Deviance as a Term Used in Sociology - Essay Example

Absolute deviance means that the same form of deviance would be considered immoral in every society and at all times; the behaviour that is considered to be criminal in one society will also be considered the same everywhere else. Relative deviance on the other hand suggests the opposite, that deviance is subject to the society and time during which it has been committed, that is, it is a relative concept and differs from society to society and time to time.

In case absolute deviance persists in society, it would mean that every society would have to understand the aspect of deviance from the point of view of why people break rules and it would require uniform rules to counter the deviance committed. For example, for people committing the crime of murder, the punishment would be the same in all societies instead of some societies having the option of pardoning the criminal and others not doing so. The measures would be uniform instead of being varied.

At the same time, if deviance was seen as being relative in nature then it would differ from place to place and from time to time and require social control in different societies according to their needs; for example, every society is different and has a different rate of growth and progress. The understanding of people within every society also varies and it makes it vital to look for the reason for committing the deviance rather than what was committed and how it was committed. Relative deviance gives people a chance to explain their actions and be punished only according to the level of crime committed by them; for example, if a man commits a murder, it may be for a good cause if it kills someone who has been creating a lot of havoc and crime.

In this case, the man should not be getting the death penalty or any such punishment because he has taken an action for the greater good of society rather than depriving it of welfare. In this manner, both aspects of deviance may be understood with respect to one another.