Interactionist Theories Flashcards
Interactionist theories consider crime…
… to be a consequence of interpersonal relationships and of the meaning of those relationships.
The deviant career is…
… the passage of an individual through the stages of one of more related deviant identities.
Primary deviation:
Occurs when an individual commits deviant acts but fails to adopt a primary self-identity as deviant.
Produces little change in day to day behaviour.
Secondary deviation:
Occurs when an individual accepts the label of deviant. The result is adoption of a deviant self-identity that confirms and stabilizes the deviant lifestyle.
Drift:
A psychological state of weak normative attachment to either deviant or conventional ways.
Turning points in the deviant career include:
Early interest in delinquent activities, interest in drugs, inability o find legitimate employment.
What is one of the most important factors for delinquent youth?
The quest for honour among peers.
What are moral rhetorics?
Claims and assertions that deviants make to justify their behaviour.
It is an important component of socialization into a deviant identity.
An example of a moral rhetoric is?
Claims that they steal in response to the greed and immorality of shopkeepers whose prices are unfair.
What is a stigma?
A personal characteristic that is negatively evaluated by others and thus distorts and discredits the public identity of the individual.
Offenders see their deviant acts as…
Morally right. They always justify their behaviour for themselves.
What are agents of social control?
Members of society who help check deviant behaviour.
E.g., police, judges, lawmakers, prison personnel, probation and parole officers, etc.
Who are moral entrepreneurs?
Someone who defines new rules and laws, or who advocates stricter enforcement of existing laws.
Empirical evidence is…
… Evidence as observed through the senses. It is the only form of scientifically acceptable evidence.
Moral entrepreneurs often make claims that…
… are explained by quasi-theories and are not backed up by empirical evidence.
Deviance is created by…
… society; we make laws, and it is when the laws are broken that we label someone as deviant.
Watson and Wolf found that…
Motorcycle gangs had a mentality and background much different that that imputed to them by the general public.
Most had been married, some were vets, almost all of them finished high school, and they were not violent in most situations.
Deviance becomes secondary when…
… individuals see that being deviant has modified their way of life.
The most influential factor behind redefinition as deviant is?
Being accused as deviant.
What is a master status?
A status overriding all others in perceived importance. Whatever other personal or social qualities an individual possess, they are judged primarily by this one attribute.
E.g., “criminal”
Primary Deviance –> _______ ________ –> Secondary Deviance.
Societal reaction.
Individuals who gain entrance to a deviant group often…
… learn how to cope with the problems associated with their deviance.
Full fledged deviants are always part of a group. True/False?
False.
What is a career contingency?
An unintended event, process, or situation that occurs by chance, beyond the control of the person pursuing the career.
