STATUS, DEVIANCE, SANCTIONS AND GROUP DISCUSSION

• NCJ Number: 17127
• Author(s): R WAHRMAN
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 28 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION MEETING, AUGUST 1973.

Annotation

THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DISCOVER WHETHER THE 'POLARIZATION' PHENOMENON OCCURS IN DISCUSSIONS OF DEVIANCE.

Abstract

THE POLARIZATION EFFECT STATES THAT GROUP DISCUSSION EXAGGERATES AND MAKES MORE EXTREME THE INITIAL OPINIONS OF INDIVIDUAL GROUP MEMBERS RATHER THAN RESULTING IN AN AVERAGE OR COMPROMISE. SEVENTY-TWO FRATERNITY MEMBERS AND 72 SORORITY MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO RATE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THREE 'MILD' AND THREE 'SERIOUS' BEHAVIORS ON THREE OCCASIONS: INDIVIDUALLY BEFORE THE DEVIANT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A HIGH OR LOW STATUS MEMBER OF HIS REPSECTIVE GROUP, INDIVIDUALLY AFTER IDENTIFICATION, AND THEN AS GROUPS AFTER DISCUSSION. THEY ALSO WERE ASKED TO SELECT APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS FOR EACH BEHAVIOR BEFORE AND AFTER DISCUSSION. IT WAS FOUND THAT GROUP DISCUSSION SERVED TO MAKE EVALUATIONS OF DEVIANCE MORE HARSH BUT SERVED TO MAKE SANCTIONS MORE LENIENT THAN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE ABSENCE OF DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION OF SANCTIONS LED TO MILDER SANCTIONS IN ALL CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY WHERE THE DEVIANT HAD HIGH STATUS. RESULTS INDICATED A 'PARTICULARISTIC' RESPONSE (LOYALTY TO IN-GROUP MEMBERS) TO IDENTIFICATION WHICH WAS REVERSED BY DISCUSSION. THE 'UNIVERSALISTIC' RESPONSE TO RATINGS (UPHOLDING OF NORMATIVE STANDARDS) VANISHED WHEN SUBJECTS SELECTED SANCTIONS. DATA FROM THE STUDY IS PRESENTED IN CHARTS AND TABLES. A THREE-PAGE LIST OF REFERENCES IS ALSO INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)