ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews theoretical approaches to deviant behavior in sociology that are used most often to explain the relationship between society and madness. These approaches reflect two different levels of analysis. One level (macro) is the structural approach that is oriented toward understanding human behavior from the standpoint of society as a whole or the subsystems and social structures that constitute the major components of a large social system. The discussion in this section begins with the work of Émile Durkheim which emphasizes structural effects on mental health, including those associated with economic recession. The other level (micro) of analysis is that of agency, which focuses upon the choices individuals make and their interaction as they participate in group life. The agency theories discussed in this section are symbolic interaction, with emphasis on labeling theory, and social constructionism.
