Sociologists study how and why certain behaviors are defined and reacted to as deviant, as well as how labeling of deviance impacts individuals and groups.
Key Takeaways
What is Deviant Behavior?
Deviance is a behavior, trait, or belief that departs from a social norm and generates a negative reaction in a particular group. In other words, it is behavior that does not conform to the norms of a particular culture or society.
It includes those behaviors that attract negative responses and social controls. It also involves crimes committed in society.
What is considered acceptable or rude varies depending on the culture you are in. For example, eating with your left hand in Arab nations is considered rude.
Some behaviors are acceptable for certain age groups and some activities are illegal for some age groups.
For example, some people who engage in deviant behavior do so in order to challenge existing social norms and bring about change.
Additionally, deviance can also be a way for people to express themselves and their individuality.
Examples
Any behavior that breaks the law or goes againstsocietal normscan be considered deviant. One example of deviant behavior is drug use. Using illegal drugs is considered deviant behavior in most social groups.
Committing acts of violence, such as assault or murder, is also considered deviant behavior.
Other examples of deviant behavior include but are not limited to: theft, vandalism, graffiti, public intoxication, loitering, and littering.
Truancy can be considered to be a form of deviance. Truancy is a behavior where a student regularly avoids school without the knowledge of their parents or teachers.
For example, while stealing is considered deviant behavior in most societies, it is not considered deviant in some indigenous cultures where “stealing” is seen as a way to redistribute resources.
Similarly, while arranged marriages are the norm in many cultures, they would be considered deviant in Western cultures where individuals have the freedom to choose their own partners.
Ultimately, what is considered deviant behavior varies from culture to culture, and even from one social group to another. While deviance in society often has negative connotations, deviance in culture is not necessarily bad.
Types of Deviant Behavior
Formal Deviant Behavior
Formal deviant behavior is defined as behavior that violates formally enacted laws. This type of deviant behavior is often criminal in nature, and can result in punishments such as fines, imprisonment, or even death.
Examples of formal deviant behavior include but are not limited to: murder, robbery, assault, rape, and child molestation (Griffiths et al., 2012).
Informal Deviant Behavior
Informal deviant behavior is defined as behavior that violates informal social norms. This type of deviant behavior is often seen as more minor than formal deviance, and typically does not result in legal punishment.
Examples of informal deviant behavior include but are not limited to: littering, jaywalking, public intoxication, and loitering (Griffiths et al., 2012).
Although informal deviant behavior is often seen as less serious than its formal counterpart, it can have serious consequences. Showing up late to work, for example, is an act of informal deviance that can result in dismissal from one”s job.
Subcultural Deviant Behavior
Subcultural deviant behavior is defined as behavior that violates the norms of a particular subculture. A subculture is a social group within a larger culture that has its own distinct values, beliefs, and behaviors.
Examples ofsubcultural deviant behaviorinclude but are not limited to: gang violence, drug use, and prostitution.
While subcultural deviant behavior is often seen as criminal or harmful, it can also be a way for people to express their identity and solidarity with others in their group.
For example, many gangs use violence as a way to establish their turf and protect their members, as well as to create a shared sense of identity as “strong” and ready to take action (Copes & Williams, 2007).
Serial Deviant Behavior
Serial deviant behavior is defined as a pattern of repeated deviant behavior. For example, being convicted of multiple crimes.
For example, a teenager who shoplifts every time they enter a department store for the excitement is committing serial deviant behavior.
Those who habitually show informally deviant behavior can also be considered to exhibit serial deviant behavior.
Situational Deviance
Situational deviance is defined as behavior that is considered deviant in a particular situation but not in others.
For example, public nudity is considered deviant in most public places, but is expected on nude beaches. Similarly, using profanity is only considered deviant when it occurs in settings where cursing is not allowed or frowned upon, such as at work or school (Chercourt, 2014).
Even within these settings, the attitudes of those around the person committing the deviant act influence how deviant the behavior is considered to be.
While some forms of situational deviance may be seen as harmless or even humorous, others can have serious consequences.
Social Strain Typology(Robert K. Merton)
Merton”s theory is based on the idea that there is a tension between goals and means in society. Goals are the things that people want to achieve, such as wealth or success. Means are the ways in which people go about achieving these goals, such as working hard or getting an education.
When people cannot achieve their goals through legitimate means, they may turn to deviant behavior in order to get what they want. For example, someone who wants to be wealthy but cannot legitimately earn enough money may turn to theft or robbery.
The social strain typology is a helpful way of understanding why people engage in deviant behavior. It also helps to explain why some forms of deviance are more common than others.
For example, subcultural deviance is more likely to occur in poor neighborhoods where legitimate means of achieving goals are limited. Serial deviance is more likely to occur in individuals who have a history of engaging in deviant behavior.
And situational deviance is more likely to occur when people find themselves in situations where they are tempted to break the rules.
Structural Functionalism
Structural functionalism is a sociological theory that views society as a system of interconnected parts that work together to promote stability and order.
The theory is based on the idea that societies are organized in a way that allows them to meet the needs of their members.
For example, people who engage in minor deviant behaviors, like rudeness or angry outbursts, may be less likely to commit more serious crimes, such as murder or rape (Parsons, 1985).
The functionalist perspective also argues that deviant behavior can lead to social change. For example, people who challenge the status quo and push boundaries may help to bring about positive changes, such as increased equality or improved working conditions.
Gandhi, for example, is often credited with helping to end British rule in India through his deviant behavior of leading peaceful protests and civil disobedience.
Conflict Theory
Conflict theory is a sociological theory that views society as a system of power relationships that are in conflict with one another. The theory is based on the idea that social order is maintained through coercion and force, rather than consent or agreement.
Conflict theorists argue that deviant behavior is a result of social inequality. They believe that people who have less power in society are more likely to engage in deviant behavior as a way of challenging the existing order.
For example, people who are poor or members of minority groups may turn to crime as a way to get the resources they need to survive (Bartos & Wehr, 2002).
This theory originates from the work ofKarl Marx, who argued that social conflict is a necessary part of economic change. Marx believed that capitalism would eventually lead to a revolution in which the working class would overthrow theruling classand establish a more egalitarian society.
Conflict theory is now used to explain a wide variety of social phenomena, including crime, violence, and discrimination (Bartos & Wehr, 2002).
Labeling Theory
Labeling theory is a sociological theory that views deviance as a result of the way society labels people. The theory is based on the idea that people who are labeled as deviant are more likely to engage in deviant behavior.
Lemert was one of the first to define the concept of primary and secondary deviance (1951).Primary devianceis deviant acts that occur without labels put on the person commiting the act.
Secondary deviance, meanwhile, is a result of the labels that are put onn someone for committing deviant acts.
A person moves from primary deviance (the thing that gets him/her labeled in the first place) to secondary deviance (a deviant identity or career).
The importance of the distinction between primary and secondary deviance is that everyone commits primary deviance acts from time to time, with few social consequences.
Labeling theory argues that the act of labeling someone as deviant causes them to be seen as different from others. This difference can lead to discrimination and social exclusion, which can in turn lead to further deviant behavior.
For example, someone who is labeled as a criminal may have difficulty finding a job or housing. As a result, they may turn to crime in order to make ends meet.
Or, someone who is labeled as mentally ill may be excluded from social activities and have difficulty making friends. This isolation can lead to further mental health problems (Becker, 2018).
Labeling theory has been used to explain a wide variety of deviant behaviors, including crime, mental illness, and drug use. The theory has been criticized for its lack of empirical evidence, but it remains an influential perspective in sociology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the main theoretical perspectives that sociologists use to explain deviance include functionalism, conflict theory, and labeling theory.
Sociologists have found that deviant behavior is often a result of social inequality.
For example, people who are poor or members of minority groups may turn to crime as a way to get the resources they need to survive.
Deviance is behavior that violates social norms and arouses negative social reactions. Crime is behavior that is considered so serious that it violates formal laws prohibiting such behavior.
Not all deviant behavior is criminal. For example, social norms around clothing styles for hairstyles may vary from place to place. So, someone who wears unconventional clothes or has an unconventional haircut may be considered deviant in one community but not in another.
Similarly, people who break minor laws, such as jaywalking or littering, may be considered deviant but not criminal.
Similarly, not all criminal behavior is deviant. For example, breaking a law against selling alcohol on a Sunday does not involve committing an act of deviance in a society where selling and consuming alcohol is acceptable.
Deviance is a concept that describes non-conformity to social norms,valuesand civic expectations. Hence, it is a form of non-conformity.
Nonetheless, not all non-conformity is deviant.
Social norms vary from place to place, so what is considered deviant in one society may not be considered deviant in another. Additionally, social norms change over time, so something that was once considered deviant may become acceptable (and vice versa).
For example, tattoos and piercings were once considered deviant but are now widely accepted. Nonetheless, in a place where they remain uncommon, they may be non-conformist.
References
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Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Charlotte NickersonResearch Assistant at Harvard UniversityUndergraduate at Harvard UniversityCharlotte Nickerson is a student at Harvard University obsessed with the intersection of mental health, productivity, and design.
Charlotte NickersonResearch Assistant at Harvard UniversityUndergraduate at Harvard University
Charlotte Nickerson
Research Assistant at Harvard University
Undergraduate at Harvard University
Charlotte Nickerson is a student at Harvard University obsessed with the intersection of mental health, productivity, and design.
