

individual-level factors and processes that contribute to deviant
behavior. They shed light on the cognitive, personality, and
developmental aspects that influence individuals' choices and actions,
as well as the potential role of mental health in deviant behavior.
Integrating psychological perspectives with other sociological,
criminological, and contextual factors helps provide a more
comprehensive understanding of social deviation.
Psychological explanations of deviant behavior
come mainly from three theories:
 psychoanalytic theory,
 cognitive development theory, and
 learning theory.
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CREDITS TO: SLIDESDO