Deviant Behavior / The Social Learning Theory Essay

A soul would be considered to be acting in a pervert manner at bottom a social setting if they be violating the established social norm within that particular culture. What causal agents a pitying universe to act in certain ways is a dispute topic among look forers. There argon three types of researchers that have tried to state this motion. There is the psychological, biological, and the sociological approach. With all of the studies that have been performed, not genius separate has submitd an exact solid ground or explanation as to why masses behave in a aberrant manner. Although sociologists theories have not been disproved as often as the psychologists and biologists theories because their experiments atomic number 18 too hard to define and no one definition for digression is agreed upon by all experimenters (Pfuhl, 1980, p. 40), the sociological perspective has provided the most information concerning why citizenry exhibit deviance. The definition of devian t carriage is considered to be broad with multiple messpoints which makes it complicated and grueling to find an accurate answer (Pfuhl, 1980, p. 18). This is why this topic is so burning(prenominal) in the study of sociology. Sociologists have more(prenominal) information, and therefore whitethorn be closer to finding the best explanation for the study contributing factors in explaining the development of deviant behavior(s) within a certain culture. For this reason, the main commission of this paper is based on the sociological stand point of deviance based upon the kind Learning Theory and social reception(s) to deviant behavior(s).harmonize to The accessible Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977), one person can check into simply by observing the behavior of an new(prenominal) person (DeLamater, 2011, p. 10).The family is the major link to socialization in ones environment (Four Categories of Family Functions that take c ar to erect flea-bitten Behavior, p. 1). In the fa mily, divorce, conflict within family, neglect, demoralize, and deviant call good deals argon the main determinates for the offsprings actions or behavior. Early researchers first theme maternal absence solely affected girls and members of the white population. Modern research finds that the lack of supervision or support of the squirts necessarily is a link to delinquency in whatever race. It occurs more in single p argonnt homes because they have a more difficult sequence providing supervision and support. Poverty can be another reason within the family for conflict because it can lead to both family breakups and delinquency.Children need close and positive relationships with parents. The inability to talk to parents too promotes deviance within the home. The tyke whitethorn looking that they need to obtain attention elsewhere, thus acting in a deviant manner if their parents are not there to provide guidance and support. Parents can prevent this type of behavior by being competent, providing non-aggressive penalization, and by being supportive in order to build the youngsters self-confidence. Family conflict has more damaging effects on children than divorce, whereas parental death has less impact than divorce (Four Categories of Family Functions that Seem to Promote Delinquent Behavior, p. 2). When a parent dies a child at least knows that the parent did not want to leave on his own impairment and in all likelihood did not inflict any abuse to his or her psyche ahead the parent passes away.Also, if a child still has contact with both parents subsequently a divorce the less likely the child leave behind feel neglected and feel the need to react with deviant behavior. Family size also leaves an adolescent without the necessary attention they need as an individual. Middle children are more likely to exhibit deviant behavior because they go unobserved more than their younger or older siblings. The legal definition of abuse and neglect var ies from state to state but does, in any form, get to serious consequences for behavior. This abuse and/or neglect occurs in sustained patterns, which causes stress, little self-esteem, aggressiveness, lack of empathy, and fewer interactions with peers. Child abuse is defined as any physical or stirred trauma to a child for which no reasonable explanation is found. Neglect refers to the deprivation that children suffer at the give of parents ( deflexion Behavior that Violates Norms, p. 1). Such components that applyto these definitions are non-accidental physical injury and neglect, emotional abuse or neglect, sexual abuse, and abandonment. Over one million youth in America are subjected to abuse severally year. In terms of sexual abuse, one in ten abused are boys, and one in three of them are girls. It is unknown how many cases go unreported in any area of abuse or neglect for each one year. From 1980 to 1986, the number of reported cases rose sixty percent. The most common reason for parents abusing their children is due to a influenceed function they acquired from their parents. This tendency to pass down deviant behavior through generations is a cycle of family violence (Lemert, 1972, p. 48). Parents are unable to separate childhood traumas from the relationships they have with their own kids. Another bloodshot thing to learn from a parent is the feeling of isolation from family and friends. This is more common is single parent families and lower socioeconomic classes. If a person is living in a lower class, single-parent environment, that person is at a real disadvantage.It may be because they do not feel they are good enough to belong in the demesnes of smart set. Delinquency is when a child acts out their hostility towards the parent or abuser in a deviant manner (Lemert, 1972, p. 59). Parents need to provide adequate guidance and punishment to their child when the child exhibits deviant behavior however, the problem is that some parents do n ot see or choose not to see the childs deviant behavior.Other influences outside of the home can cause a person to act in a deviant manner. Peers, media images, and other people in night club establish what the norm should be in a given area or culture. What is considered normal can be relatively different in various areas of the world. What is considered deviant can be changed over time once society as a entire feels more comfortable and accepting of the certain type of deviant behavior. For instance, only certain people once obtained tattoos and now it is a current cult to cover the entire body with them. Media portrays models and famous figures with unusual tattoos, piercings, and certain attitudes as normal and acceptable to teenagers in todays culture. There are more devil-worshipers, or so they portray, in the music business. This implies to children that it is cool to toil the black clothes and act somewhat gothic. This is just one example.It may depend on the person as to how much theirpeers and media influence them to go against the norms. Once a person is label deviant, they usually continue to respond to society as if they are deviant. This aspect of deviance is called The Labeling Theory. There are sociologists who seek to find why certain acts are defined as criminal, and others are not. They also question how and why certain people become defined as a criminal or deviant. In this realm of study, the acts that they perform are not significant to the criminals, but it is the social reaction to them that is (Becker, p. 1). The response and label from other individuals in society, such as peers, are how the individuals view themselves. When a person performs a deviant act, they are thence labeled by society and separated from the normal people. Such labels in todays society are whore, abuser, loser, etc. These people are then outsiders and associate with other individuals who have been cast out of the societal norm. When more and more people wit hin the norm of society think of these people as deviant, then these people performing deviant behaviors think they are deviant too. The Labeling Theory states that once they feel this way, they will continue to behave in the way society now expects them to behave. The question is, are humans genetically predisposed to deviant behavior, or do the people around them influence them to act in this way?The sociological perspective is the factor that has been the least questioned explanation even though it does not always give the exact justification for the origin of the deviant behavior. Sociologists learn from cultural influences in lieu of biological or psychological biases. or else than concern with behavior from certain people, sociologists view deviance as a behavior engaged in a person by having a common sociocultural or the same experiences within a culture. Edwin H. Sutherland explains that deviant and non-deviant behaviors are learned in the same ways through his derivative Association Theory. Sutherland demonstrates that criminal behavior is learned from intimate groups by the content of communication. When they learn how to act in a deviant manner, they know what is knotty in, and what drives a person to commit a crime. This does vary in people who have different characteristics and learning abilities. However, one group may view certain behavior as deviant, i.e. shrinking, while others may view shoplifting as justified because businesses charge too much money. Theviewpoint of each group develops by observing others and imitating their behavior, otherwise known as The Social Learning Theory (DeLamater, 2011, p. 386). Whatever the cause of deviant behavior, it is a major problem within society.The exact determinates that contribute to a persons deviant behavior are controversial. It may be from inherited traits, behavior learned from society and family, or even a combination of the two. The social interaction certainly leads to The Labeling Theory a nd how individuals may strive to meet the expectations of their labeled identity. However, The Social Learning Theory seems to best explain the major environmental influences on children by family members and peers which contribute to the development of deviant behavior and societys reaction to various behaviors that are considered to be deviant.BibliographyBecker, H. S. (n.d.). Overview of Labeling Theories. Retrieved from http//home.ici.net/ddemelo/crime/labeling.html DeLamater, J. &. (2011). Social Psychology. Belmont, CA Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Deviance Behavior that Violates Norms. (n.d.). Retrieved from http//www.elco.pa.us/Academics/Social_Studies/Care/ITTP_2/Chap.8.html Four Categories of Family Functions that Seem to Promote Delinquent Behavior. (n.d.). Retrieved from http//www.mpcc.cc.ne.us/aseffles/delcrslides/ch.09/tsld012.html Lemert, E. M. (1972). Human Deviance, Social Problems, and Social Control. New Jersey Prentice-Hall, Inc. Pfuhl, E. H. (1980). The Deviance P rocess. New York D. Van Nostrand Company.