Theories Of Deviance Research Articles

Teachers’ Stress Level as a Correlate of Deviant Behaviours among Form Two Students in Machakos County, Kenya

Deviant behaviors among secondary school learners have continued to be a global issue and Machakos County is not exceptional. There are limited Studies showing the relationship between teacher level of stress and students’ deviant behaviors. This study was designed with the aim of exploring whether students’ tendency to engage in deviant behaviors is related to teacher levels of stress. The Cultural Deviance theory by Shaw and Mckay which views deviant behavior as a result of escape from freedom was used. The researcher used a correlational research design. The target population was 53 public secondary schools with 280 teachers. The study’s locale as well as the targeted schools were purposively selected. The sample from which data was gathered comprised of 160 teachers. The number of participants in each school was sampled proportionately. Stratified sampling technique helped in grouping the schools into distinct categories from which sample size was drawn from. The questionnaire which the researcher adapted from an existing instrument was filled to yield the data for the research. Piloting was done before the main data collection exercise to ascertain the validity of the adapted tool and enable testing the appropriateness of the data analysis technique. Quantitative data was analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (Version26). Pearson product moment correlation was applied to test the null hypothesis. The study found out that the higher the levels of teacher’s stress the higher the student’s deviant behavior and the lower the levels of the teacher stress the lower the student’s deviant behavior (152) =.49, p=00. The study concluded that teachers’ gender and working experiences were not significant predictors of students’ deviant behavior. The R Square value indicated that the predictor variable (teacher level of stress) accounted for about 53% of the total variance in students’ deviant behavior. The study recommended that there was need to effectively implement teacher performance, appraisal, and development fully and facilitate capacity building to ensure that the teachers’ efficacy skills were improved to reduce students’ deviant behavior in secondary schools.

School Shooting as an Extreme form of Deviant Behavior: Expert Evaluations

Such a phenomenon as school shooting, which entered the everyday life of society, frightened humanity with its cruelty and unpredictability, found a response in scientific community. The school shooting discourse is wide: from theoretical understandings (towards analysis of theories of anomie and deviance, stigmatization and criminology, the concepts of differential associative, communicative, axiological and existential approaches) to empirical justifications. They showed that this multifactorial destructive phenomenon is labile, its configuration changes along with the changing social reality, which significantly expands the research field. The study concerns the expert characteristics of this phenomenon. Authors have concluded that the most likely motive for violence in educational institutions is in most cases psychological trauma or school shooter’s disorders. Society’s reaction to school shooting is superficial and mainly reduced to appeals to limit Internet content. The root cause of tragic incidents of school shooting should be considered the deformation of value-motivational sphere of an individual in children and adolescents. The key channel for spread and rooting of destructive attitudes among young people is messengers, where teenagers and children are actively recruited. However, the main hazard lies in the fact that these virtual contacts and connections subsequently find their consolidation and materialization in real environment of educational institutions, where “cells” of destructive behavior are formed, capable of attracting more and more new participants into their orbit.

Positive Deviance Theory: Leveraging Compliments Data to Guide Strategic Planning for Patient Experience Improvement in a Large Rural Health Care System.

Patient-centered care (PCC) has been called for as a solution to improving care quality and patient outcomes. Patient experience, termed care experience, is a measurable aspect of PCC and aligns with coproduction. Identifying patterns of positivity and high performers is a Positive Deviance approach that can inform strategic improvement of the care experience. To identify the characteristics of positive deviances from voluntary, unsolicited compliments from patients and family members about their care experiences. The authors conducted a mixed-method analysis, including content and a thematic analysis of unsolicited comments from patients and families, submitted between January 2021 and January 2022. After removing duplicates and miscategorized comments, 213 compliments were included in the analysis using a single, blinded inductive coding to synthesize thematic statements. The main campus received the most compliments by location (89%); the most widely used patient sentiment was thankful (36.8%). Compassionate (26.8%), together with six others: competent (11.6%), communication (10.6%), cared for (8.5%), care team (8.0%), and supportive (8.0%), made up approximately 80% of drivers of care quality. Physicians (37.3%) and nurses (34.2%) were the most complimented personnel, although surgery (17.0%) were the most complimented services team. Similar characteristics were reported for exemplary individuals and their associated care teams. The results align with previously reported work by the Beryl Institute and CMS 5-star rating on key drivers of patient experience. This approach provides a method by which exemplars can be identified within health systems, and that information is used to guide improvement and organizational planning.

Shifting Cohort Patterns in the Use of Drugs with Elevated Overdose Risk in the United States

Abstract Rising drug overdose rates are a major social problem, but understanding of trends in the use of high-risk drugs is limited. The increasingly addictive potential of high-risk drugs, broader social changes, and the importance of peers and social contexts in shaping use may create conditions in which some cohorts have elevated use further into adulthood than others. We use an age-period-cohort model that defines cohort effects as the differential influences of social events for individuals of different ages. We analyze data from the 1979–2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to study past-year (mis)use of prescription analgesics, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Pre-1990 cohorts had either consistently lower than average odds or decreasing odds of use as they aged. The 1990s cohorts had higher than average odds of use, which increased as they aged. Early-2000s cohorts had increasing odds of use with age, despite low odds in adolescence. High-risk drug use appears to be an important cohort differentiating mechanism, with implications for policy and theories of deviance and stratification. The typical focus on period trends obscures the elevated odds of high-risk drug use in certain cohorts, whose members are entering the ages when overdose is most likely and consequences become most pronounced.

Going beyond compliance: A qualitative study of the practice of surgical safety checklist

BackgroundThe World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) is a tool designed to enhance team communication and patient safety. When used properly, the SSC acts as a layer of defence against never events. In this study, we performed secondary qualitative analysis of operating theatres (OT) SSC observational notes to examine how the SSC was used after an intensive SSC re-implementation effort and drew on relevant theories to shed light on the observed patterns of behaviours. We aimed to go beyond assessing checklist compliance and to understand potential sociopsychological mechanisms of the variations in SSC practices. MethodsDirect observation notes of 109 surgical procedures across 13 surgical disciplines were made by two trained nurses in the OT of a large tertiary hospital in Singapore from February to April 2022, three months after SSC re-implementation. Only notes relevant to the use of SSC were extracted and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Data were coded following an inductive process to identify themes or patterns of SSC practices. These patterns were subsequently interpreted against a relevant theory to appreciate the potential sociopsychological forces behind them. ResultsTwo broad types of SSC practices and their respective sub-themes were identified. Type 1 (vs. Type 2) SSC practices are characterized by patience and thoroughness (vs. hurriedness and omission) in carrying out the SSC process, dedication and attention (vs. delegation and distraction) to the SSC safety checks, and frequent (vs. absence of) safety voices during the conduct of SSC. These patterns were conceptualized as safety-seeking action vs. ritualistic action using Merton's social deviance theory. ConclusionRitualistic practice of the SSC can undermine surgical safety by creating conditions conducive to never events. To fully realize the SSC's potential as an essential tool for communication and safety, a concerted effort is needed to balance thoroughness with efficiency. Additionally, fostering a culture of collaboration and collegiality is crucial to reinforce and enhance the culture of surgical safety.

Agonism in the arena: Analyzing cancel culture using a rhetorical model of deviance and reputational repair

Cancel culture is a socio-political movement that aims to financially punish or ostracize a person from the public sphere due to a transgression. Such offenses range from criminal acts to the public expression of controversial opinions. In response, digital activism coalesces into a socio-political force that seeks to shame, silence, or punish the offending individual. This study seeks to understand the agonistic reputational wrangle facilitated by cancel culture using an original theoretical framework that combines the rhetorical paradigm from public relations with deviance theory from sociology and media studies. Specifically, this study analyzes the cancellation and reputational repair strategies of four celebrities—Louis C.K., Logan Paul, Jussie Smollett, and J.K. Rowling. It utilizes large-scale social media sentiment analysis to reveal varying degrees of reputational decay and recovery. The study shows that factors impacting the severity of cancellation and the likelihood of reputational recovery include distinguishing between criminal acts and controversial opinions, as well as social variables and the strength of a parasocial relationship between a celebrity and their fandom.

What sociologists learn from music: identity, music-making, and the sociological imagination

ABSTRACT Sociologists very often have extra-curricular lives as musicians. This article explores the relationship between musical life and sociological identities. Through a range of examples from Howard Becker’s grounding in field research as a pianist in the Chicago jazz clubs and his theories of deviance, to the connection between Emma Jackson’s life as a bass player in Brit pop band Kenickie and her feminist punk sociology, an argument is developed about the things sociologists learn from music. Based on 28 life history interviews with contemporary sociologists this paper shows how sociologists learn – both directly and tacitly – to understand society through their engagement with music. Music offers them an interpretive device to read cultural history, a training in the unspoken and yet structured aspects of culture, and an attentiveness to improvised and interactive aspects of social interaction. For sociologists, involvement in music making is also an incitement to get off campus and encounter an alternative world of value and values. Music enables sociologists to sustain their research imaginations and inspires them to make sociology differently. However, the article concludes that in the contemporary neoliberal university it is harder for sociologists to sustain a creative hinterland in music. The tacit knowledges that often nourish sociological identities may run the risk of being depleted as a result.

Assessing the Validity of Criminological Theories of Misconduct in Jail

This research examines the validity of criminological theories of misconduct in jails, a setting often overlooked in research on this topic. Prior research suggests that the processes that underlie offending within prisons are distinct from those which contribute to community offending. To determine if the context of misconduct within jails is distinct from that which occurs in prisons, and to test other theories of deviance, we surveyed those incarcerated in two jails about their misconduct experiences. Findings indicate that importation, code support, and differential associations are robust predictors of misconduct in this jail sample. Given the prevalence of jails in the criminal justice system, it is imperative to continue to assess misconduct to improve the safety of these institutions.

Audit firm executives under pressure: A discursive analysis of legitimisation and resistance to reform

The UK audit profession is facing a crisis of public trust and legitimacy following a series of high-profile audit failures. This resulted in the executive leadership of UK audit firms being summoned before a House of Commons Select Committee as part of its inquiry into ‘the future of audit’. During this inquiry the audit executives walked a tightrope, to both defend the social contract from an existential threat and attempt to influence policy reforms in their favour. This paper draws on ‘neutralisation techniques’ from deviance theory and the ‘grammar of legitimation’ from legitimacy theory to inform a discursive analysis of how auditors use strategic rhetoric to defend their professionalism and maintain their social contract to operate, all the while attempting to affect policy outcomes to align with their firms’ economic interests. Data for this study are drawn from the ‘oral evidence sessions’ and submitted ‘written evidence’ provided by the audit firm leadership. Our findings illustrate how the auditors construct a variety of strategic rationalisations, couched in moral ideals, to effectively deny responsibility for corporate financial scandals while simultaneously identifying with the ‘victims’ of audit failures and representing themselves ‘heroically’, as indispensable solution-bearers, not problem-causers. Their application of logic and language is cleverly designed to defend existing practices, neutralize the allegations of the inquiry, and provide the basis for advocating preferred policy outcomes. We show how, in this UK regulatory context, the Big Four are again successful in diluting and delaying reform, especially that which would legislate a full legal and economic split of their lucrative advisory service business from their audit business - a union which has grown in prominence in recent decades and been the focus of accusations of conflicted interests detrimental to audit quality. Evaluating legitimacy as a rhetorical and communicative process can aid regulators to render visible the means by which auditors use rhetoric to influence reform, and thereby improve democratic oversight over the profession.

ВЗАИМОСВЯЗЬ КАТЕГОРИЙ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТИ И ВИНЫ: ЛИНГВИСТИЧЕСКИЙ, ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ И СОЦИАЛЬНО-ПРАВОВОЙ АНАЛИЗ

The article provides a scientific analysis of the categories of guilt and responsibility, taking into account the approaches formed in linguistics, sociology, psychology and jurisprudence. It is noted that the concepts of guilt and responsibility, as phenomena filled with specific historical content and character, are polyscientific categories and are the subject of research in many sciences: psychology, jurisprudence, history of philosophy, sociology. The article examines the main theories of deviance that formulate the conduct of a subject deviating from the normal: the economic theory of deviance, the theory of heterogeneity and variability of the normative value system of society, the theory of social destabilization and the theory of stigmatization. In addition, within the framework of the studied phenomena from a legal point of view, statistical data on the crime rate in the Russian Federation, conducted on a sample of different periods, are provided. In conclusion, the article concludes that the subject builds his own line of behavior in society based on an internal attitude, an available alternative, freedom of choice, guided by his own desires and interests. And if such a choice is made towards deviant behavior, then such a fact inevitably mediates the process of the offender's legal responsibility from a socio-legal point of view and the individual's suffering of guilt from a psychological point of view.

The abnormalisation of social justice: The ‘anti-woke culture war’ discourse in the UK

In this article, the so-called ‘anti-woke’ culture war is deconstructed through the notions of metapolitics in fascist discourses – linked to the Gramscian ‘hegemonisation’ and ‘the war of position’ – as well as the Schmittian friend/enemy distinction coupled with theories of deviance and moral panics. The appropriation of the neo-fascist culture war discourse by the mainstream right in the UK is analysed discursively, combining political discourse analysis, the discourse-historical approach and discourse-conceptual analysis. The anti-woke culture war by the British conservative party as well as rightwing media will serve to analyse how social justice struggles like anti-racism, anti-sexism and pro-LGBTQ rights are being abnormalised and positioned as extreme deviant political positions. Linked to this, so-called ‘cancel culture’ is strategically deployed by dominant groups to neutralise contestations against racist, sexist and anti-LGBTQ views. Finally, freedom of speech and the right to offend is weaponised to protect racist and discriminatory language and to position these idea’s as valid opinions worthy of democratic debate.

Systems on the edge: developing organizational theory for the persistence of mistreatment in childbirth.

Mistreatment in childbirth is institutionalized in many healthcare settings globally, causing widespread harm. Rising concern has elicited research on its prevalence and characteristics, with limited attention to developing explanatory theory. Mistreatment, a complex systemic and behavioral phenomenon, requires social science theory to explain its persistence despite official norms that promote respectful care. Diane Vaughan's normalization of organizational deviance theory from organizational sociology emerged from studies of how things go wrong in organizations. Its multi-level framework provided an opportunity for analogical cross-case comparison to elaborate theory on mistreatment as normalized organizational deviance. To elaborate the theory, the Tanzanian public health system in the period of 2010-2015 was selected as a case. A broad Scopus search identified 4068 articles published on the health system and maternal health in Tanzania of which 122 were selected. Data was extracted using a framework based on the theory and reviews of mistreatment in healthcare. Relationships and patterns emerged through comparative analysis across concepts and system levels and then were compared with Vaughan's theory and additional organizational theories. Analysis revealed that normalized scarcity at the macro-level combined with production pressures for biomedical care and imbalanced power-dependence altered values, structures and processes in the health system. Meso-level actors struggled to achieve production goals with limited autonomy and resources, resulting in workarounds and informal rationing. Biomedical care was prioritized, and emotion work was rationed in provider interactions with women, which many women experienced as disrespect. Analogical comparison with another case of organizational deviance based on literature enabled a novel approach to elaborate theory. The emergent theory sheds light on opportunities to transform systems and routinize respectful care. Theory application in additional settings and exploration of other social theories is needed for further understanding of this complex problem.

Determining the skills needed by frontline NHS staff to deliver quality improvement: findings from six case studies

BackgroundPrevious studies have detailed the technical, learning and soft skills healthcare staff deploy to deliver quality improvement (QI). However, research has mainly focused on management and leadership skills, overlooking the...

Examining the drivers of deviant service adaption in fashion retailing: the role of tenure

PurposeFashion retail employees sometimes “bend the rules” to help their customers. Referred to as customer-oriented deviance, this study responds to calls to examine the motivational antecedents of this behavior. This research also tests the moderating effect of tenure on the relationships between a frontline employee's motivations, their customer-oriented deviance behaviors and commitment to the organization.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via a self-completed, anonymous, online survey provided to a sample of 390 sales associates employed in retail fashion businesses.FindingsFindings demonstrate that fashion retail employees were inclined to adapt service procedures and engage in deviant communication about either their organization and/or the products they sell for both pro-social and self-directed reasons. Interestingly, long-tenured employees demonstrated consistently lower motivations to engage in consumer-oriented deviance compared to short-tenured employees. However, analysis indicated no significant differences between short-tenured and long-tenured employees in their consumer-oriented deviance behaviors and commitment to the organization.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional nature and single-level data collection naturally put limitations on the generalizability of this research. The study does not examine alternative constructs that might mediate/moderate tested relationships, such as perceived empowerment, gender or risk, hence, future potential avenues for further inquiry are presented.Originality/valueThis research contributes to positive deviance theory and extends existing knowledge by developing an extensive model of motivational antecedents, a moderator and an outcome of consumer-oriented deviant behavior. For managers, this research provides valuable insights for organizations, which may create positive effects on service quality and a reduction in employee turnover.

More Accountable, More Ethical, Yet Less Trusted: Misplaced Corporate Governance in the Era of Big Data

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the corporate governance and ethical practices of firms in emerging technologies. We argue that because they have unique characteristics and face unique institutional challenges and legitimacy controversies, compared to their non‐emerging technology counterparts, these firms tend to over‐conform with respect to their corporate governance and ethical practices. Drawing on corporate governance deviance theory and legitimacy theory, we develop a number of hypotheses, which we test using data from 68 matched pairs based in the USA for the period 2009–2017. Our findings indicate that emerging technology firms over‐conform regarding both corporate governance and ethical practices, yet, despite such over‐conformity, they have lower legitimacy levels compared to their non‐emerging technology counterparts.

What Explains Gender Diversity on Corporate Boards Within the Global Economy?

Despite mounting societal demands for board gender diversity, some firms deviate below national and industry norms (i.e., under- conformity). What might explain this non-conforming behavior? Building on insights from the emerging corporate governance deviance theory coupled with the institutional logics perspective, we examine the impact of entrepreneurial orientation of the firm on this deviant behavior. Using panel data on a globally representative set of firms, we show that firms with higher entrepreneurial orientation are more likely to go below the national norms in terms of board gender diversity. Our results also reveal that having more slack resources weakens the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and under-conformity. This study describes and explains the underlying patterns associated with board gender diversity within a national governance environment by focusing on the entrepreneurial identity of the firm. Overall, we contribute to the comparative gender diversity literature and augment the knowledge of the institutional logics perspective for a global investigation of gender diversity on the board.

Norm and Deviance-Seeking Personal Orientation Scale (NDPOS) Adapted to the Organisational Context.

Deviance theory introduces a behavioural view on constructive and destructive deviance to explain how an individual’s intent can harm or improve organisational well-being. However, to our knowledge, no scale exists that evaluates the personal orientation aspect of deviance and normativity. This article discusses the creation of the Norm and Deviance-Seeking Personal Orientation Scale (NDPOS). To create this scale, we studied the psychometric properties of the instrument using data from French workers. NDPOS exploratory analysis indicated a 12-item scale composed of four factors: normative conformity, normative rule adequacy, deviant performance seeking, and deviant proactivity seeking. Confirmatory factor analysis corroborated the factorial structure in four sub-scales. Convergent and discriminant validity indicated that deviant dimensions were positively related to expressing voice, cognitive flexibility, and deviant behaviours, whereas normativity dimensions were negatively or not related to these behaviours. Furthermore, opposite relations between the conformity construct and the four factors were observed. Practical implications and suggestions for the development of future research on constructive deviance theory are discussed.

The “Eyes” Are Watching You: Social Control in an Introduction to Sociology Classroom

Students learn more when their minds are engaged, when abstract concepts become constructs they can see and understand in the context of their everyday lives. In this article, we present an activity designed to engage students to apply sociological concepts to their everyday experiences as college students. In this applied learning activity, we use the concept of “eyes” from The Handmaid’s Tale to teach students about deviance, social control, surveillance, and dramaturgical theory in a large (174 student) introduction to sociology class. We assign a portion of the class to be “eyes” and observe their classmates’ deviant behaviors. We measured students’ knowledge of and confidence in the content using pretest and posttest surveys. We found that students engaged in fewer acts of deviance when they knew they were being watched and the activity and lecture increased students’ confidence in the material and content knowledge.

Differences in levels of deviance between Japanese and American students: the influence of peer deviance

ABSTRACTIn the current study, by drawing on the literature concerning peer deviance and criminological social learning theory, and on theory and research concerning cultural variability in uncertainty avoidance, we offer a rationale for predicting that peer deviance will be lower among Japanese than among Americans. The lower level of peer deviance among Japanese, in turn, might explain why crime and deviant behaviour are less common in Japan compared to the United States. Analyses of comparable survey data from college students in Japan and the United States (N = 1271) provide strong support for our hypothesis.

The Sociology of Law Study On the Impact of LGBT People In Social Life

The current research was carried out to determine the impact of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) phenomena in social life on the consequences. Conducted through qualitative method, such systematic approach was chosen because it was in line with the concept and scope of the problems related to issues, data or information on particular facts and events. The results of this study demonstrated that any behavior that was contrary with the expectations of society or did not conform to social norms and values were called as deviant behaviors. Currently, LGBT phenomena in Indonesia are still considered deviant and do not follow dominant norms in society. Phenomenon focuses its intervention on the process of interaction among well-beings and their environment, using theories of behavioral deviance in use, as tools or ways to govern the behaviors of community members to meet the norms and values in society. The findings of the present study revealed that LGBT has impacts on health, social, education, and also the security in society. Moreover, LGBT seen from the sociology of structural functionalism is kind of deviation because it is contrary to socially human nature and also contrary to the dominant values and norms in society.