Introduction to Sociology/Deviance/Jungho Kang

     1. Summary
 Deviance is a violation of cultural norms (socially expected human behavior). There are two categories of deviance: the first is a formal offense that violates official law, and the second is an unofficial offense. Deviances are relatively relative to cultural differences. Deviation is not necessarily done by bad people. White hip-hop activities such as ‘Limp Bizkit’ and ‘Eminem’ are examples of deviations that give up their socio-economic status and pursue profits.
 There are many theories of deviance. Psychology and neurology explain that differences in brain structure cause deviations. Biology says that as humans pursue group cohesion, they have evolved into humans following norms. Robert K. Melton's social-strain divides deviations into five types. From a Structural-Functionalism perspective, explain that deviance seems to be dysfunctional, but has the potential to show the boundaries of society that people should not go beyond. In Labeling Theory, people are forced to impose specific identities, and people argue that they deviate because they choose their identity. Society uses 'social control' to return members who have committed these deviations. Social control is likewise divided into formal social control and non-formal social control. Official social controls include societal-defined prisons and mental health institutions. Non-official social control is exemplified by the Choson’s ‘멍석말이’(Beating someone in violation of cultural norms), or the education of parents. Current studies of deviant behavior include violent video games of childhood, tattoos, and sexual violence at universities.


2. Interesting Point
 I was more interested in explaining deviations from the structural functionalist explanation. Merton, a scholar of structural and functionalism, explains crime and says that although crime has an explicit function that externally affects society, there is a potential function that limits the boundaries of the law that should not be passed on to the members of society. I think this explanation is interesting, but I think that the explanation that all crimes have these potential functions is not right. I think that this kind of explanation is to see all negative phenomena existing in society just from the ‘status quo’ of the phenomenon.


3. Discussion point
I never agree with the assumption that gamers playing violent games will deviate. It is the same whether it is a child or an adult. According to a study by Hannover University, violent games such as "GTA" or "Call of Duty" were divided into gamer and non-gamer groups, but there was no difference in aggression and nervous response between the two groups. In addition, studies by Lawrence Kurtner and Cheryl Olson of Harvard University School of Medicine showed no difference in response from children who did violent games and children who did nonviolent games. They argue that playing violent games is nothing less than stressing the vast majority of children. In addition, there is also a graph by Dr. Lawrence Katz that the crime rate has declined since the launch of a rather violent game. What do you think? Do you think a really violent game leads people to crime?


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