9.4 Role Expectancy And Deviancy

(The Power Of Role Expectancies And Role Circularity To Deviancy Making And Unmaking)

ESSENTIAL SRV: The Importance Of Role Expectancy

The power of roles in determining social behaviour is often underrated and misunderstood. The great majority of social interactions are controlled by roles.

Many devalued people occupy roles which have negative expectancies attached to them. outcomes.

It is possible to manipulate roles so that the expectancies attached to them are more positive.

Multiple deviant roles may work as a vicious circle leading to further role loss and negative

REWRITE USING RACE AND WOLF

insert:

Some Fundamental Interrelated Assumptions About Human Nature That Are Consistent With The Developmental Model

1/ Humans achieve greater well-being via consciousness, activity and engagement, than via idleness, incoherency, alienation

2/ Human beings have vastly more growth potential than is

Realised by most people

Elicited by many role definitions and expectations and by most human services

Apparent in a specific individual

The full growth potential of a person cannot be predicted; it only becomes apparent when the person’s life and growth conditions are optimised.

9.4.1 Introduction To The Theme Of Roles Expectancy And Deviancy

Previous Coverage

The basics of this has been covered in the earlier text.

9.4.2 The Psychology And Sociology Of Role Expectancy And Deviancy

Previous Coverage

The basics of this has been covered in the earlier text.

Conformance To Role Expectancies

Conforming to role expectancies is an (almost) universal phenomenon. This is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Role expectancy is particularly powerful if the situation is socially ambiguous (Solomon Asch), or with people who are emitting authority signals (Stanley Milgram). If people expect that someone in a certain role should act in a certain way, that person is likely to do so. This works positively as well as negatively. If a person is encouraged in their work, supported, and told how well they are doing a job and how valuable they are to the organisation, they will tend to conform to that role. Conversely if a person is given the role of a ‘scapegoat’, they will gradually conform to that role.

The individual’s own self-image and self-efficacy will affect their likely success rate. This is the ‘I think I can, I think I can’ effect. Additionally, low self-efficacy in Social Situations leads to anxiety and avoidance, hence to fewer chances to change positively.

Positive and negative role expectancies may be expressed by: Structure of the physical or social environment, people or groups associated with the person-at-risk, behaviours expected, language used, general imagery.

It is very difficult to liberate devalued people from negative roles because:

Their role models are likely to be devalued, their environment is likely to convey negative signals, they will receive negative messages from most people they encounter, they are likely to have been socialised into negative roles over a long period of time, and finally, they may feel very insecure in any other role than their familiar negative one.

How Roles Can Have A Powerful Impact

Image in the eyes of others- status and reputation;

Image in own eyes- self-image;

Acceptance and Belonging; Association and Relationships;

Autonomy and Freedom

Personal Growth and Development;

Opportunities to make contributions to others;

Material side of life;

and Lifestyle

9.4.3 Role Expectancy And Deviancy And SRV

The Use Of Role Expectancies In Re-Valorisation

Role expectancies applied in a conscious way becomes a powerful tool to use on behalf of people in developing valued social roles.

Six Background Principles For Role Valorising Use Of Role Expectancy Dynamics

Unconscious Mediation

Role messages are apt to be effective even if unconsciously sent/perceived.

Conscious And Unconscious Mediation

Effectiveness of a role message may be heightened when the sender is conscious of it, but the recipient is not.

The Six Channels

There are six sources of role messages (the six channels) (covered in roles in introduction and repeated below).

Messages Communicated By Imagery

Imagery communicates role messages, but also other types of messages.

All Three Parties Convey Role Messages

‘First’, ‘second’ and ‘third’ parties may all convey role messages

Unintended Communication Of Role Messages To The Public

A third party may be an unintended and unanticipated recipient of messages about a first party.

Four Strategies For The Use Of Role Expectancy And Role Circularity

Help people at risk of devaluation avoid becoming encaptured in negative role circularities

Help people who are entrapped in negative role feedback loops to break out of these

Help such people to enter positive role circularities

Embed persons at risk in such positive role circularities

How To Enhance Role Feedback Loops In The Lives Of People-At-Risk

Practice consciousness of the meaning and use of the role communicators

Identify, support, enlarge positive roles and role elements that are within reach and reasonable capitalising on a party’s positive/special identities, talents and gifts (how would they have to look, what would they have to do to get what they need)

Capitalise positively on ‘role avidity’- role hunger

Where competency limitations are an obstacle, emphasise positive roles including past ones)

In new situations:

Immediately present positive, demanding expectancies

Have positive role models already in place

Equalise ‘glamour’ of different parties on the scene by

Role exchanges (e.g. monks taking turns on all tasks)

Clarifying and recognising positive elements in each party’s roles

Apply the conservatism corollary to people at risk.

Practices Which Are Obstacles To The Role Valorisation Of Devalued People

1/ Devalued roles may be imposed/kept on people mainly to benefit other parties

2/ Negative role messages and structures may be laid on devalued people via so

many channels for such a long time, for instance

A/ From all environments for devalued people

B/ From almost everyone they encounter

C/ From their role models

3/ People may have outright destructive roles placed on them

4/ Devalued people may have been deeply embedded in devalued roles for a long time

5/ People may not be prepared to give up familiar negative roles (prefer security of old role)

6/ People are exposed to conflicting role demands

Notes: Human service workers at variance with normative culture e.g. don’t like business, therefore will not facilitate service users getting into work in this area.

Home/Work, Adult/Child different role expectancies

Minor role expanded into life defining role

Maladaptive leads to ludicrous, for instance, magic calculator, knowing all the football scores, some autistic abilities.

Various Other Topics

The power of roles in determining social behaviour is often underrated and misunderstood. The great majority of social interactions are controlled by roles.

Many devalued people occupy roles which have negative expectancies attached to them.

Multiple deviant roles may work as a vicious circle leading to further role loss and negative outcomes.

It is possible to manipulate roles so that the expectancies attached to them are more positive.

9.4.4 Summary Of The Theme Role Expectancy And Deviancy