Sociology Exam 2

Status Frustration Theory

Albert Cohen's view that delinquency results from school failure and the concomitant need to regain self-esteem by being successful in delinquent activities

Differential Association

Edwin Sutherland's view that deviance stems from interacting with primary group members who commit deviance and have values conducive to deviance

Differential Opportunity Theory

Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin's view that differential access to illegitimate means helps determine the types of deviance in which poor people engage

Strain Theory

Robert Merton's view that deviance is caused by failure to achieve the American goal of financial success through the conventional means of working

Uniform Crime Report

The FBI's regular compilation of crime statistics, most of them on Index crimes

Primary Deviance and Secondary Deviance

The difference between primary deviance and secondary deviance is in how the deviant self-identifies after society labels his actions as deviations from the norm. Primary deviance is the first event that is punished. If the deviant feels there's nothing he can do to change society's perception of him, he will continue to commit deviant acts. This is secondary deviance.

Relativity of Deviance

a behavior is considered deviant depends on the circumstances in which the behavior occurs and not o the behavior itself : relative in space- given behavior may be considered deviant in one society and not the other: relative in time- may be considered deviant in one time period and acceptable years later

Crime

behavior that violates laws

Deviance

behavior that violates social norms and arouses negative social reactions

atavists

brains were incapable of conforming to modern norms, evolutionary accidents

Conflict Theory

interprets society as a struggle for power between groups engaging in conflict for limited resource

Biological Explanations

see crime and deviant behavior as a form of illness caused by pathological factors that are specific to certain types of individuals. They assume that some people are "born criminals" who are biologically different than non-criminals.

Durkheim and Deviance

society without deviance is impossible for atleast two reasons. the collective conscience is never strong enough to prevent all rule breaking and because deviance serves several important function for society, considered normal part of every day society

Labeling Theory

the view that extralegal factors affect whether someone acquire a deviant label and that being labeled deviant increases the chances of future deviance

Global Stratification

uneven distribution of privileges, material awards, opportunities, power, prestige and influence among individuals and groups

Social Control

ways in which a society tries to prevent and sanction behavior that violates norms