Discussion Questions

  1. Read this article--https://www.thecut.com/2017/09/why-women-cheat-esther-perel-state-of-affairs.html--and respond to the following questions: (1) is it ever acceptable to cheat on a spouse; (2) is a physical or an emotional relationship more or less deviant; (3) what is an appropriate response to this form of deviant behavior; (4) do you agree with the author of this article, and why or why not?
  2. Read this article--http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/351852-sessions-some-undocumented-minors-are-wolves-in-sheeps-clothing--and respond to the following questions: (1) how might this story be viewed using a labeling theoretical perspective; (2) how might this story impact immigrant communities; (3) is it possible that this story, and those like it, might contribute to moral panic, and why or why not; (4) how might a moral panic response to this story influence people’s views of the governmental structure of the United States?
  3. Read this article--https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/12/chicago-police-torture-jon-burge/383839/--and respond to the following questions: (1) is it ever appropriate to coerce information from a suspect using physical, emotional, or mental abuse, and why or why not; (2) how was the abuse of suspects by Chicago Police driven by those with status and power in the city; (3) if a person were to commit such aggressions against suspects under the direct orders of a supervisor, should they be defined as deviant, or should the fact that they are effectively taking orders from a superior reduce, or remove, any deviant label; (4) how might Howard Becker view this issue…what questions might he ask?
  4. Rank the following deviant acts on a scale of 1 (least deviant) to 10 (most deviant) and respond to the questions at the end . . .

    _____  Stealing bread from a grocery store to feed your family

    _____  Illegally downloading a song to play as a DJ where you would get paid

    _____  Killing a man who is found to be responsible for the death of your child

    _____  A woman who sexually assaults a man at a party

    _____  Using one’s status as CEO to control the flow of profits to your own bank account

    _____  Buying a DVD copy of a bootleg theater film on the street

    _____  Selling food on the boulevard without a permit

    _____  Coming to this country without proper documentation

    _____  Leaving a dog in a car on a hot day

    _____  A doctor who influences patients to use a pharmaceutical for personal benefit
     

  5. Which of these norm violators would be least likely to escape any stigma associated with knowledge of their deviant act? Why?
  6. Which of these norm violators, if never caught, would be most likely to continue violating this norm, and transition from a label of primary to secondary deviant?
  7. Which of these norm violations would be most likely to have been committed by someone who subscribes to a self-fulfilling prophecy?