Social Pathology:

Definition 

Violation of moral expectations:  Deviant groups and individuals are seen as "sick"

Social Pathology:

Causes 

Failure of Socialization:  Defectives -  Can’t be taught, dependents are handicapped in receiving instruction, delinquents reject the teachings. 

Social Pathology:

Conditions 

Some are inherently defective; d,d&d classes perpetuate themselves – inbreeding.  Pathological social environment. 

Social Pathology:

Consequences 

 Increase costs, survival of the fittest, dehumanization of society. 

Social Pathology:

Solutions

Eugenics, education, change sick institutions by changing values of persons, moral education. 

Social Pathology:

Theorists

Charles Henderson, Samuel Smith, C.  Lombroso, W.  Ferrero, A.  Platt, V.  Kavolis, P.  Slater 

Social Pathology:

Critiques 

Ethnocentric toward middle-class values. 

Social Disorganization:

Definition

Failure of rules:  Normlessness (no rules), Culture conflict (two or more opposing sets of rules), breakdown (rules exist but conformity fails to produce promised rewards or yields punishment). 

Social Disorganization:

Causes 

Social Change 

Social Disorganization:
Conditions

Any condition that upsets the dynamic equillibrium including technical, demographic and social changes. 

Social Disorganization:

Consequences 

(1) Personal stress, (2) Change in the system,

(3) system operating with problem at steady state, or (4) system breakdown. 

Social Disorganization:

Solutions 

Proper Diagnosis, bringing parts back into equilibrium. 

Social Disorganization:

Theorists 

C.H. Cooley, W.I. Thomas, F.  Znaniecki, W.F. Ogburn, R.  Park, R.E.L. Faris, W.  Dunham, E.  Anderson 

Social Disorganization:
Critiques

M.B. Clinard – (1) too subjective and vague, (2) implies disruption of previous organization, (3) value judgment, (4) no clear threat to values of society, (5) disorganization may be organized – competing values, (6) diversity may be functional. 

Value Conflict:

Definition 

Conditions that are incompatible with the values of some group whose members succeed in publisizing a call for action. 

Value Conflict:

Causes

Conflict of values or interests. 

Value Conflict:

Conditions 

Competition and contact between groups
– Objective Conditions
– Subjective Definitions

Value Conflict:
Consequences

Abrasive and costly, sacrifice of higher values for lesser ones, abortive stalemates, produce “bad feelings,” helps groups clarify their values. 

Value Conflict:

Solutions 

Three ways:  Consensus, Trading or Naked Power. 

Value Conflict:
Theorists

R.C. Fuller, R.R. Meyers, J.R. Gusfield, W.  Waller 

Value Conflict:

Critiques 

Westhues – (1) class biased, (2) offers no theoretical understanding of social problems, (3) offers no solutions. 

Deviant Behavior:

Definition 

Violations of normative expectations 

Deviant Behavior:

Causes

 Inappropriate socialization. 

Deviant Behavior:
Conditions

Restricted opportunities to learn conventional ways, increased opportunities to learn deviant ways, restricted opportunities to reach legitimate goals, feeling of stress, and access to deviant mode of relief. 

Deviant Behavior:

Consequences 

Costly, firm establishment of illegitimate social worlds – establishes negative role models. 

Deviant Behavior:
Solutions

Resocialization, AND open opportunity structure. 

Deviant Behavior:

Theorists 

R.  Merton, E.  Sutherland, D.  Cressey 

Deviant Behavior:
Critiques

Only explains individual behavior, Anomie:  Uniform values are unlikely, no evidence of higher rates of deviance among lower class, status discontent doesn’t necessarily lead to deviance, Deviants choice is overlooked. 

Labeling:
Definition

Social Reactions to an alleged violation of rules or expectations. 

Labeling:

Causes 

The attention it receives from the public or social control agents. 

Labeling:

Conditions 

Labeler (1) is in position to gain from labeling, (2) must have a label to apply, (3) must have power to make it stick. 

Labeling:

Consequences 

May lead to the reordering of human relations.  Secondary deviance. 

Labeling:

Solutions 

Definitions can be changed, profit can be taken out of labeling. 

Labeling:

Theorists 

G.H. Mead, H.S. Becker, E.M. Lemert, E.M. Schur, W.J. Chambliss 

Labeling:

Critiques 

G.  Nettler – too much focus on definitions of deviance, sometimes produces the behavior that it condemns, fails to predict criminality, offers no solution to reduce crime and social problems. 

Critical Perspective:

Definition 

Situations that develop out of the exploitation of the working class. 

Critical Perspective:

Causes 

Capitalism and social class domination inherent in the capitalist structure. 

Critical Perspective:

Conditions 

Class domination and conflict, and fluctuations in the business cycle (extent and severity is important). 

Critical Perspective:

Consequences 

That social problems will cycle but steadily increase with the development of capitalism. 

Critical Perspective:

Solutions 

Political Activism:  reform or revolt – Achievement of a classless society. 

Critical Perspective:

Theorists 

K.  Marx, Engels, R.  Quinney, W.  Chambliss, R.J. Michalowski, E.W. Bohlander, D.  Wagner 

Critical Perspective:

Critiques 

Clinard and Meier – no individual explanation of deviance, more source of conflict than economic and political, laws benefit all classes, little empirical support. 

Social Constructionism:

Definition 

The cyclic process of claimsmaking and policy formation concerning phenomena that is thought to be troublesome, widespread, changeable, and in need of changing. 

Social Constructionism:

Causes 

Claimsmaking:  The problem defining activities people engage in as they seek redress of grievance. 

Social Constructionism:

Conditions 

Interaction (claimsmaking) between complainants and agencies. 

Social Constructionism:
Consequences

Social movements, natural history stages of social problems (waxing and waning public interest in the resolution of claims). 

Social Constructionism:

Solutions 

Offers no solutions – merely describes the process. 

Social Constructionism:

Theorists 

J.I. Kitsuse, M.  Spector, A.  Mauss, J.  Best, D.  Loseke, K.  Beckett 

Social Constructionism:

Critiques 

Ignores objective conditions – offers no solutions.