Faculty Publications

Toward A General Framework For The Analysis Of Deviance: A Comment On Block And Bernard

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Deviant Behavior

Volume

10

Issue

1

First Page

1

Last Page

10

Abstract

In their article, “Crime in the Waste Oil Industry,” Block and Bernard describe recent changes in behavior and definitions of behavior. They then apply selected theoretical explanations to the phenomena described. These Include “strain,” “differential opportunity,” and “social reaction” theories. Each of these is useful in illuminating the social processes involved. I have developed an alternative approach to the analysis of this and other cases of deviant behavior. This alternative approach is more comprehensive and ecological than most theories contained in the deviance literature. It more explicitly incorporates a variety of aspects of social and physical reality. It is a general framework for the analysis of deviance (GFAD). The general framework is built up from five sub‐models and their interconnections. The sub‐models are: 1. the environmental, technological, economic, and social context of deviance, 2. impacts on individuals, 3. public perceptions of the phenomena, 4. public decision making and action, and 5. decisions of actors which result in deviant behavior. Information from Block and Bernard is used to illustrate the use of the sub‐models and the general framework. © 1989 Hemisphere Publishing Corporation.

Department

Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Original Publication Date

1-1-1989

DOI of published version

10.1080/01639625.1989.9967797

Link to Full Text

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