NCJ Number
61697
Journal
JOURNAL OF THEORY AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 285-296
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
IDENTIFICATION OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR IS PRIMARILY A FUNCTION OF SOCIAL JUDGMENT. PROFESSIONAL DIAGNOSES OF IMPROPRIETY BY ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGISTS SHOULD NOT SUPERCEDE SOCIAL JUDGMENT.
Abstract
THERE WOULD BE NO REASON FOR ANY SCIENCES OF THE DEVIANT OR ABNORMAL, SUCH AS ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY, IF SOCIETY DID NOT ALREADY HAVE BEHAVIORAL NORMS. A FIVE-STEP INTUITIVE AND INFERENTIAL PROCESS IS SKETCHED, WHEREBY SOCIETY JUDGES IMPROPER BEHAVIOR TO DETERMINE IF THE ACTOR AND HIS MOTIVATION CAN BE UNDERSTOOD OF IF HE MUST BE EXCLUDED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND IDENTIFIED AS AN IMPROPER PERSON. FIRST, IT MUST BE ESTABLISHED WHETHER THE BEHAVIOR IN QUESTION ACTUALLY WAS AN IMPROPRIETY. PROPER PERSONS MAY EXPLAIN THEIR ACTS, WHEREAS IMPROPER PERSONS CANNOT. SECOND, THERE MAY BE SUFFICIENT SITUATIONAL EXCUSE FOR IDENTIFYING THE ACTOR AS AN IMPROPER PERSON (OVERWHELMING PROVOCATION, TEMPORARY INCAPACITATION BY INJURY OR ILLNESS, NORMAL IGNORANCE, OR IMMATURITY). THIRD, IF THE IMPROPRIETY CANNOT BE EXCUSED, IT IS DECISIVE EVIDENCE OF THE ACTOR'S BEING AN IMPROPER PERSON. FOR EXAMPLE, CHILD MOLESTERS, MURDER-RAPISTS, AND THEIVES CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD BY SOCIETY, THUS CREATING AN IMPOSSIBILITY OF COMMUNITY BETWEEN THE CRIMINAL AND THE PROPER. FOURTH, RETARDED, DEFECTIVE, OR INCOMPETENT PERSONS ARE EXCLUDED BY A SIMILAR PROCESS. FIFTH, IRRATIONAL AND INSANE BEHAVIOR OUT OF CONTACT WITH REALITY IS LIKEWISE BEYOND EXPLANATION AND THEREFORE IMPROPER. EXPERT OFFICIAL ASCRIPTIONS OF IMPROPRIETY SUCH AS CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS, PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS, AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURES HAVE COME TO DOMINATE THE SUBJECTIVE PERSONAL ASCRIPTIONS, CAUSING INEQUITIES OF THE LABELING THEORY BECAUSE SOCIETY HAS LOST FAITH IN ITS ABILITY TO IDENTIFY THE UNTRUSTWORTHY. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)