Interactionist Approach Flashcards
How does interactionist approach differ to consensus
No consensus: do not believe in moral absolutism
Dont accept official statistics: not a w.c. phenomena
Dont look for causes: more interested why someone has been labelled
Social groups create deviance: making own rules what constitutes as deviant
What are interactionists concerned with
Secondary deviance: societal reaction not initial act
Why does Lemert argue to be interested in secondary deviance
Pointless seek initial causes (primary deviance) so widespread unlikely to be one dominant or single cause
Key concepts of interactionist approach
Master status
Deviancy amplification
Justice is negotiable
What is a master label
Being caught and publicly labelled as a criminal can involve being stigmatised and humiliated may cause master status
How does Becker define master status
Label that takes precedence over all other labels such as thief or paedophile
Why does Becker argue master status creates deviance
Provokes further hostile reactions from society leading to deviant living up to status, label becoming a SFP. Lead formation deviant career, deviance is life style choice, join deviant subculture
What study supports master status
Jock Young - hippie marijuana users in Notting Hill, London
How does Jock Young support master status
Primary deviance = smoking marijuana - minor act
Secondary deviance = persecution and labelling by police, created feeling of outsiders/stigmatised, retreated deviant subculture drug use central activity, gain further attention police - SFP and deviant career
What was the primary deviance in Jock Youngs study
Smoking marijuana
What was the secondary deviance in Jock Youngs study
Persecution and labelling by police
How did secondary deviance in Jock Youngs study lead to crime
Police labelling, hippies increasingly saw themselves as outsiders/stigmatised. Retreated to deviant subculture, drugs central activity, inviting further attention from police = SFP = Deviant career
Evaluation of master status explanation
Moral entrepreneurs who decide what is deviant create deviance by making rules to be broken
Marx: moral entrepreneurs r.c.
Most of us agree what is right and wrong
What does deviancy amplification mean
Term used to describe process whereby actions of media or police may cause more crime be detected or committed
Who researched in to deviancy amplification
Stan Cohen
What was Stan Cohens focus in his research on deviancy amplification
Folk Devils and Moral Panics
Disturbances between mods and rockers 64-66
Outline Stan Cohens mods and rockers research to support deviancy amplification
Disorder was trivial - media over reacted and distorted reporting of events leading moral panic and deviance amplification. Led increased control from police and courts focused attention on group. Produced further marginalisation and stigmatisation of ‘deviant’ resulting upwards spiral
How does Stan Cohens moral panics lead to more crime
Produced further marginalisation and stigmatisation of ‘deviant’ mods and rockers, resulting in upward spiral
Evaluation of Stan Cohens moral panics and deviancy amplification
Marx: Hall: crisis in hegemony
McRobbie and Thornton: blurring ‘normal’ and ‘deviant’ consensus that moral panics work off is no longer in place - causing their decline
Brown: moral panics more frequent and rapid turnover rate, less feeling of marginalisation and less upward spiral crime
Key points of justice is negotiable
Factors affect if police arrest
Arrests based on physical appearances
Racist policing strategies
Typifications
What factors affect if police arrest
Appearance, background and interactions with agencies social control = agencies social control more likely label certain groups as deviant or criminal
Who argues arrests are made on physical appearances
Piliavin and Briar
What do Piliavin and Briar argue
Arrests based on physical appearances e.g. Manner and dress, class, gender, ethnicity, and time of day
Who argues racist policing strategies make justice negotiable
Chambliss and the RDU
