Social Norms & Deviance

MCAT Basics (from MedSchoolCoach)

MedSchoolCoach

Science

4.6 • 612 Ratings

🗓️ 29 April 2025

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Social norms and deviance as covered in the MCAT is a fascinating topic, and in this episode, we'll break down the intersection of social norms—folkways, mores, taboos, and laws—how they play a crucial role in shaping societal values, and what happens when these norms break down, a concept known as anomy. Plus, we'll delve into collective behavior phenomena such as fads, mass hysteria, moral panic, and riots, touching on some real-life examples and historical comparisons.

Expect a comprehensive overview, with real-world relevance and plenty of examples to help solidify your understanding.

Visit MedSchoolCoach.com for more help with the MCAT.

Jump into the conversation:

[00:00] Introduction to the MCAT Basics

[04:57] Breaking social norms is not a big deal.

[09:00] Jeffrey Dahmer was a serial killer.

[12:41] Breaking social norms, deviance explained in theories.

[14:03] Biking under influence leads to deviant identity.

[19:02] Weak community ties breed crime, social disorganization theory.

[20:20] Cultural deviance theory explains lower class deviance.

[23:39] Social control theory emphasizes individual responsibility for deviance.

[26:58] Orson Welles's 1938 radio drama causes hysteria.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to MCAT basics, your ultimate guide to the essential topics you need to master for the MCAT,
0:06.2	brought to you by the physicians at med school coach. Every week, Sam Smith breaks down high-yield
0:11.5	MCAT topics, ensuring you're primed for success on test day. Join Sam as we explore the most
0:17.2	crucial subjects outlined by the AAMC pulled from official practice materials
0:21.6	and third-party resources.
0:23.4	Get ready to elevate your MCAT game with topics tailored to maximize your score potential.
0:28.9	Hello, I'm Sam Smith.
0:31.7	The goal of this podcast is to cover the highest yield topics on the MCAT and provide you with
0:36.6	some sort of insight into the questions
0:39.0	that the MCAT really likes to ask. This podcast covers social norms and deviance. The first thing
0:44.8	I'll do is define those terms and then I'll get into social norms and talk about the different
0:49.4	types of social norms, including folkways, mores, taboos, and laws.
0:55.4	And then I'll get into deviance.
0:59.9	And I'll talk about some different perspectives on deviance, including things like labeling theory, strain theory, social disorganization theory, and more.
1:05.4	And then last but not least, I'll talk about collective behavior and collective deviance.
1:09.9	Good luck to those of you who are taking the MCAT soon, and I hope this podcast helps in your studies.
1:19.1	Okay, so the first thing I want to do here is kind of define what social norms are and what
1:26.6	deviants is.
1:31.7	Now, start by defining normative versus non-normative behavior.
1:37.8	So normative behavior is behavior that follows social norms, i.e., it's basically the expected behavior in a particular society.
1:41.5	On the other hand, non-normative behavior is defined by the APA, the American
1:46.1	Psychology Association, as not conforming to or reflecting an established norm, or deviation from
	...

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