Journal of Sociology and Social Work

Anomie, Deviance, and the Religious Factor: Data from 104 NFL Players
Eric M. Carter, Michael V. Carter

Abstract
The proliferation of deviant and criminal behavior among National Football League (NFL) players has garnered unprecedented attention over the past decade. Why are many of these wealthy and famous athletes engaged in deviant and illegal behavior? And more importantly, can this bad behavior be mitigating and deterred via a form of social support?This paper examines the hypothesis that the religious factor (as a form of social support) acts as a deterrent to deviant/illegal behavior and as a key buffer between anomie and deviance (arrests). These relationships are examined in a snowball sample of 104 NFL players. It was found that religiosity reduces personal anomie among players in the study group by enhancing positive group integration and support. Religiosity, also, appears to have a deterrent effect on deviance/illegal behavior as well as a buffering effect between anomie and deviance, as the multiplicative term suggests there is an interaction effect.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jssw.v2n2a8