Causes of deviant behavior: 5 theories

Deviant behavior leads to a lot of trouble for society and specific families. Deviant behavior is the inability of the individual to keep within the social framework, to observe the rules established in the group. Researchers at different times thought about what makes a person behave badly. The causes of deviant behavior even in our time are not clear until the end. To date, 5 serious theories have been developed that explain deviant behavior. Let us consider them in more detail.

1. Theory of control

This theory explains why most people still avoid deviant behavior. It is the ties in the society, the involvement, the controlling influence on the person, so those who want to be part of society try to respect written and unwritten laws. Usually the deviant behavior of children is due to the fact that they do not have friends who respect social norms. And parents are not authority, and can not exercise control over the correctness of actions. If a person feels that he has made efforts to become a member of the group, then there is a high probability that he will try to meet the expectations of significant people. Thus, the group controls the behavior of the individual.

2. Theory of a differentiated association

Association in this phrase means social ties. If to explain in simple language, then this theory suggests that a person, when making a decision to lead himself wrong, looks back at people who also behave incorrectly. This theory is especially loved by forensic scientists. And we all know that children who have fallen into a bad company, risk behaving badly too. So involve in theft, drug addiction and even organized crime. The causes of deviant behavior, according to this theory, lie in "bad fusion." To prevent it, it is necessary to acquaint the teenager with adults who can become authoritative for him. It can be a trainer of a sports section or a professional bodybuilder. Such people are trusted by adolescents more than their own parents.

3. Theory of anomie

Do not be frightened by the second noun in the name of this theory. Anomieia is a special state of the individual, which is associated with the loss of value orientations. This theory could rightfully be called a theory of conflicting values. This happened in the disintegration of the USSR. Parents talked about the importance of education, and children saw that the masters of life become former dvoechniki. High moral values were promoted , and successful people became people who ignored even the most primitive social norms. That is, this theory explains the reasons for deviant behavior in that the personality is confused and does not know how to act in an ambiguous environment.

4. Theory of labels

It consists in the fact that a person who once made a mistake becomes, as it were, marked for deviant behavior. The reasons for the "wrong" way of life is that society is not inclined to change one's opinion about a person. That is, a teenager who has a criminal record, will consider himself a criminal for life. And the attitude of people to such unfortunates makes them fit into the stereotype, a label that was glued on them because of the often random and unreasonable act. To solve this problem, efforts are needed at the level of the state.

5. The theory of deviant subcultures

Some subcultures promote a way of life that does not correspond to the norms of society. This theory resonates with the theory of differentiated association. But, as a rule, this fifth is used only to explain the reasons for the deviant behavior of young people. Of course, one can not say that the hippie culture itself made everyone take drugs, or that the punk culture made people too aggressive. However, there were such tendencies, which made the researchers separate this theory into a separate one.

All theories explain only a certain fraction of reality. Therefore, one can not consider any of them universal. Perhaps, in due course, new, more precise ones will appear.