Social Deviance/Psychosocial—Sp
‘01
The deviance terms George’s mother uses
to describe him since he was younger have greatly influenced his behaviors and
the way George perceives himself. This
would include example comments such as “George is
very nervous and has always been delicate” (since he was a baby), him being “too sick
to leave home” for college, and him being “frail and sickly” after a simple
tonsillectomy in which she hopes that “he lives to see 21.” These labels lead to the self-fulfilling
prophecy of George thinking, “what if I am really ill?” and “something
must be dreadfully wrong with me.”
George learns to believe the diagnostic labels (agoraphobic, highly
anxious, hypochondriac), which enhance his abnormal behaviors and feelings.
George displays
in-role and out-of-role behaviors that lead to the residual labels. Sometimes, he would get very angry towards
his mother, but didn’t understand why (in-role behavior). An example of behavior typical of male that
is exaggerated is when George protects his mother from his father’s nastiness. The out-of-role behaviors George exhibits
would include: his delicateness, multiple fears, and anxiousness. Spending four hours in the morning cleaning
and ridding him of germs are signs of exaggerated out-of-role behavior, as well
as low assertiveness.
By living with his
mother and her sister at the age of 32 and being supported by their social
security checks and his father’s life insurance policy and army pension, George
breaks age and gender role expectations.
It is also uncommon of a 21-year-old male to attend therapy sessions
with his
When George gets angry
towards his mother, his is expressing under controlled/externalizing
behavior. Examples of
overcontolled/internalized behaviors are panic attacks (thoughts or leaving
home without his mother), fears (frightening images of operating room and
intravenous drips), anxieties (pressures of being “man of the house”), and
obsessions (four-hour-long bathroom rituals).
Also, the way in which America focuses on males “running the house” and
how children should take care of their parents during this time in history
could be predispositions for George’s anxiety and nervousness. George is torn between helping his mother
and aunt, and becoming independent (another major American value).
The way in which
George was raised [parenting styles] could very well be contributing
factors for his behaviors. His mother’s
overprotectiveness and nervousness might have aided in developing a lot of
internal anxiety for George. Also, his
alcoholic, abusive, and authoritarian father added to them by creating an
uncomfortable atmosphere for him to grow up in.