Book Description
Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of deviance; this book is noted for its blend of readability and scholarship.
Deviant Behavior covers a wide spectrum of theories of deviance, and analyzes specific deviant behaviors. The author utilizes an abundance of research data, including much that debunks our common assumptions about deviant behavior. Thus readers are not only exposed to the full range of theories and data about deviance, but are challenged to think about and evaluate their own biases and preconceptions.
For anyone interested in sociology and deviant behavior.
Customer Reviews:
Great text for sociology/pre-law majors.!.......2007-09-28
I'm not a big fan of textbooks in general but this one is actually not bad. It doesn't drag out simple concepts or over explain to the point of putting you to sleep. If you're going to buy this book, I would definitely recommend you buy Readings in Deviant Behavior to go along with it. There are approximately 4 readings per chapter in the text and it really clarifies a lot of the concepts.
A sociologist that dislikes the book..........2007-06-13
It seems that the negative reviews have come from individuals that find the material to be too "liberal," so I want to clarify up front that I am a liberal & have liberal viewpoints. Additionally, I am a 4.0 student (senior) with a double major in sociology & psychology. Unlike the other reviewers, my complaint is about the reliability of the content. One person did state that Thio does a poor job of updating the text for new editions. I fully agree with that. Most of the references cited are from the 1970s, 80s, & 90s. There are some updated references - but typically just piggy-backed onto old references. In places where it seems that he would learn something by reviewing a new source, there is no new reference.
I don't understand, for example, how he can justify using 70s & 80s data in the "mental disorders" section, as if the psychological field has remained static for 3 decades. On some pages, he used the term "psychoanalytic" interchangeably with "psychological." He claims that theories surrounding biological origins of mental disorder are in conflict with environmental causes of mental disorder, which any psychologist or psychiatrist today can tell you is untrue. Furthermore, he claims that biologic theories dominate the field today & that "psychoanalytic" (which he is also calling psychological) theories dominated the field in the 1950s & 60s, but are less popular today. However, he goes on to quote Freud, who has certainly long-since been discredited. Thio claims that there are 3 types of "functional" (which he essentially defines as "environmental") disorders: psychosis (schizophrenia & manic-depressive disorder), neurosis (anxiety "reaction," obsessive-compulsive "behavior," depressive "reaction," & psychophysiologic disorder), & personality disorders. He says, "This mental disorder has also been called character disorder or sociopathic (psychopathic) disorder." (p. 173) Hopefully you other psychology majors see the problems here. First of all, personality disorders are much more broad than just being a "catch-all" (as Thio implies on the same page) that is labeled as sociopathic. Personality disorders include Borderline Personality Disorder, Histrionic Personality Disorder, & Narcissistic Personality Disorder - among others. Secondly, no one in the psychological or psychiatric fields calls anything "character disorder." Third, he implies that he has covered the range of disorders, but even the "desk" version of the DSM-IV-TR is 370 pages long & details over 200 distinct disorders, which obviously means that he should clarify to potentially naïve students that his coverage is not exhaustive. Fourth, he repeatedly references the 1994 DSM-IV, neglecting to reference the 2000 DSM-IV-TR, which has obviously been updated more recently.
The problem is, Thio's tragically dated information is peppered throughout this text. In order for it to teach valid, reliable, & accurate information to eager, young students, the author will need to exert the effort to give it a dramatic overhaul.
Great for College Students.......2007-03-08
Students that are enrolled in a Deviant Behavior class for Sociology, this is the book you need. If your professor actually uses and teaches directly from the book you better order this now.
This book is a disgrace to academia.......2006-11-28
This book is a disgrace to academia. The author has yet to master the art of forming a coherent thought or sentence. He routinely writes in the vernacular, rather than a formal researcher's form. Topics are generally discussed by listing a heading, then inserting some ramblings which are devoid of proper paragraph structure and citations. Once you get past the dire lack of high school level composition skills, you find an author bent on slanting his readers toward his own views, which, unsurprisingly, are quite socialist. Rather than begin with premises and present supporting arguments and research, he automatically assumes his own slanted view is correct. I find it hard to believe this book is published and used in classrooms, but I suppose the socialists have to make up for a lack of logical thought with print volume.
Biased.......2006-02-07
This book is chalk full of biases and fallacies - especially regarding gun ownership.
The way the book is written in general is enough to give you nightmares. I don't need to hear over and over that men rape women and all of the various ways. And I don't care to sample every version of suicide on an instance by instance case.
The composition of this book is much like a crappy website made to rant - it's a jumble of confused thought.
Book Description
This collection of classic and contemporary readings in social deviance provides a balanced overview of theories, concepts and research related to the topic.
The book examines specific deviant behaviors, as well as the research issues in studying them and the application theories to specific behavior through the use of various research methodologies.
For those interested in sociology and the field of criminal justice.
Book Description
This text is the industry standard for publishing the most recent and relevant articles in the field of deviance, by demonstrating to students how the concepts and theories of deviance can be applied to the world around them. The authors include both theoretical analyses and ethnographic illustrations of how deviance is socially constructed, organized, and managed. The Adlers challenge the reader to see the diversity and pervasiveness of deviance in society by covering a wide variety of deviant acts represented throughout the text. Most importantly, the Adler and Adler present deviance as a component of society and examine the construction of deviance in terms of differential social power. The book takes an "interactionist" or "constructionist" perspective on deviance, looking at the processes in society that create deviance. The authors have selected studies that are ethnographic in character, focusing on the experiences of deviants, the deviant-making process, and the ways in which people labeled as deviant in society react to that label. Students enjoy the Adler's balanced selection of readings, as they are timely and engaging. In depth introduction, explanation of theory, and discussion questions after each reading help guide students through the material.
Customer Reviews:
Great book!.......2006-06-17
Easy to follow, well-written, and interesting. The introductions to the parts could have been a little meatier, but the selections were excellent. I really enjoyed this book, which was a required text for my Sociology of Deviant Behavior class. It's hard to keep my attention at times, but THIS I actually liked and continued reading!
Book Description
This theoretically balanced book provides a thorough understanding of major social problems facing the United States—their causes, consequences, likely future course, and what can be done about them. It supplies readers with both the basic data and the sociological frameworks for interpreting it. Extensive learning tools helps users to easily understand potentially complex ideas and to relate concepts to their personal lives. A four-part organization covers the sociology of social problems, norm violations in social context, problems of social inequality, and social change and megaproblems. For those interested in a comprehensive look at the social problems of America, as well as their possible solutions.
Customer Reviews:
Fallacy Arguments Detract from Insightful Points.......2003-09-29
I find that there are numerous tokens of insight within the book making this book a valuable textbook for students; however I am rather shocked and concerned by the lack of evidentiary support and existing fallacy argumentation.
For example, Henslin discusses whether sociologists have a responsibility to be involved or whether sociologist should be objectively impartial. He states many perspectives with "they say", "they observe", "they try", "they should produce", etc. (Henslin 21). I am curious who "they" are? Are there papers or prominent sociologists in the field that are making these points?
In the next chapter, Henslin uses a slippery slope fallacy argument to express his opinion that "physician-assisted suicide" is wrong. He notes "Once we initiate such a process (at first only for those who desire it), we find ourselves on a slippery slope that could lead to the practice of having committees define who has become a 'burden' to society. In the hands of some, this could lead to genocide" (Henslin 25).
Overall I think the book is decent, but unfortunately, just being aware of problems and subjective opinions is not enough because fallacy arguments and lack of evidence will not help our society or our students to reason objectively. Although this book will help students have useful insights in social problems in society, they may be at a greater disadvantage without being able to reason objectively. An objective student can see social problems objectively even contribute to solutions in many ways, such as combating the manipulation by exploitive corporations and political institutions, and offering solutions with convincing evidence and reasoning.
Book Description
This fully updated book reflects the most recent changes that have taken place within the study of criminal and deviant behavior. Now with a greater slant on crime, it presents timely discussions on theory, research and policy, and rounds out coverage with illuminating historical and comparative research examples.Organizes chapters theoretically and provides a multiview perspective for a sound, balanced treatment, with a solid integration of theory, research, and social policy throughout. Emphasizes 'crime' as a specific form of deviance, and now uses actual research examples vs. an encyclopedic review of research to add dimension and reinforce understanding. Extensively revises discussions on theory, research and policy to incorporate the most current information available. Visually supports material with diagrams, boxed research illustrations, tables, graphs, and maps.For professors of sociology and criminal justice.
Book Description
GroupHug (www.grouphug.us) was started as a place for people to totally anonymously post their deepest, darkest secrets. To confess them to the world. GroupHug received 13 million hits in the first three months, and is the fastest growing confession site online.
Customer Reviews:
ok at best.......2007-08-05
Some of the confessions are good but 90% of them are boring crap tha you hear everyday. Buy it if it's dirt cheap.
A voyeristic treat.......2007-07-23
This book is an exciting ride of emotions. You tap into the secret lives of complete strangers. It's fun not even knowing their real name and yet you know their deepest darkest secrets...it could be written by someone you even know. :) How exciting! 5stars!
Keeps you wanting more!.......2007-07-03
I read this book all the way through the minute I got it. Now I occasionally when bored go back and pick a random page just for fun, I usually end up sitting down and reading half of it all over again because it is just so...enthralling! nothing like it, it is not like postsecret in the sense of no pictures, its more like reading 1 entry out of a thousand peoples diaries.
"Xylophones Are My Only Friend.".......2007-02-24
I picked this book up in a bookstore, and now I kind of wish I hadn't. These confessions come from an anonymous web site, and while some are hilarious, many are depressing. The positive about this book is that it is very reassuring, in that the vast majority of readers are exceptionally normal compared to the people doing the things in this book, while on the negative side, reading this is borderline creepy in that it ventures into parts of the human psyche that maybe are best left unexplored (at least in public.)
Here are some of the more notable snippets I discovered:
"I have a velvet robe and smoke a pipe with bubbles. I feel unstoppable when I wear it."
"I have a mitten phobia. Anytime anyone wears knit mittens, and tries to touch my arm or any part of my exposed skin with them, I freak out and run."
"I fantasize about having tuberculosis. Every time I cough, I check for blood. It's so sexy and I know I would have lots of attention if I had TB."
"Xylophones are my only friend."
...and my very favorite...
"I forged a 'free pie' coupon at Marie Callender's, and gave it to my wife. I didn't tell her it was a forged coupon, and she got arrested. Bail is $750, and I can't afford it, so she's still in County Jail. Sorry, honey!"
This book is frequently depressing, often disturbing, strangely mesmerizing, and totally scary. It is unvarnished, and while these were consensual confessions, it frequently seems wrong to read them, even if they are anonymous.
Grab your belly and slap your knee.......2007-01-02
I LOVE this book. It was one of my recommendations from Amazon. From the book description and the reviews, I knew I had to get it. When I first got it, my husband and I sat in the bed reading (and cackling) together over so many of the entries- there was a lot of, "Oh my God- did you read this one?" After reading from it together that one night, we began to fight over it. One of us would get it, read from it, and hide it from the other. Luckily, it is quite addictive which makes for a quick read. Now that we have both finished it, it sits in our guest bathroom. So many of the entries are super short- some are one liners, and you can flip to any part of the book, and start reading. It has lead to many a person spending much longer in the restroom than necessary- and everyone comments on it. Though some of the entries are slightly disturbing and some just downright baffling- for the most part, they are grab your belly, and slap your knee funny. You will not regret buying this book!
Book Description
This collection of readings represents the full range of deviance sociology, dealing with many different theories as well as data collected via different research methodologies.
KEYTOPICS: All of the readings have been carefully edited for clarity, conciseness, and forcefulness to ensure that readers will find them easy and enjoyable to read while learning what deviance is all about. The second edition features many new articles that reflect current trends, especially those dealing with noncriminal deviance as well as those that emphasize the constructionist perspective. Anyone interested in learning more about deviance and deviant behavior in the fields of criminology, sociology, and criminal justice.
Book Description
Looking for a textbook with simplified terminology and endless study helps? SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR hits the hot topics from terrorism to white-collar crime and shows you how sociological theory explains them. Now in its 13th edition, this textbook continues to be the best of its kind on the market. After you use its study guides and get the grade you need, you'll see why.
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Books Index
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General
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Social Issues (Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Social Issues)
No Contest: The Case Against Competition
Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (MySocLab Series)
Rich Get Richer and The Poor Get Prison, The (8th Edition)
The Study of Social Problems: Seven Perspectives
