Deviance of Alcohol and Drug Abuse - Assignment Example

? DEVIANCE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE Contemporary societies employ substantial social stratification in categorizing persons within a given community. Such categorization may be based on terms of social basis, economic status or political inclination. In this context, social stratification entails grouping persons based on definite social differences like sexual orientation, behavioral patterns and belief systems. This explains why persons engaged in unconventional sexual practices are definitely labeled as socially deviant in certain societies. Therefore, social stratifications define boundaries between cultural conformation and social deviance. In this essay, we will evaluate essential concepts and theories applied in the aspect of social deviance. This will include appraising the role of such theories and concepts in facilitating solidification of existing social structure and enhancing social mobility. In this regard, we will carry out a procedural analysis of alcohol and drug abuse as an example of cultural deviance. Analysis will include considerable extrapolation into the theoretical framework of concepts involved and relationship between these theories and observed behavior in practical settings. Introduction: Social Deviance Social deviance refers to non-conformity to pre-existing social norms. Every society adopts certain rules and regulations which guide the conduct of individuals within that given setting. In most cases, these rules and regulations have spontaneously developed over time and form the normative belief system of members within a community. According to Featherstone and Deflem (2003), individuals within such a community are expected to exhibit recurrence of these expected norms in their economic, political or social undertakings. In this case, social deviance is a broad concept encompassing any form of violation to structured social rules. Despite the fact that deviance is non-conformity to norms, it does not necessarily mean that any form of deviance is negative in nature. For example violence and crime are examples of negative deviance. According to Featherstone and Deflem (2003), engaging in rebellion of harmful social habits like female genital mutilation in third world countries is a positive form of deviant behavior. This means that social deviance is relative as opposed to being an absolute measure of social control. Deviance of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Having understood behaviors that constitute social deviance, we will now appraise on the depth and breadth of alcohol and substance abuse as an example of deviant behavioral pattern. According to Featherstone and Deflem (2003), drug and alcohol abuse counts as a deviant behavior when the immediate society under consideration views such practices as failing to meet cultural standards expected of individuals. In most cases, social norms will inherently discourage persons from engaging in harmful activities. Moreover, habits like alcoholism and drug abuse are known as the main cause of social discord between members of a given society. According to Miles and Stallings (2008), drunkenness induces false confidence and inhibited sense of self-control; hence propagating the tendency to violate other norms. Apart from propagating violation of norms, drug and alcohol abuse in a harmful habit. In this case, repetitive engagement in practices deemed as harmful constitutes social deviance. At this juncture, one may start wondering why the use of drugs and alcohol qualifies as a deviant behavior in cosmopolitan and liberal societies like America. It is undeniable that alcohol and drug abuse is prohibited by religious beliefs of Islam. This makes alcoholism an automatic violation of social norms in countries like Iran and Iraq. However, western societies in Europe and America embrace alcohol and other form of substance abuse habits like cigarette smoking. In this case, western cultures do not forbid the use of alcohol and other drugs like cigarette. Grichting (2005) says that in fact certain states in the US like California have legalized prescription and purchase of marijuana for personal use. On the contrary, sale or even possession of such substances like marijuana in Islamic nations attracts severe punitive actions including even life sentence. Despite divergence in permitting possession and use of drugs and alcohol, it does not mean that western nations do not impose any control on these substances. The truth is that alcohol and substance abuse in regarded acceptable when used for religious, medical or pleasure seeking purposes. However, such allowances are withdrawn whenever these substances are used to propagate any form of social aggression like crime and violence. In addition, allowance of possession and use fails when alcohol and drugs threatens health of its users. Sean, Stephanie and Anna (2013), controlled use of alcohol and certain drugs like cigarette is acceptable. However, use of drugs like cocaine and Heroin leads to addiction and substantial deterioration of the users physiological and mental health. In such a context, habitual use of non prohibited substances like alcohol and use of prohibited drugs like cocaine constitutes as a deviant behavior. Social Structure and Strain Theory Prior to examining actual state of deviance in modern societies, it is appropriate to acknowledge theoretical background of non conformity to norms. There are numerous theories used to explain the causes and pre-disposing factors of negative deviance like alcohol and drug abuse. One of these theories is anomic or social structural strain. This theory asserts that deviance is an outcome of immediate structure of a society and cumulative strains associated with that structure. According to Ferrer et al (2012), all societies approve strict adherence to certain habits as a means of accomplishing certain goals. For example, alcohol and drug abuse is deterred as a means of ensuring harmony and avoiding discordance between members of that society. Normally, norms are collective beliefs of that society which have been adopted from the infinite past. In actual context, adherence to such strict code of conduct may be straining on personal freedom of some members of a society. According to Ferrer et al (2012), the youth may fail to understand the meaning of remaining sober and drug free as a means of maintaining social harmony. Such youth may perceive that pleasure seeking through drug and alcohol abuse is more meaningful that adopting traditional norms. In this case, deviance results from a conflict between existing social structure and personal beliefs of the society’s members. In addition, strains associated with pre-established norms are overwhelming to persons; hence making a choice of violating such norms as a means of addressing personal needs. Cultural Transmission/ Differential Association Theory This theory acknowledges the role of social reference groups and personal mentors as the main cause of social deviance. It adopts the premise that all deviant behaviors are transmitted from one person, normally the “teacher”, to another, who in this case takes the role of a “learner”. In practical social settings, social cycles of a young teenage comprise of parents, friends, peers and mentors. According to Edwards (2013), these teenagers and other minors learn of deviant behaviors from agents within his or her social cycle. In this context, intensity and speed of learning a deviant habit is directly related to closeness between the “teacher” and the “leaner”. Edwards (2013) adds that close and intimate relationships between the two parties result in swift and intense transmission of deviant habits. This means that the reverse is also applicable. In addition, other factors to consider apart from closeness include age of the “learner” and existing social structure. Young person like a high school teenager have limited ability to make rational choices; hence he or she end up receiving deviant practices easily as opposed to older persons. Still on the theory of differential association, it is worth acknowledging the fact that transmission of deviant habits is closely associated with concept of belongingness and inclusion into social groups. Every individual within a functioning society wants to be associated with a definite group. Psychological needs of intimacy and belonging can only be obtained from close association with definite groups. In this case, drug and alcohol abuse is one of the bonding factors which bring members of a society together. Young people may start abusing drugs as a means of getting closer to being accepted into a drug abuse gang. According to Edwards (2013), these deviant social gangs only admit individuals after they have demonstrated keen interest in engaging in their practices. Once inside the gang, recruited minors will start feeling appreciated. Therefore, inherent need to realize a sense of belonging and achieve social status plays a significant role in facilitating transmission of deviant habits from one person to another. Researched Trends on Alcohol and Drug Abuse As acknowledged within the above section, deviance results from theoretical constructs of social transmission or social structure and strain theories. This means that the two theories can explain observed increase of drug and alcohol abuse in modern societies. As the world commemorates the World Aids Day on 1st December, federal and state organizations across the US are worried on the negative role played by drugs and substance abuse in the fight against HIV/Aids. As a result of this sensitive acknowledgment, we will evaluate on the actual status of drug abuse in the US. According to Finnerty (2003), statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicates that minors as young as at their 8th grade are already experimenting on alcohol and cigarette smoking. In addition, at least 4 in every 10 teenagers in 12th grade have experimented on one of the hard drugs, with the most common drug being methamphetamine. Finnerty (2003) assert that the same statistics indicate that those who are abusing drugs at their middle-adulthood started experimenting on them while in high school. Apart from the generalized trends in drug and substance abuse, additional findings indicates that there is significant disparity in the deviant habit based on demographic characteristics of age, gender and race. Toole et al (2004) say that with respect to racial inclination, research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows that approximately 65% of 12th grade students in Detroit metropolitan are already experimenting on marijuana and alcohol. According to Toole et al (2004), this is opposed to only 36% of white students engaged in marijuana in Detroit. However, approximately 62% of white and Hispanic teenagers in DC are abusing methamphetamine and ecstasy at their 12th grade compared to 38% of blacks within the same metropolitan. These findings are based on the demographic fact that Detroit is populated by students from black origin while Washington DC comprise mostly of students from Hispanic and Anglo American origin. With respect to age, the median age of drug experimentation by school going children is 14 years, with other experimenting as early as at their 10th birthday. According to Cheung and Yeung (2007), men dominate as perpetrators and victims of alcohol and drug abuse as opposed to their female counterparts. In Detroit alone, approximately 65% of men are taking alcohol with only 43% of women engaged in the same social practice. Relation between Observed Trends and Social Deviance Theories Based on these statistics, we can develop a concrete association between the trends and theoretical frameworks discussed in the earlier section. Miles and Stallings (2008) say demographic statistics indicates that in Detroit alone, more blacks are abusing marijuana and alcohol as compared to their white and Hispanic counterparts. On the contrary, teenagers from Hispanic and Anglo American origin are hooked into methamphetamine more that marijuana. This trend can be understood from a cultural transformation or differential association theory. As explained earlier, social deviance is learned from agents within an individual’s social cycle. Black American communities are known for its close association with cannabis as a cultural norm. This means that teenagers from a black community will tend to adopt behaviors seen within their community. On the contrary, white populated communities commonly use synthetic stimulants like methamphetamine. In this case, peers or mentors act as “teachers” while the teenage students play the role of “learners”. According to Ferrer et al (2012), this means that substantial use of marijuana by blacks and methamphetamine by whites is a true reflection of differential association theory in social deviance. The observed drug and alcohol abuse menace is also closely related to cultural structure and strains associated with the structure. Just like other social settings across the world, American societies are opposed to alcohol and drug abuse. This means that members of a given community are encouraged to distance themselves from harmful social habits like alcoholism and abuse of addictive substances. According to Lazebnik and Ferguson (2011), Christian and Muslim societies across the US are engaged in active campaigns against drug abuse. Such campaigns are directed towards facilitating achievement of harmony and minimized deliquesce in the society. Despite the positive consequences of adhering to such norms, persons are often overwhelmed by strains associated with such far-fetched mechanisms of social control. Consequently, men and women in Detroit and Washington DC would prefer to pursue their personal goals of seeking pleasure from drugs as opposed to following pre-determined social goals. With respect to statistics acknowledged above, it is evident that men have more tendencies to violate social norms relating to alcohol and drug abuse as opposed to their female counterparts. According to Finnerty (2003), this is because most American societies are still hailing from patriarchal ideologies and women liberation. Traditionally, women were not accorded same rights of social freedom as compared to their male counterparts. This means that traditionally, women were not liberal to engage in alcoholism and substance abuse as compared to men. In as much as men were encouraged to remain sober, social structure was flexible enough to allow boys and grown up men to experiment on drugs. According to Finnerty (2003), this explains why there are high percentages of men taking alcohol in Detroit compared to women. However, women are increasingly adopting alcohol and substance abuse related habits as a result of liberalism. In this context, women are increasingly becoming overwhelmed by social expectation of sobriety. They are now more willing to seek personal pleasures through drugs at the expense of pursuing cultural objectives. Conclusion In conclusion, it is undeniable that theoretical framework is instrumental in supplementing information on concepts like social deviance. These theoretical constructs explains the origin and cause of habits observed in practical social settings. In order to understand why more blacks are smoking marijuana as compared to whites, one will have to be conversant with theories like cultural transformation. On the other hand, the increased abuse of drugs by teenagers and women can be critically understood from appropriate theories like differential association. In this regard, theories learned in class plays a significant role in enhancing understanding of social trends of deviance in practical settings. Reference List Cheung, C. & Yeung, J. W. (2007). Self-reflected causes of substance abuse among Hong Kong young addicts. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 54(8), 12-24. Edwards, Y. (2013). Cultural Connection and Transformation: Substance abuse treatment at Friendship House. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 42(7), 24-32. Featherstone, R., & Deflem, M. (2003). Anomie and Strain: Context and consequences of Merton's two theories. Sociological Inquiry, 71(6), 32-36. Ferrer, R. A., Dillard, A. J., & Klein, W. M. (2012). Projection, conformity and deviance regulation: A prospective study of alcohol use. Journal of Psychology & Health, 78(3), Finnerty, B. A. (2003). Monitoring and Reporting Alcohol and Drug Use Trends in California: The California Substance Abuse Research Consortium Meetings. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 35(8), 23-38. Grichting, W. L. (2005). Social work and social deviance theory: Causes and cures at loggerheads. Journal of International Social Work, 6(2), 43-45. Lazebnik, R., & Ferguson, C. (2011). Integrating substance abuse content into an HIV risk-reduction intervention: A pilot study with middle school-aged Hispanic students. Journal of Substance Abuse, 05(03), 45. Miles, D. R. & Stallings, M. C. (2008). A family history and direct interview study of the familial aggregation of substance abuse: The adolescent substance abuse study. Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 12(4), 56-59. Sean, C., Stephanie, M. & Anna, C. P. (2013). Pathological and problem gambling in substance use treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 46(2), 98-105. Toole, T. P., Conde-Martel, A. & Gibbon, J. L. (2004). Substance-abusing urban homeless in the late 1990s: How do they differ from non-substance-abusing homeless persons? Journal of Urban Health-bulletin, 09(5), 12-15. Read More