Background: Although there is extensive evidence that the self-concept changes in many important ways during the adolescent years and that these changes influence behavioral choices, the majority of studies completed to date have been based on a static model in which the self-concept is viewed solely as an antecedent of the risky behaviors. Objectives: To investigate the pattern of relationship...

This paper empirically evaluates Broidy and Agnew’s propositions, in which they apply general strain theory to explain gender differences in crime and deviance, by analyzing data from a national survey of adult African Americans. First, African American women were more likely to report strains related to physical health, interpersonal relations, gender roles in the family, and less likely to me...

Adversarial behavioral has been observed in many different contexts. In this paper we address the problem of adversarial behavior in the context of clandestine networks. We use data from a massively multiplayer online role playing game to illustrate the behavioral and structural signatures of deviant players change over time as a response to "policing" activities of the game administrators. Pre...

Observers of deviant social behavior sometimes communicate disapproval directly or indirectly to the perpetrator of a deviant act. This reaction has been termed ‘social control’. Three field studies were conducted to explore the influence of the number of bystander-observers on the likelihood of social control. We predicted that the presence of others would inhibit people’s tendency to communic...

This study examined the relative influence of three parenting behaviors (support, behavioral control, and psychological control) and deviant peers on trajectories of externalizing and internalizing problems in early adolescence. A white, working-to-middle-class sample of adolescents and their mothers and fathers in two-earner families participated in a 32-year longitudinal study (N = 109 famili...

This longitudinal study examined trajectories of change in adolescents' perceptions of four dimensions of school climate (academic support, behavior management, teacher social support, peer social support) and the effects of such trajectories on adolescent problem behaviors. We also tested whether school climate moderated the associations between deviant peer affiliation and adolescent problem ...

Sexual deviancy is a rather broad and vague term. Its usage connotes that there are recognized norms of sexual behavior which are accepted by society in general. In fact, "normal" sexual behavior has never been well categorized. Rather, aberrant behaviors, sufficiently unacceptable to most persons, have been lumped together to comprise sexual deviancy. These of course may vary over time and acr...

This article examines the medicalization of deviance through a sociological lens. A definition of deviance is offered in terms of behavioral conduct, and indicates potential reasons individuals behave in a deviant manner. Next, a description of the medicalization of deviance is offered that describes ways deviant behaviors have been re-categorized as medical conditions that can be treated throu...