Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

Perspectives Many perspectives have been explored to explain and help societies understand their makeup and the tendency of some to fall into deviance. What one generation or culture finds deviant is not necessarily what the next generation or a different culture will think of as deviant. Think of television standards, for example; they have gradually worsened. What is viewed today would be considered deviant offeringsone generation ago. Biological Perspectives: In general, the earliest research on a link between behavior and biology were inconclusive. Modern research continues on the quest to find any biological component to deviance; if one exists, social scientists are determined to find it. • Medicalization: Asserts that deviance is a result of physical or mental illness. (For example, drunkenness is now not a moral failure, but a “disease of alcoholism.”) o Attempts to find any pathological reason for deviance. • Theory of atavism: Cesare Lombroso. States that deviant behavior isinherited. o Certain genetic traits reappear in later generations (atavism). o This provides, theoretically, a means of identifying deviant types. • Body type theory: William Sheldon. Claims that criminal behavior is based on general body types (somatotypes). o The claim is that a relationship exists between body type, psychological state, and criminal behavior. o The three major body types include:  Endomorph: Rounded body, tendency to gain weight, short limbs combinedwith a relaxed, extroverted personality.  Ectomorph: Small, delicate bones, lean, low body mass combined with introversion and a tendency to fatigue easily and complain.  Mesomorph: Muscular, large boned combined with aggression and assertiveness. • XYY theory: The idea that an additional male chromosome leads to aggression or deviance. • Proven to exist in those within the prison population and mental hospitals to a higher degree than the general population. Psychological Perspectives: It is thought by many sociologists that certain personality types are more likely to commit deviant behavior than others. A Freudian explanation would be that the id and ego are unbalanced or that the superego lacks the strength to overcome the id. • Eysenck’s thoughts: Stated that no one was born deviant, but could be genetically prone to it. o Believes that extroverts are more prone to deviant behaviors because of their riskier behavior, in general.

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