week 4 Flashcards
(24 cards)
sociological theories of drug use
research comes from sociological study of criminality and deviance
general lack of specificity in sociological theories concerning individual substances and frequency of use
what are the sociological theories (6)
control theories: social bonding theory and self-control theory
strain theories: anomie/strain theory and general strain theory
subcultural theories: labelling theory, differential association theory, and social learning theory
combined theories: differential opportunity theory, drift theory, and routine activities theories
conflict theories: Marxian conflict theory and pluralist conflict theory
post modern theories: Normalization thesis and Foucault and biopower
control theories
natural state of humans is to pursue pleaure and minimize pain
focus is on why people conform to conventional order
* people choose conformity to conventional order because of relationships with other people and society
Authorities (parents, teachers, employers) affect action directly and indirectly
two main variants
–> focus on social or external control and bonds: social bonding theory
–> focus on internalized self-control: self-control theory
social bonding theory
- strength of social bonding influence engagement in deviant behaviour
four elements:
* attachment: nature of bonds of person’s relationships
- commitment: Rational component of bonds
–> weighing of pros and cons
–> people with strong commitment in society are less likely to use problematically - involvement: people involvement in conventional activities and relationships and no time for non-conformity (less likely to use bc no time)
- belief: Internalization of dominant value system
–> beliefs about drugs are important predictors of use
more commitment = less likely
Self-control theory
- not a dipositional trait inherent at birth
- instilled through adequate parenting and monitoring in early life
- influenced by opportunities and contrainsts
strain theories
- substance use is normal response to stressful or disadvantaged circumstances
- use is because of external forces; not weakening of controls
- motivation or pressure to invoke culturally nonconformist response like substance use
two examples:
* anomie theory
* general strain theory
substance use caused by stress
anomie theory
- people share common goals and values to pursue material success and wealth
- not everyone has access to conventional, institutionalized means of achieving these universal goals
- adapting by using alternative goals releases frustration
some people have a lack of conventional standards or could just be different cultures
not everyone has access to resources to reach goals
adaptations to anomie
adaptation to anomie - you can have 5 different adaptations
if u share the beliefs + access = conformity
if u share goals but no access = no opportunities and u might adapt to it by engaging in criminality
shared goals means shared goals with society
ritualism: pursing new job but not concerned at having a high paying job
retreatism: retreating means to substance use
general strain theory
Strain –> negative emotional state –> negative coping strategies like substance use
3 potential sources of strain
* failure to achieve a goal when
–> aspiration and expected achievements are disconnected
–> expected and actual achievements are disconnected
–> just or fair outcomes and actual outcomes are not the same
removal of positive stimuli
acutal or anticipated negative stimuli (ex: emotional abuse or negative environment)
subcultural theories
- focus on social influence and situations
- subcultures have different definitions or beliefs about drugs and drug use
- individuals are pushed or pursuaded into deviancy by infleuntial role models
three examples
* differential association theory
* social learning theory
* labelling theory
differential association theory
accounts for current involvement and past involvement in subcultures
individual and situation influence each other
3 elements
* influence of others (peers and siblings)
* learning of beliefs or attitudes about conventional and unconventional behavior (past experiences)
* frequency, duration, and intensity of interactions with others in situations conducive to deviance
differential association - reinforcement theory
social learning theory with a sociological bent
4 core concepts
* imitation: people copy behavior of role models
* differential association: groups and individuals one associates with (social environmental context)
* differential reinforcement: positive or negative reinforcement or positive or negative punishments that come from association with groups
* definitions: within their differential associations, people learn definitions favorable or unfavorable to substance use
labelling theory
not so much about behaviors as reactions that elicit certain behaviors
- drugs are seen as immoral or problematic
- negatively labelling = stigma
- stigma affects self-view and society’s view of them
- derogatory labels become a “master status” dominating one’s identity
labelling can result in someone adopting the behavior
combined or integrated theories of substance use
combine theories to better explain drug use and dependence specifically
- differential opportunity theory
- drift theory
- routine activities and lifestyle theory
all of these are sociological theories and come from crimonology
differential opportunity theory
elements of strain and subcultural theory
- people in disadvantaged circumstances are
–> governed by legitimate opportunities to succeed
–> have choices guided by prescribed opportunities
individuals lacking legitimate opportunities to succeed associate themselves with one of three subcultures
* criminal - most common, commiting crimes for economic gain
* conflict: people who resort to violent behavior
* retreatest: people who failed in associating themselves with criminal or conflict subculture - double failures use substances to cope
drift theory
people are driven to maximize pleasure and minimize pain
distinct teenage/youth culture
* youth are not wholly committed to conventional or unconventional behavior
as youth are released from conventional control, they may drift into unconventional behavior
All youth are influenced by elders like parents and teachers
* youth distort (neutralize) conventional beliefs to justify their participance in non-conventional activities
* subterrean values: attitudes towards drugs that are in conflict with dominant social order
- shared experiences and beliefs among peers explains unconventional behavior (not peer pressure)
routine activities and lifestyle theory
people don’t seek out situations but act on opportunities for deviant behavior
certain activities or situations are more conducive to deviant activities than others
deviant behavior is best understood by looking at circumstances in particular siutations
three components explain frequency of deviant behavior
* suitable situation with opportunity to engage in risky behavior
* absence of capable guardian
* “motivated offender”
conflict theories
focus on macro-structural conditions that influence substance use
importance of power and dominance at institutional level
assumptions are:
* unequal power of distribution
* people with more power are less likely to face severe unrealistic sanctioning
* those with power make and maintain rules that perpetuate power differential
* inequalities act over class, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, and race
examples:
* marxian conflict theory
* pluralist conflict theory
marxian conflict theory
centres economic interests and class
laws are created to maintain status quo
people with money have the power
directs us to examine how poverty, social exclusion, and lack of meaning in one’s work leads to dependence
pluralist conflict theory
Unlike Marxian, doesn’t focus exclusively on economic interests and role of capitalism
Interested in role of power in understanding social inequities
power is evident in structures and relationships like government, media, religion, medicine, school, etc..
ex: War on drugs
* served to keep politician in power
* focused attention on morality of people who sue drugs
* no consideration of structural power issues
postmodern theories
challenge existing understanding of social structures, human action, and scientific claims of what constitutes “truth”
critically assess role of authorities including researchers and writers in production of knowledge
look at questions like
* how do we know what we know about drugs and drug users
* who created these truths?
* who is most impacted by these existing forms of knowledge used to control and discipline?
examples
- normalization thesis
- Foucault and biopower
Normalization thesis
substance use and substance users are not deviant or abnormal, but are normal
substance use is a normal “time out” from everyday life
people make rational, calculated choices about whehn and how much substances to use
problematizing existence of substances hasn’t led to good outcomes
patterns of use aren’t dichotomous (user or abstainer)
* Abstainers
* Ex-users
* In-transition users
* current users
Foucault and biopower
Identity of “addict”arises through the process of constitution of subjects: intersection of different types of knowledge, power, and authority to create distinct ways of looking at individuals
discourse analysis: how things are said, who says them, what they say and don’t say
* this creastes an oder of knowledge that make a particular subject visible
biopower: discipline of bodies and regulation of populations
Example: Methadone maintenance therapy
* characterized by strict monitoring, forced treatment alternatives, regimented scheduling
* keeps people productive and healthy and without euphoric effect of opiates
which approach should be emphasized
holistic approach (biopsychosocial model)
- there is no single explanation for substance use or dependence
- range of research in many fields
- multiple interrelated factors to consider
