The Theories
FunctionalismAccording to Durkheim, deviance is a part of social organisation and identifying deviant behaviour allows society to establish moral boundaries and the difference between right and wrong.
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Social Control TheoryResponses or reactions to deviance that are aimed at reducing or stemming deviance and achieving conformity to particular social norms. Social control can range from a glance or comment to social exclusion or ostracism. Expanded by Hirschi’s control theory, which suggests social control depends on people’s capacity to anticipate the consequences of their behaviour.
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Symbolic Interactionism - Labelling TheoryBecker says deviant behaviour is only deemed deviant if it has been labelled so, and no behaviour is inherently deviant until other people have judged it deviant. Becker referred to this as the labelling theory, which sees deviants as powerless victims of the values and social relationships of society.
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Moral Panic
The intensity of feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to threaten social order. Coined by Cohen when describing media coverage of ‘Mods and Rockers’ in the UK in the 1960s.