Subcultural Theories of Deviance

(these ideas drawn from Goode, 1994-2008 chapter 3; and Pfohl, Images of Deviance and Social Control, 1985. See the disclaimer)

Critique of Strain Theories bringing into question the idea of consensus.

Thorsten Sellin: Culture Conflict

• Law norms (dominant group) versus--
• Conduct norms (subculture)
• Deviance as a political Reality:

  Conflict Theory

Edwin Sutherland: Differential Organization

• Differential Association and Learning Theories

• Distinctively different from middle class.
• Lack of male role models.
• Serial monogamy.
• Alienates male children==>peer group (gang) formation.
• Centered around their own set of values and norms: Focal Concerns.

1. Trouble
2. Toughness
3. Excitement
4. Smartness
5. Fate
6. Autonomy

Evaluation of Miller's Ideas:

• "Delinquent values" not widely accepted in lower-class
• Underestimates impact and acceptance of Middle-class values
• Lower-class gang members don't view delinquent subcultures positively
• Questionable relationship between broken homes and female headed households and delinquency

Violence and Subculture

What is violence?

• Labeling and approval
• Rioters vs freedom fighters
• Political and ideological factors
• Who is defining?

Covert Institutional Violence

• Inequalities
• Prejudice
• Pychological
• Justifiable
• Excusable
• Lack of attention

Cross Cultural

• Biological theories-aggression as natural
• Universality? Mead: Arapesh vs. Mundugumor
• Tasaday, Lepcha, Pygmies

Sociological Focus:

Family Violence

• Intimate--1000's of times more common than street violence
• The Family as a Violent Institution
• Relationship: stranger=assault, relative=OK, typically not viewed as violence

Social Image of Seriousness (140 equals least)(Rossi, et al, 1974)

• Even when death of a victim is involved; still more lenient attitude toward offender
• Perhaps worse for child abuse
• 300 homicides in Houston:

1. Of all killers of relatives- 61% received no penalty
2. 53% recevied no penalty if killed friend
3. 36% no penalty if killed stranger

Social Learning?

Murder

• Intimate (felony murder becoming more common)
• Unplanned
• Intra-racial
• Relationship
  • Stranger: 15-25%
  • Family: 13%
  • Friends and acquaintances: 35%
  • Propinquity
  • Frequency of interaction
  • Intimacy-intensity of emotions
  • Importance of attitudes of those with whom we are involved.

Subculture of violence

• Group norm
• Situationally defined: machismo vs passivity
• Not all situations, violence is not valued in and of itself
• Not all=Target--in group vs. out
• Link: manhood and violence
• Victim Precipitation
  1. Both parties accept legitimacy (26%)
  2. Murder transaction
  3. Assault-no one died
  4. Victim and perpetrator--similar pasts: legal troubles, previous fights, alcohol.
• Most of us not participators, but could/would in right circumstances--Subculture defines appropriateness (manhood, family, country, etc.)
• Not all situations, degree of participation
• Sub-culture vs. Race and/or Class
• Structural inequality and changing perception of life chances and appropriateness of violence
• Jack Katz: Righteous Slaughter--humiliation=>Righteousness=>Rage

Murder Summary

Rape

Theories: individual, cultural, structural, situational

• Psychopathological:

1. Too restrictive
2. Is rape alien to society?

• Psychological: Rapist as different from other men.

1. Malamuth asks men: If no chance of getting caught, would you? 35% yes. Would you use force (vs. rape) 50% answer yes.
2. Proclivity: believe rape myth, have used force, aroused by tapes of rape--similar results with convicted rapists.

Malamuth, et al 1992:

1. Proximate causes- attitudes as above, anger towards women, impersonal sex.
2. Distal factors: abused as child, socially poor and violent parents.

• Structural:

1. Economic/Social class
2. Comparative
3. Racism
4. Age , Region, etc.

• Radical/feminist: "Why don't all men rape?"

• Situational:

1. Routine activity
2. Target availability
3. Defensible space

• Cultural/Subcultural:

1. Normalcy
2. Exaggeration
3. Learned- (group rapes) subculture of rapists: Planning, recreation.

• Psychological/cultural: Groth's typology

1. Sadistic: 5% (rare, sex and violence fused)
2. Anger: 40% (violent, psychological/social factors)
3. Power: 55% (contempt, little force, domination of will, control, sociocultural factors)

Rape (summary)

Violence (complete notes)

Social Learning Theories

URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/200/subcult.html
Owner: Robert O. Keel rok@umsl.edu
References and Credits for this Page of Notes
Last Updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008 2:37 PM