You learn about anomie theory, differential association theory, and labeling theory in this module. Which theory do you tend to identify with and why? I think that if I absolutely have to choose one theory to identify with it would have to be the differential association theory because I do believe that deviance is a part of a whole bigger picture. I believe that deviance is learned, through interactions with others because I see it often with my children, friends and family members.One example of this would be my five year old son; he knows what’s expected of him and has complied mostly until he started school in which his friendships were no longer of my choosing but more of his own.
Once he developed friendships that I deemed as unhealthy his behavior strayed from my example and became somewhat of examples of deviant behavior established through an outside source. With that said, I do not absolutely think that differential association is the most correct answer it just happens to be the one that I can most closely identify with.Although I identify with differential association I do think that all of the theories inter-relate and create a whole theory. In my opinion after reading about these different theories I believe that they are all factors in deviance because I think that its safe to say that the anomie theory may explain the possible turn toward or start of deviance in which the differential association can build on that beginning or foundation and infiltrate families and cultures through associations with peers, relatives and acquaintances.Once the behaviors are acquired through either the anomie or differential association, the behavior is then recognized as a non-tolerable behavior and the person committing the behavior is labeled which leads to what I believe is a self-fulfilling prophecy of continued deviant behavior.
