Theories of Deviance and the Self-Concept

Abstract

Given the sociological use of the selfconcept in accounting for social control, the paper considers the analytical use of the self in explanations of deviance. In reviewing theoretical patterns in the use of self-concept in studying deviance, three principal categories of theories of deviance are suggested: (1) structural interactionist analyses; (2) socialization-control analyses; and (3) labeling analyses. Additionally, discussion deals with clarifying the explanatory role of the selfconcept in deviance accounts. A first concern involves the basic concepts involved?specifying what is to be included in the self and what aspects of deviance are to be explained by it. The second task involves specifying possible causal relationships between self-conception and deviance.