Sociology

Running Head: Sociology

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PART 1
Examine the article girls, boys and schools: Gender differences in the relationships between school-related factors and student deviance by Allison Ann Payne. Find the areas of the theory that are central to the research in the article. Discuss in detail both the article and the way in which the theories are used in its analysis.
The main motivation behind this research was to investigate the possibility of gender differences in the relationships between student deviance, student bonding and the communal set up that exists in schools. In order to understand the research better a few key areas were identified by the researcher as being key to the study. The first area that the researcher focused on was; the effect of school related factors on boys and girls delinquency and it’s relation to drug use. Another area of focus was whether the overall model of relationships among student bonding, the communal school organization and deviance will tend to differ according to gender. Another key research area was the relationship between communal school organizations will have a stronger protective effect for girls than for boys. The fourth Area central to the research is whether the relationship between student bonding and deviance will differ between the the genders such that the bonding of students will have a stronger protective effect on girls than on boys.
In trying to analyze the key research areas, the researcher was able to bring out a number of findings; while school crime and violence have been in decline. Drug usage has gone up and so has delinquency. Several factors have been highlighted that have an influence on this finding. Some of these factors include the social relations that exist within a school, the cultural system of values and norms, the management structure of the school and the level of interaction between the students, the administration and the teaching faculty. All of these factors the researcher pointed out determine weather a school will be successful or not. Past and current research has also established the importance of school organization. Another key area identified is student bonding. The elements of this factor include attachment to a school by a student and commitment to education.
Results obtained after the research showed that, although gender was a significant predictor of deviance in all models for example boys were more likely to engage in deviant behavior, student bonding and communal organization do explain some of this difference.
The first area of study was supported for both delinquency and drug use. Which illustrates that the relationships between communal school organization, student bonding, and student deviance are different for girls and boys. This bonding element had a protective effect against delinquency for both genders; the protective effect against delinquency differed between the genders though. Surprisingly, however, this difference was in the opposite direction than earlier thought; commitment and belief had greater protective effects for boys than for girls. Thus, it seems that the rational idea of a commitment to education and the internalization of a belief in norms and rules are more important for boys than for girls when preventing delinquency. Although these finding are in contrast to the study’s main area of interest, the researcher suggests the importance of examining the elements of the student bond individually rather than as a whole. This finding lends support to Heimer’s view of the differential control experienced by boys and girls (Heimer, 1996). For example, it seems that a male student’s behavior is controlled more by clear negative consequences to his educational career or by his direct attitudes toward deviant actions. Boys are socialized to place more emphasis on success. Thus, the stronger protective effect of commitment to education for boys is reflective of their greater emphasis on academic achievement and competition as guided by the school environment.
Similarly, the stronger protective effect of the internalization of conventional norms and rules for boys is reflective of this same emphasis, because boys’ successful progress through the school is linked to their ability to follow these norms and rules. Thus, although boys internalize these norms for instrumental reasons, they are protected against deviance by this internalization regardless of the reason. More importantly though, because commitment to education and belief in conventional norms and rules are more direct restraints they are likely to have stronger protective effects against deviance for boys than for girls (Connell, 1987).In contrast, the second area of study established that student bonding had a protective effect against drug use a finding that was equal for the genders. When delinquency is considered, certain elements of Student bonding seem to have a greater influence for boys, but when drug use is considered, risk factors seem to have an equal influence for both genders. However, for behavior such as drug use, in which the difference in involvement between the genders is not as great, the protective effect provided by these bonding elements is equal for both genders. The greater difference in delinquency for boys than for girls, therefore, is a possible explanation for much of the observed gender differences in the linking of risk factors with delinquency.
Finally, the third area of study did not support differences in either delinquency or drug use. Although communal school organization protects students against engaging in delinquency, this protective effect is equal for girls and boys. In addition, communal school organization does not protect students against drug use as no gender differences were found.
References
Connell, Robert W. 1987. Gender and Power: Society, the Person, and Sexual Politics. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Heimer, Karen. 1996. Gender, interaction, and delinquency: Testing a theoryOf differential social control. Social Psychology Quarterly
PART 2
Race, code of the street, and violent delinquency. A multilevel investigation ofneighborhood street culture and individual norms of violence by Eric Stewart and Ronald Simons. (VOL 48(2):569-605)
The study on this article seeks to establish; whether the street culture in disadvantaged neighborhoods predicts adolescent violence over and above the values of that particular adolescent individual. Another theme for study is whether the street culture in a particular neighborhood moderates the values of individual adolescent when it comes to violence. Some of the findings were that, independent of what the street code is, it is the street culture prevalent in a given neighborhood that determines violent delinquency most of the time. It also serves as a determinant of how likely adolescents in that neighborhood will end up being violent. Also, in neighborhoods where there is widespread street culture, it is the street culture prevalent that will moderate an adolescent individual’s values on violence. This is especially so in neighborhoods, where street culture is widely accepted.
The theory that is most relevant to the study carried out by Eric Stewart and Ronald Simons is the Vold theory that was suggested by George vold. In his theory Vold suggested that humans being social in nature naturally end up forming social groups due to their shared needs or shared interests. These interests and needs end up creating competition because the different groups want to exert their influence over other groups in order for them to be able to expand or maintain their share of resources , resources in this case would refer to money, employment and access to education.
The challenge that arises here for all the groups is to control these interests and needs within their sections, the group that turns out to be more efficient compared to its rivals will be able to implement its will and even prevent access of other groups to the resources, usually in such situations it is the group with minority members which end up losing out, as they will find it quite difficult to be able to meet their needs.
Another theory that is of great significance to this study is the theory that was suggested by Thorsten Sellin. According to sellin in a homogenous society there will emerge a set of norms or a code of behavior which have to be enforced in order to maintain the prevailing culture. But in situations where separate cultures are established away from the dominant culture the minority cultures will establish their own set of norms.
When laws are formed and enforced, they will represent the interests, norms and values of the dominant group. This may in return produce Border Culture Conflict. I.e. whenever different cultures come together and one strives to exert its influence over the other culture, then each of the sides involved in likely to react in a protective manner. If there happens to be equality in the balance of power then there might be an agreement or tolerance between the two groups but if the balance of power happens to be unequal then the behavior of the overpowered group will be termed as deviant. It is this theory that Vold studied and sort to improve by adding his own views. The adoption of street code values is important in neighborhoods where the street culture orientation system is widely prevalent. Consequently, groups develop a range of social identities that are consistent with th...