User talk:Scarpy/Emotions Anonymous

Sociology of deviance

Sagarin says is should be defined negatively, rather than disadvantage, as with blindness. Need to separate Eric Hoffer's "True Believers," from social deviants. That is how alcoholics differ from klansman in that the deviance resides in the individual who has certain attributes (traits, characteristics, or behavior patterns). In other words, believing in right- or left-wing politics, or in a way-out. Religious faith, does not constitute deviance, but the belief is translated into action by the fact of joining with others in an organizational form. However, being homosexual, alcoholic, or addicted to certain types of drugs, constitutes the deviance-if it is so defined in one's society-and joining with others in an organization merely increases the visibility, the possibility of detection, the degree of vulnerability, but not the deviance itself.

Most models describing how mental health consumers manage stigma resulting from their deviant behavior also acknowledge the distinction between Individual Therapy groups and Social Reform groups. In Edward Sagarin's "Management of Deviance" Model, he implies that the difference exists because there are essentially only two ways to escape deviant stigma. Groups help their members change themselves and adapt to society, or change the norms of society to accept their deviant behavior. Though joining an organization could potentially increase stigma, this is dealt with through anonymity, and be using the benefits or consequences membership for the reduction of social disapproval.

After conducting a through review of the organizations of mental health patients, as they existed in 1989, Robert Emerick broke both Individual Therapy groups and Social Reform groups in to three separate categories. Three types of social reform groups: 1) advocacy-legal groups, 2) information-referral groups, 3) educational-technical assistance groups. Three types of individual reform groups: 4) drop-in centers, 5) support groups, and 6) alternative therapy groups. he called this the The Comprehensive Primary Service (PS) Model.