Social Psychological Perspectives on Deviance

Social psychological perspectives on deviance provide discussions of the nature of deviance and explanations of the definition, antecedents, or consequences of deviance that implicate both personal (behavioral or intrapsychic) and social (interpersonal, group, macrosocial) structures and processes. In this chapter we draw on empirical research and theoretical works conducted in various subfields of social science and on an integrative theory of deviant behavior first fully developed by Kaplan (Patterns of juvenile delinquency, Sage, Beverly Hills, CA, 1984) and modified over the course of several decades. While it was not possible to present every theoretical perspective that addresses our social psychological understanding of some aspect of deviant behavior, those perspectives that are widely regarded as most productive as well as a representative sample of the range of perspectives that persist in the literature have been presented. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for ways to advance the social psychological study of deviance in the future.

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