NCJ Number
7263
Date Published
1966
Length
231 pages
Annotation
RESEARCH TO DETERMINE REGULARITIES IN THE WAY INDIVIDUALS ORGANIZE AND INTERPRET CONCEPTS USED TO LABEL SOCIALLY DEVIANT BEHAVIOR.
Abstract
A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DESIGNED AND GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN OCCUPATIONS SERVING A FUNCTION OF SOCIAL CONTROL- POLICE, PSYCHOTHERAPISTS AND CLERGY. THE RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO JUDGE THE SIMILARITY OF TWO KINDS OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR- SUCH AS INCEST AND THEFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE WHAT CLUSTERS OF BEHAVIOR ARE GENERALLY REGARDED AS DEVIANT. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT CONCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE ARE FORMULATED IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY AND THAT THERE ARE AREAS OF PUBLIC CONSENSUS REGARDING WHAT DOES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE DEVIANCE. THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION, AS INDICATED BY THE PRESENT INVESTIGATION, CONSISTS OF ASKING ABOUT THE HARMFULNESS OF A GIVEN ACT OR CONDITION. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE THE KIND OF HARM AND THE VISIBILITY OF THE BEHAVIOR. THE FINDINGS OF THE PRESENT INVESTIGATION INDICATE THAT THE ATTRIBUTION OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE IS LESS DEPENDENT UPON JUDGEMENTS OF THE ABSOLUTE MORALITY OF AN ACT THAN IT WAS AT AN EARLIER PERIOD IN AMERICAN CULTURE. SIMILARLY, WHILE CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER AN ACT WAS WILLFULLY COMMITTED STILL PLAYS SOME PART IN DEFINING ITS DEVIANT STATUS, IT IS AN AMBIGUOUS AND INCREASINGLY LESS SALIENT ISSUE. AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED