A model of deviant appearance and behavior construction

and management in adolescent females:

A content analysis of the films Thirteen and Augusta, Gone
Genna Reeves-DeArmond, Ph.D., Oregon State University
Emily Wieghaus, Colorado State University

BACKGROUND
*The sociology of deviance is the recognized violation of cultural norms,
and the creation and enforcement of those norms (Workman &
Freeburg, 2000).
*The way in which deviance relates to normative behavior and how it is
socially received contributes to the definition of an appearance or
behavior as deviant (Workman & Freeburg, 2000).

*Media constructions of reality often depict deviance in adolescents and

are prevalent in popular culture (Adler & Adler, 2006).

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This research was guided by the differential association theory
(Sutherland, 1947), which illuminates ideas about the necessary
elements and processes that are needed for deviance to occur.

BACKGROUND:
MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS/MOVIES OF STUDY
Augusta Gone (TV Movie)
Augusta is the average American
teen being raised in a singleparent home. Feelings of selfhate cause her to undergo a
deviant transformation when
she meets a new friend.

Thirteen (Motion Picture)

Tracy is a troubled teen girl who tries
to be normal but spins out of
control when she starts middle
school and is befriended by the
most popular girl in school, who
engages in deviant acts.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine media constructions of deviance
as related to appearance and identity and the catalytic factors or that
facilitate the violation of appearance norms and identify related themes.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1) Within media constructions, to what extent does a deviant appearance
contribute to the construction and deconstruction of a deviant identity in
adolescent females?
2) How do the characters presented in Thirteen and Augusta, Gone
construct and deconstruct a deviant identity through appearance and
behavior? That is, what thought processes and actions are undertaken to
produce this new identity?

METHOD(S)
Constant Comparison Approach/Grounded Theory

CONCEPTUAL MODEL:
THE PATTERN OF DEVIANT APPEARANCE AND
BEHAVIOR CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

Theory Derivation: Psychogenic theory of history (deMause, 2002)

DEFINITION OF TERMS
INTIMATE PERSONAL GROUP:
Individuals (i.e., friends and family) with which the principle adolescent female
has a close association, contact, and familiarity marked by development of a
relationship through long association. The adolescent female interacts with these
individuals in a personal and private nature (Adler & Adler, 2006; Levine & Smolak, 1998).
CATALYST INDIVIDUAL:
An individual who is (typically) another adolescent female of a higher social
standing (i.e., popular) and befriends or approaches the adolescent female to join
a deviant intimate personal group. The catalyst individual often plays an
instrumental role in the development of the principle adolescent females deviant
identity by coercing her to adopt new appearances and behaviors that would
allow her to achieve acceptance with a new intimate personal group.
For Augusta: Rain

For Tracy: Evie

CONVERSION
The adolescent female is crossing the
threshold from normative behavior to
deviant appearance and behavior. She
develops a desire to experiment with new
appearances, behaviors, and ultimately,
identities. This experimentation leads to
norm violations.
Tracy

Augusta

STRONG
The deviant identity has fully emerged and the adolescent female is fully
engaged in deviant appearance and behavior. Positive feedback from the
catalyst individual/her new friends deems her efforts to change her
identity worthwhile and effective.
Augusta

Tracy

CRACKING
The adolescent female develops ambivalence about her new identity and
deviant appearance and behaviors. The process of questioning her new
self-definition is stressful and tension mounts at a rapid pace. The onset of
this stress causes the adolescent female to and feel an urgency to relieve
the pressure that her new identity has caused.

Augusta

Tracy

COLLAPSE
The adolescent female has lost her new identity. Her appearance remains
that of the new identity, but obvious glimpses of her original identity start
to reappear in her appearance. This return to her original identity is
accompanied by little self-reflection and, thus, allows the pressure
associated with the ambivalence of her new identity to rebuild.
Tracy

Augusta

UPHEAVAL
The adolescent female experiences pressure to reveal her deviant
appearance and behaviors to her original intimate personal group. She is
forced to acknowledge the negative role that her deviant appearance and
behaviors have played in her life.
Augusta

Tracy

RESTORATION
The adolescent female restores her old identity and infuses it back in to
her daily life. She never fully reverts back to the original appearance norm,
but her appearance is manipulated in order to portray a new identity that
combines elements of both her original identity and deviant identity.
Tracy

Augusta

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Deviant appearance legitimizes the newfound deviant role and behavior.
The findings reinforce the central notion presented by the differential
association theory that parent and peer roles are crucial.
The findings support the central research question deviant appearance
and behavior did affect the way in which the two girls acted.
The findings and model presented here offer one unique theoretical
perspective with which to understand the construction and deconstruction
of deviant appearance and behavior.
Future Research: Test models overall validity with (a) other films and
media forums and (b) applicability to the lived experiences of adolescent
females, beyond the characters depicted in these two films.

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