Applying Theories and Concepts

Carrie Campbell

Soc. 277

November 1, 2012

Applying Theories and Concepts

There are many theories throughout sociology and criminology that explain deviance and why individuals involve themselves in deviant activities and become deviant. In this particular case study there a many theories that an individual could apply to Kevin and his deviant behavior, but the three theories that I view as the best to explain Kevin's deviance and behavior that was studied. The three theories that apply best to Kevin's particular aspects of deviance are Social Bond Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Reaction Formation Theory.

Social Bond Theory is a theory that states that if an individual has strong relationships and or bonds , and values, then they will not involve themselves in deviant behavior whether they have deviant friends or not. The theory also says that if the individuals lack these values and or strong relationships, then they fall back on peers in search of those bonds whether they are negative or positive ones. In relationship to Kevin, this theory plays a role in his deviant behaviors because of his relationship with his family and then his involvement in deviant behaviors with his peers. Kevin's parents were divorced and his mother eventually remarried when he was in the seventh grade. His relationship with his step-father was negative relationships which often lead to arguments and or confrontations between Kevin and his stepfather and Kevin's mother and step-father, do to his step-fathers alcoholism.

Social Learning Theory is a theory that explains individual's deviant behaviors in terms of an individual behaving in deviant ways and learning deviant behaviors from those individual around them as well as elements of daily exposure to the media. In this particular instance this theory explains Kevin's behaviors because he first began his deviant behaviors with his cousin and continued his deviant behaviors later on with his peers.

The third theory that applies to Kevin and his pattern of deviant behaviors and this subsistence of deviance is Reaction Formation Theory. This theory is when an individual avoids situations and puts themselves into another situation. This theory applies to Kevin because he removed himself from the relationships from his past once he was rehabilitated and never returned to them.

The family aspect played a large role in relation to Kevin's deviant behavior because of the lack of positive relationships plus the issues of addictions that played a role in the household on a regular basis. Kevin had a negative relationship with his stepfather which caused many issues for Kevin. This is because Kevin and his stepfather were constantly competing for the attention of Kevin's mother which often led to confrontations because she would not put Kevin before her husband as many parents would in most situations. Kevin's mother is partly to blame because she continued to allow the confrontations to continue and let her husband treat Kevin in an unfair manner. The aspect of addiction in the home can also have led to Kevin's drug use and addiction. This is because the addiction of his stepfather was ever present and nothing was done to treat his addiction. This allowed Kevin to establish a somewhat subconscious belief that addiction is viewed at as acceptable by his mother so why should he make changes in his life and discontinue his drug addiction and or usage. The theory that comes into play in this situation is the social bond theory and just how poor values and relationships that are established within family's plays an important role on the decisions individual make throughout their life.

Kevin's friendships also played a significant role in his drug use and criminal behavior and or involvement. This is because most of his involvement in deviant behavior occurred while he was in the company of his deviant family members and or peers. While he did use drugs while he was alone, most of his drug use occurred while he was in the presence of his deviant peers as well. This is not to say that all of Kevin's peers were deviant because that was not the case, as was stated in the case study Kevin did have non-delinquent peers who did not approve of his delinquent peers but he still continued on with the deviant peers. The deviant peers are the ones who led Kevin to continue on with his drug his drug usage and involvement in deviant behavior despite his previous involvement with the juvenile justice system. The theory that applies with the peer involvement in relation to Kevin and his deviant behavior is the Social Learning Theory. This is particularly in reference to Kevin's initiation into deviant behavior and drug use which was initiated by Kevin's cousin while in was ten or eleven years old.

Reaction Formation Theory also comes into play in respect to Kevin's discontinuance of involvement in deviant activity and subsistence of drug use. This is because Kevin realized he had an addiction and was strong to reach out for help and did receive the help that he needed for his addiction issues. When he left rehab for the last time Kevin knew that it meant he would have to permanently change his surroundings and ways to be successful in his recovery. When Kevin left rehab he left all of his past behind including those friends that influenced his past deviant behavior. This was the best decision that he made, this is because this insured that his past demons and or addictions are not present or able to influence Kevin in a manner that could possibly

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