Symbolic interactionist Perspectives, Slides of Sociological Theories

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Symbolic Interactionist

Perspective

Association, Reaction and Interpretation

How is this perspective different?

• Both the functionalist and conflict perspective portrays deviance as a product of society
• Symbolic Interactionists see deviance as a process of interaction between supposed deviants and the rest of society

Differential Association- Example

• Father tells child “it is ok to steal when you’re poor” ▫ Giving a prodeviant definition
• Father tells child “it is wrong to steal” ▫ Giving an antideviant definition
• If the child picks up more prodeviant definitions, they are likely to become deviant

The importance of social interaction

• This is the source of the definitions of deviance
• Deviance will arise if interactions with those who define deviant behavior positively outweigh interactions with those who define it negatively

Labeling Theory

• Concentrates on the societal reaction to rule violation and the impact of this reaction on the rule violator
• Society reacts to a rule-breaking act by labeling it as deviant ▫ Deviance is then not something a person does but a label imposed on that behavior
• According to Howard Becker, the deviant is one to whom that label has successfully been applied

The deviant label

• The label itself has serious negative consequences for the individual beyond any immediate punishment
• Once a person has been labeled a delinquent, he/she may be stuck with that label for life and may be rejected and isolated as a result ▫ Finding a job and making friends may be difficult ▫ Person may come to accept the label and commit more deviant acts

The influence of labels

• Suppose parents, teachers, and police consider a child’s prank as a sign of delinquency ▫ May dramatize it and scold the child ▫ May go further, hauling the child into juvenile detention and labeling the child as bad, a delinquent.  Child may develop a bad self-image and try to live up to this image and become more deviant
• Lemert used the term secondary deviance to refer to such repeated norm violations

Phenomenological Theory

• To really understand deviance, phenomenologists say we must study people’s subjective interpretations of their own deviant experiences
• Deviants tend to see themselves and their deviance in some positive way and they behave accordingly

Agnes

• Garfinkel found that Agnes saw herself as a normal woman and that she had a physical defect and like any other person w/ a deformity, she wanted it removed
• Her self-concept as a normal woman caused her to make sure that others wouldn’t suspect her of having the male organ-never undressed in her female roommate’s presence

So how does this relate????

• Jack Katz, in an analysis of murderers, robbers and other criminals found a similarly positive self-perception that conflicts with society’s negative view of the deviant
• Murderers tend to see themselves as morally superior to their victims ▫ If the victim humiliated the murderer, killing them was justifiable way of defending their identity, dignity or respectability