SOCIOLOGY

Since norms are essential for society, then why do people violate norms? Why people commit crime? There are biological, psychological, and sociological explanations for such behavior. Psychologists and socio-biologists explain deviance by looking for answers within individuals. They assume that something in the makeup of the people leads them to become deviant. They focus on genetic predisposition of individuals toward deviance and crime. In contrast, sociologists look for answers in factors outside the individual. They assume that something in the environment influences people to become deviant. Biological explanation Biological explanations focus on genetic predisposition toward deviance. Biological explanations include the following three theories:   1.  Body type: People with squarish, muscular bodies are more likely to commit street crime (mugging, rape, burglary). 2.  ‘XYY’ theory. Extra Y chromosome in males leads to crime. 3.  Intelligence: low intellige...

In the sociological perspective all behavior – deviance as well as conformity – is shaped by society. Therefore the society lays the foundation of deviance and that is how the title of this discussion. The social foundations of deviance may be looked at from three dimensions: 1.  Cultural relativity of deviance No thought or action is inherently deviant; it becomes deviant only in relation to particular norms. Sociologists use the term deviance to refer to a violation of norms of culture. One may look at three basic principles: (1) It is not the action itself, but the reactions to the act that makes something deviant.In other words people’s behavior must be viewed from the framework of the culture in which it takes place. (2) Different groups are likely to have different norms therefore what is deviant to some is not deviant to others.(3) This principle holds within a society as well as across cultures. Thus acts perfectly acceptable in one culture – or in one group within a soc...

Every group within society, and even human society itself, depends on norms for its existence. These very norms make social life possible by making behavior predictable. We can count on most people most of the time to meet the expectations of others. As a result there is some kind of social order in the society. Social order is a group’s usual and customary social arrangements, on which members depend and on which they base their lives. Without social order there is likely to be chaos. Social Control Every society or group develops its mechanism for making its members to obey the norms for the smooth functioning of its life. These are the attempts of society to regulate people’s thoughts and behavior. This process, may be formal or informal, is referred to as social control. Hence social control is a group’s formal and informal means of enforcing its norms. Deviance Sociologists use the term deviance to refer to the violation of norms.  Howa society defines deviance, whic...

Life course is a biological process. In this process there is a personal change from infancy through old age and death brought about as a result of the interaction between biographical events and social events. The series of major events, the stages of our lives from birth to death, may be called life course.Movement through life course is marked by a succession of stages by age.   Analysts have tried to depict the typical stages through which we pass, but they have not been able to agree on standard division of the life course. As such life course is biological process, which has been divided into four distinct stages: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.   Life course stages present characteristic problems and transitions that require learning new and unlearning familiar routines. Through the process of socialization society tries to prepare its members for taking up the roles and statuses associated with life course stages.   Each life course stage by...