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Control Balance Theory of Deviance

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Handbook on Crime and Deviance

Part of the book series: Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research ((HSSR))

Abstract

Developed in 1995 and refined in 2004, control balance theory seeks to explain and predict the cause of deviant acts. Integrating components of existing theories with novel sociological thought, the theory proposes deviance as one response to acute awareness of control imbalance. More specifically, the theory hypothesizes that perceived control ratio imbalances may produce feelings of disrespect or humiliation thus promoting contemplations of how to extend control of people, events, and circumstances without stimulating counter control. Certain desirable acts, including acts of deviance, are enacted in an attempt to relieve the negative emotions associated with control imbalance while also minimizing the potential for retaliation or other forms of resistance. In this chapter, we review the basic theory of control balance. Following, we answer ten inquiries frequently asked about the theory, including questions about control ratios and control balance desirability, self-control’s relation to control ratios, the subjectivity of provocations, the process of control balancing, beliefs about human rationality and desire for control, the reciprocal nature of control, the role of revenge, and the empirical standing of the theory.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Charles R. Tittle

  2. University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA

    Cindy Brooks Dollar

Authors
  1. Charles R. Tittle
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  2. Cindy Brooks Dollar
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Correspondence to Charles R. Tittle .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Marvin D. Krohn

  2. Department of Criminal Justice, Radford University, Radford, VA, USA

    Nicole Hendrix

  3. School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA

    Gina Penly Hall

  4. School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA

    Alan J. Lizotte

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Tittle, C.R., Dollar, C.B. (2019). Control Balance Theory of Deviance. In: Krohn, M., Hendrix, N., Penly Hall, G., Lizotte, A. (eds) Handbook on Crime and Deviance. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20779-3_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20779-3_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-20778-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-20779-3

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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