Cross-Cultural Methodology

Theorizing Social Deviance Through a Cross-Cultural Methodological Lens

Broadly speaking, social deviance covers a vast range of behaviors that cultures across the world would consider socially deviant (e.g., homicide), but it also encompasses a variety of behaviors that may be more culturally specific social deviance (e.g., rolling/shooting dice). Acknowledging this overlap, general theories of social deviance are expected to explain any and all forms of deviance across time, place, and culture. While prior social deviance research has made considerable progress in examining the generalizability of theories of social deviance across time and place, much less research has been devoted toward investigating the use of social deviance theories for explaining deviance across culture through the application of a cross-cultural methodology. Having said this, there are a number of scholars and research teams who have become active in promoting cross-cultural research analyzing social deviance via a cross-cultural methodological lens, and these works will be briefly reviewed in the following section.

Empiricism Through a Cross-Cultural Methodology

Empirical research using a cross-cultural methodology can generally be viewed in one of two ways. Specifically, cross-cultural research that follows from a cross-cultural methodology usually implies that the research is not based on a sample from the United States. In this regard, Wesley Jennings and colleagues have embarked on a series of studies that have investigated the efficacy of general theories of social deviance, such as social learning theory and [Page 156]self-control theory, for predicting general forms of deviance, victimization, and exposure to violence among non-U.S. samples, specifically native Puerto Rican islanders. Jennings and his research team have also explored the predictive effect of these same general theories of social deviance for more specific forms of social deviance, for example, dating violence. Research gleaned from this cross-cultural methodological approach that includes a direct comparison of theories of social deviance between U.S.-based and South Korean college students reveals a relatively high degree of similarity in the prevalence of and predictors for dating violence across cultures. Turning toward the second type of cross-cultural methodological approach, researchers often examine the veracity of general theories of social deviance for explaining different forms of social deviance within the United States and across cultures (e.g., Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans). Representative research exhibiting this approach has produced a series of interesting findings for social deviance theorizing. For example, Deanna Pérez and colleagues demonstrated that traditional strains (e.g., abuse) from Robert Agnew's general strain theory of social deviance could explain Mexican American adolescents' involvement in violence, but ethnic-specific strains (e.g., acculturation) also were relevant predictors for violence. Similarly, Mildred Maldonado-Molina and her research team identified support for general theories of social deviance including social learning theory and self-control theory, although they also recognized the importance of acculturation measures for differentially affecting the social deviance of Puerto Rican children and adolescents born and raised in the United States compared with native islander Puerto Rican children and adolescents. Finally, Dean Kilpatrick and colleagues and Tom Winfree and his research team are recognized for their cross-cultural research dealing with Native Americans. The results from their efforts have suggested that Native Americans are a high-risk cultural group for witnessing violence, using marijuana and hard drugs, and participating in a variety of general forms of social deviance.

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