Deviance

Abstract

According to sociology, deviance is the inability to conform to generally accepted cultural norms. It is deemed a violation of social norms and laws. Some people commit unlawful acts either consciously or unconsciously. The Nazis as, for example committed many atrocities consciously and without regret. Apparently, their acts have been used by many sociologists like Stanley Milgram to explain deviance and its effects in the society. The goal of this essay is to use the works of Stanley Milgram in explaining how members of the general public could harm their colleagues or other people without feeling any sense of wrong doing. Hopefully, it will improve our general understanding of the motives behind such inhumane acts.

Deviance

In his experiments, Stanley demonstrated how obedience to the authority could lead someone into committing an atrocity which he never regretted. The inspiration behind this experiment was the soldiers in the Nazi government. These soldiers developed cultic ideas as their sole policy especially, those tasked with the responsibility of torturing captives. They became so much committed to enforcing their master’s will that they did not take their own consciousness into account. Stanley’s experiments showed how subjects inflicted shocks and pain to other subjects as an expression of obedience towards their superiors. Consequently, their acts gradually developed into habits which made them consider such atrocities as normal. Hence, they could punish others without any conscious or regret

Through his work with Solomon Asch, Stanley advanced the theory of conformism which sought to explain the behavior of wronging others unconsciously. In this theory he explained that, the desire to match attitudes and actions to what the society or a particular group considered normal, led people into unconscious behaviors and influences. As a result, they developed harmful traits which they believed were in line with the societal norms. As for example, in African societies, where cattle rearing is common, it is considered an act of courage and rite of passage to adulthood, for circumcised males to steal cattle from neighboring communities. Such teenagers do not regret whenever they steal because they know it is acceptable in the culture. It is worth mentioning that this theory has made it possible for people to explain the behaviors of cult members and mafia groups across different parts of the world. It is while working on the theory of conformity that Stanley came up with the concept of agentic state theory. This concept sought to fill the voids created by the theory of conformism. Just like the theory of conformism, agentic state theory linked unconscious acts to obedience. However, the obedience elucidated in the agentic state theory was towards an institution or a person. This concept further explained that; obedience towards an institution made people irresponsible for their actions. They saw themselves as executing the will of others. Consequently, they could kill or even rob fellow human beings without regretting. The police and the terrorist groups such as Al Qaida groups were used as examples to expound on this theory

It was noted that the police killed criminals and tortured suspects unconsciously. Members of terrorist groups on the other hand, engaged in suicide bombings because they believed in the institution of Jihad. Of late, medical experts have shown that mental diseases can lead someone into committing a crime without consciousness. In their submissions they have noted that mental conditions which affect the frontal lobe of brain can result in someone committing unconscious acts. Alcohol has also been shown to stimulate unconscious acts. It has been noted for instance, that drunken people or friends can fight or kill one another without any sense of wrong doing.

Conclusion

Deviance can be fatal because people committing crimes without any sense of wrong doing are a direct threat to our well being. Deviance should therefore be discouraged at all means. It is also worth noting that Stanley Milgram’s works have greatly contributed to our general understanding of the relationship between unconscious acts and the personality of someone. It is evident from his work that obedience is the reason behind many inhumane acts that are done unconsciously. As a result, we should try to understand, caution and help the people involved in unconscious acts.

References

Stanley Milgram: Obedience to Authority. Web I5th October, 2002.

Donal E. J. MacNamara and Andrew Karmen (1980): DEVIANTS: Victims or Victimizers?

Beverly Hills, California: Sage, 1983.