Societies are social collectives that comprise many individuals and are built on a framework of shared values. Members of society play different roles in pursuit of a general objective or a series of common goals. S ocieties are varied in compositionin terms of roles due to the varying nature of the individuals that make them up. As a result , most societies have rules and norms to govern the interactions be tween individuals . Societal values facilitate ease of co-existence and societal cohesion by providing a widely accepted standard that members can abide by and against which they can be evaluated. Some are formally enacted rules in the form of laws whereas others are formal but crucial. The latter include mores and folklore and flouting them carries penalties in one form or another. Whereas the sanctions associated with breaking of laws are standardized and codified, the breaching of mores may not have a uniform set of repercussions. Against this backdrop, this essay is aimed at exploring deviance, and why catfishing is an act of deviance.
Deviance refers to actions or behaviors that comprise breaking of societally accepted standards of behavior. The definition of deviance is dependent on factors such as location , time, and situation. For example, shouting in a library would be considered deviant, but in a case where the shouting is to warn others of imminent danger such as a fire outbreak, the act would be welcomed and even rewarded. Whereas the classification of some actions as deviance tends to vary , some , especially those that involve deceit or some form of trickery elicit a uniform response in different societies. An example of this is an online identity scam popularly known as “Catfishing.” Catfishing is a colloquial term for the deliberate misrepresentation of one ’ s identity through the creation of a false one online or fake persona for purposes of exploiting a targeted individual. In most cases , individuals create an online profile portraying themselves much more attractive in order to seduce an unsuspecting victim (Peterson, 2013).
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Catfishing as an act of Devian ce
According to Social Catfish , an online dating investigation service, mostly, people who engage in catfishing are extroverts who happen to enjoy the extra attention that they get from their victims. Others are lonely individuals who are seeking a connection with other people. Some engage in catfishing for the emotional thrill that comes with the creation of fake personas and the creation of an artificial reality in which someone else invests. However, more sinister motives for catfishing include the obtaining of cash or favors th r ough the fake online persona . This is a criminal offense in most jurisdictions and is often referred to as obtaining by false pretenses. The common thread in the various reasons for catfishing is that the perpetrators are acting in their best interest, and in disregard of any harm that may arise from their behavior. Many sociological theories can help account for this phenomenon. W hereas catfishers exemplify the more extreme end of deviant behavior, aspects of their online behavior are shared by other internet users. For instance, a study conducted in 2001 established that "22.5% of people lie about their age online, 17.5% lie about their occupation, and 27% lie about their physical attractiveness online ” (White, 2013). Also, “61.5% of interviewees misrepresented their age, 49% their occupation, and 23% misrepresented their gender while online” (White, 2013). Given that the various patterns of behavior that catfishers display appear to be fairly widespread amongst other internet users , then it may be that catfishers may be the innovators as per Merton’s strain theor y.
Merton’s strain theory was advanced by Robert Merton and supposes that social structures within the society may pressure individuals to commit crime s (Baron , 2006). According to Merton, the inability of individuals to meet socially acceptable goals may cause them to pursue criminal means of obtaining the said objectives. The strain may be structural where inadequate regulation may change an individual’s perception of the means and opportunities for obtaining the stated goal. The online environment is structure d such that one can get by without having to produce their 'bona fides ’ immediately. Due to the openness of this environment , some may see loopholes that they would otherwise be inaccessible to in person. For example, i n a face - to - face setting, an overweight individual cannot present themselves as a fitness coach or a middle-aged woman as a sophomo re.
Individual strain may also prompt an individual to pursue a particular goal with no regard to the means used and their ramifications ( Baron , 2006 ). For someone who feels an intense need to be in a relationship or at least to enjoy a connection with someone else, resorting to deviant means such as catfishing becomes a tantalizing option. This is coupled with the inadequate structures of identity verification on the internet and the innumerable possibilities that the internet affords for one to forge a relationship without having to provide many of the fundamentals t hat go into establishing one. Thus, it is easy to see why individual s may end up catfishing others, even if they will eventually be ‘ busted .’
Catfishing is a pervasive phenomenon in contemporary society. Though the virtual nature of the relationship may facilitate some neutralization response on the part of the perpetrator, it still has a devastating effect on some people's lives. In addition to the loss of ego, some may also suffer financial losses in cases where the victim or mark sends money or offers services to the perpetrator. This behavior is a response to a rapidly evolving world where the connections that once underpinned security and curbed deviance have been eroded by the disintegration of the traditional family structure as well as technological developments. It is still not clear how 'catfishing' can be addressed in the current society which is evolving rapidly. Nevert heless, highlighting t h e issue is a good start. This is because i t may save live s.
References
Baron, S. W. (2006). Street youth, strain theory, and crime. Journal of Criminal Justice , 34 (2), 209-223.
Peterson, H. (2013). ‘Catfishing:’ The phenomenon of internet scammers who fabricate online identities and entire social circles to trick people into romantic relationships. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2264053/Catfishing-The-phenomenon-Internet-scammers-fabricate-online-identities-entire-social-circles-trick-people-romantic-relationships.html
White, A. (2013). Catfishing, Deception, and Deviance in Online Communities. Retrieved from https://thestaticchannel.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/catfishing/
