Lecture 6: Deviance and counter-culture

• Deviant behaviour is most common among marginalized economic classes
• Types of sub-groups

  • Subculture
  • Counterculture
• Labelling certain behaviours as deviant is subjective and requires a value judgement
• The study of deviance should question why society excludes and discriminates by defining certain people as deviant
• Innovation involves accepting culturally legitimate success but rejecting conventional means of achieving it
• Deviance (sociological definition)

  Ways of thinking and acting subject to social control
• Responses to Strain include Conformity, Innovation, Ritualism, Retreatism, and Rebellion
• Social control

  Ways in which members of social groups express disapproval of people and behaviour
• Counterculture challenges mainstream society
• Three Theories of Deviance

  1. Strain Theory

  2. Cultural Support Theory

  3. Control Theory
• Deviant behaviour is uncommon statistically
• Ritualism involves going through the motions of accepted means to achieve goals without being motivated by the goals themselves
• Some things pretend to be counter-culture when they really are sub-culture
• Conformity is the most common response to strain, accepting culturally approved goals and means of achieving them
• Alternative ways to define deviance

  • By illustration
  • Statistically
  • Harmful behaviours
• Deviance emerges when there is a lack of fit between cultural goals and the means to achieve these goals
• Retreatism involves dropping out of the system in response to strain
• Many non-harmful members of society are labelled deviant and may suffer harm themselves
• Control Theory


  The question switches from "Why do some break the cultural rules most of us engage in?" to "When does social control break down, allowing people to be their true evil, hedonistic selves?"
• Types of deviant behaviour

  • Robber
  • Drug dealer
  • White-collar thief
  • Corrupt politician
• When researching, it is difficult to get people to admit to having deviant values
• Baiting the Hook

  1. Cults use bait which invite you in for an innocent, worthwhile purpose with high propensity for repeat visits

  2. During this course, you are initiated to a world view that says ‘learning the ways of this cult is the real purpose of my life’
• Rebellion


  Performs acts intended to replace the current cultural goals and means with new ones
• Cult

  A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister
• Ritualism


  Some go through the motions, accepting the means to achieve goals, but are not motivated by the goals themselves
• Network of “conventional others”


  The tighter and more numerous network you have, the more social control is exerted, the less likely deviant behaviour will be
• Focusing just on values can obscure other reasons (strain) for deviance
• Cultural Support Theory


  • People learn mainstream norms through communication
  • People learn deviant behaviour from others as well
  • Society is culturally complex – we are taught not to steal, but sometimes we justify deviant action – convincing ourselves that the rules do not apply to the situation
• Love Bombing

  1. A key human need which cults meet is belonging

  2. Imagine stumbling across a weird and wonderful community where everyone instantly loves and accepts you
• How Cults Seduce at Risk People (suffering from strain or anomie)
• There is no way to separate “control” from “cultural learning” and “social inclusion”. So, your acceptance of one or the other of these theories depends on your assumption about human behaviour
• Retreatism


  Adjust to strain by dropping out of the system. Losing confidence in it and your ability to function in it. Retreat into alternative lifestyle
• Control Theory

  • Assumption: humans are greedy, hurtful, and deceitful
  • Lying and cheating are the easiest ways to get what you want
  • Sexual excess and drug abuse are more enjoyable than studying and working hard
  • They will engage in deviant behaviour whenever they can get away with it
• Cultural Support Theory has been more successful than strain theory in explaining “white collar crime”
• Initiation

  1. Cults focus on 'who is ready' rather than 'who we can get'

  2. People going through dramatic life change make excellent recruits

  3. 85% of people who join a cult do so through a friend or acquaintance
• Customs

  • Cults treat everyone differently to make them feel special and motivated
  • Act as an emotional pyramid scheme with many levels
  • Communication is mainly vertical
• Love Bombing

  • A key human need which cults meet is belonging
  • Cult members who attract and reassure potential recruits are included in introductory sessions
  • Relationship is built across a series of convivial social meetings
• Scientology's clarity is based on the belief that it is always right, and if followers don't understand, they need "handling"
• Duties


  • Cults keep people busy to prevent them from stopping and thinking
  • Duties include recruiting, improving, selling crafts
  • Idleness is considered a sin
• Scientology has developed an extensive proprietary language system with specific terms for various concepts