Deviant Behaviors in the Society - Essay Example

Deviant Act al Affiliation Deviant Act Deviant behaviors refer to such behaviors that tend to drift away from the morally and ethically accepted behaviors with regards to social perspective. Such behaviors are always considered unethical and full of immoral contents and intents by the society. Normative constructs and behaviors are the most appropriate and effective tools in correcting the deviant behaviors in the society. Deviant behaviors are always associated with elements of crime, assault and violence. There are two major forms of social deviance. These include formal and informal social deviance. Formal social deviance are those whose impacts may require involvement of law (Goode and Nachman, 2009). These may include criminal activities comprising of theft, robbery with violence, rape and child abuse. In addition, other forms of formal deviant behaviors include the infidelity and adultery with regards to different views of different societies (Rainwater, 2011). On the contrary, informal deviant behaviors may include such things as picking a nose when people are on dining tables. It is significant to note that several types of deviant behaviors exist. Some of the types of deviant behaviors include folkways, mores as well as laws. These contribute significantly in defining the codes of conduct as well as behavior within a given societal setup or environment (Fey, 2003). The case involving playing of poker in the library is a deviant behavior. It is within the society’s perception that certain activities are only entitled to certain places. Therefore, engaging in such activities in places not meant for them is highly regarded as a deviant behavior within the society. A library is socially recognized as a place for conducting research as well as studying (Rainwater, 2011). Therefore, the society may expect no form of play to take place in such places involving libraries. However, the case above defies the societal norms. Such illicit behaviors may draw a lot of attention as well as suspicion form the people within the surrounding environment. This is evident in the manner in which the fellow students reacted upon discovery following my decision to play poker in the library instead of studying. Majority of the students condemned that behavior and considered it disrespectful, awkward and socially unethical based on the place where it was conducted. This made me realize that such a behavior involving playing of soccer in the library is considered deviant behavior in the society. My behavior in the library defied the folkways norms. Folkways are norms that regards observation of high degree of morals as well as etiquette in certain places at certain times (Clinard and Robert, 2011). However, the behavior of playing poker in the library depicted a lack of societal etiquette required of such an environment. This contributed further in informing me that my behavior was considered socially deviant. It is a fact that human beings always have different behaviors. Majority of individuals always have good behaviors whereas a few individuals have very queer behaviors. However, it is critical to highlight that there are no permanent behaviors. This follows that behaviors are prone to change. As time progresses, one stands a chance of changing his or her behaviors with regards to the environment in which he dwells. A behavior change may be towards the negative side or the positive side (Goode and Nachman, 2009). If someone changes from good behavior to bad behavior, the result may be criminal activities. This is considered socially unethical and immoral. However, behavioral changes that involve turning away from queer behaviors to good behaviors are considered positive behavioral changes. Such changes are associated with successes and progress in the society. There are a number of behaviors that are normally accepted by the society. Majority of these behaviors are always good behaviors, involving reformation behaviors that involve turning from bad to good deeds (Goode and Nachman, 2009). However, it is also important to underscore the fact that majority of people may have bad behaviors that form major inhibitors to the development of the society. Such bad behaviors are always considered ethically wrong and morally unacceptable by the society in general. The impacts of such behaviors require no involvement of law to offer a solution. However, their solutions mostly lie in one’s ability to engage in in-depth comprehension coupled with instinctive forms of common sense. It is of crucial significance to note that such deviant behaviors always function to break the dominant norms of the society (Goode and Nachman, 2009). This involves disruption of the normal and conventional way in which the society views some issues. Deviant behaviors always erode the sense of morality in the society as well as promote involvement in social vices by unsuspecting individuals. It is of crucial significance to acknowledge the fact that normative behaviors are always important in the society in several perspectives. Normative constructs and behaviors are the most appropriate and effective tools in correcting the deviant behaviors in the society. Normative behaviors are such behaviors considered morally upright, ethically correct as well as socially acceptable within a given set of population or community (Rainwater, 2011). Such behaviors always heave elements of normalcy as well as commonness within the society. Normative behaviors are significant in that they ensure that the needs of the society are properly met. A society may set several needs and vested interests with regards to certain rules and regulations that govern specific behaviors. Such rules and regulations may have several benefits within the society. Therefore, proper adherence, observance as well as implementation of such rules and regulations within the behavior of individuals within the society may be a step forward in ensuring that the society attains its needs in the best ways possible (Fey, 2003). Majority of such needs may regard behavior changes. These may involve positive transformations whereby an individual decided to drop bad behaviors and adopt the morally approved as well as ethically accepted codes of conduct within the society. Such a form of positive transformation may be one of the key demands that the society may need its members to adopt. Therefore, a positive change of behavior within the society may contribute to reduction of criminal cases that may be associated with bad behaviors (Fey, 2003). In addition, a positive change of behavior as well as codes of conduct may be beneficial to the society since it dictates withdrawals from deviant actions that may paint negative pictures in the society (Fey, 2003). A society may be in dire need to rectify the sense of morality prevailing within it. In cases where normative behaviors are lacking, reaching such societal demands may be quite challenging (Rainwater, 2011). This may follow that the roots of social evils authored by prevalent influences of acts of deviance, increasing number of deviants as well as escalating societal vices may be extremely difficult to deal with. Such may lead to erosion of the society’s culture, morality as well as dignity. This translates to branding the society a very bad name as well as soiling the reputation of such a society. Therefore, in order for the society to avoid falling victim of the consequences of such deviant actions, there is need for the society to overemphasize the need to observe good ethics, good virtues, acceptable values as well as satisfactory morals in order to uphold the dignity, integrity and reputation of the society (Rainwater, 2011). This may also be beneficial to the younger generation who will be forced to adopt such morally accepted virtues, morals and values in order for the society to be complete. The inculcation of such values, morals and virtues in the young children may be a key target or demand of the society in order to create a future society that has minimal cases of crimes and other social vices. This is one of the benefits of the normative behaviors to the society as depicted by the case above. It is of critical importance to note that normative behaviors play critical roles in the society. Normative behaviors are the most dependable tools for changing overall behavior within the society. In addition, it is true to note that normative behaviors contributes so much towards keeping behaviors in check (Rainwater, 2011). A change of behavior can be positive or negative. This means that a person or an individual can decide to deviate from good behaviors and adopt socially unethical and immoral behaviors. Such people may be termed socially unaccepted within the community following such queers behaviors. Therefore, in this sense, it is true to highlight that the nature of normative behavior that a person depicts is critical in defining societal acceptance towards that person (Rainwater, 2011). On the contrary, a person may decide to deviate from bad to good normative behaviors in the society. Such people may become socially accepted. Such changes of behaviors from negative to positive behaviors are always greatly revered within the society. The society may append several roles to such a change of behavior. These may include enlightening the other members about the benefits of change of behavior from bad to good characters (Rainwater, 2011). Such people who always change their behaviors from bad to good are always taken as role models at times. This is meant to shed more light on the issue of behavior change, morality, good virtues expected as well as accepted within the society. The main aim of the normative behavior is to guide on deciding what to do in certain places at specific times as well as what is unexpected at certain places at given times. In the case where the student plays poker in the library, there may be certain reactions that may follow. It is of crucial significance to note that within the society’s perspective, it is irrelevant to play any form of game or gambling in the library. A library is not a place for playing. The overall perception of the society with regards to library is that a library is a place for studies, research and learning. Therefore, playing poker in the library is a form of proscriptive norms within the society. Proscriptive norms are important since they guide the society on what to do at specific times and specific places (Goode and Nachman, 2009). Therefore, with regards to the case above, such proscriptive norms may lead to a positive behavior change that translates to the general good for the society. Normative behaviors are also important in several ways. A normative behavior that depicts positive deviance in the society is important in the sense that it can allow for such an individual to be given several key leadership posts as defined by the specific community or society from which such an individual belongs ( Goode and Nachman, 2009). This may be in the need by the society to ensure that it meets its targets, objectives, needs and demands. Normative behaviors associated with positive changes in character may make the society build more trust in the person. This may be quite beneficial since the person may at times acquire certain key societal favoritisms. The inculcation of good behaviors within the society is of crucial importance in bringing developments to hat society in future (Goode and Nachman, 2009). Therefore, the society may look into several ways of ensuring that the community members observe such good behaviors. This follows that such behaviors always play significant roles in ensuring that deviants adopt good morals, ethics, virtues as well as values that may be beneficial to the society. Such behaviors can be taught to the society in several perspectives. However, it is significant to acknowledge the fact that in order to ensure maximum change of character within the society, such a society may assign specific roles to the people who were once deviants but had changed to positive normative behaviors. Such roles may involve training the society members as well as teaching them on matters pertaining to the demerits of deviance, the need for good ethics, morals, virtues as well as normative values within the society ( Goode and Nachman, 2009). The case involving playing of poker in the library is a clear breach of the societal norms regarding such places of learning. A library is always associated with learning activities as well as research. Therefore, such places should be observed with maximum dignity, decorum as well as soundness in decisions. Therefore, within the societal perspective, it is significant that a change of behavior to counter such a deviant act should be put in place. It is of critical significance to note that normative behaviors play significant roles in determining how other individuals will behave concerning several key issues. Several people within the society are well equipped with the knowledge of the norms within such a society. Such norms are essential in shedding a sense of comfort in the society’s general perspective (Clinard and Robert, 2011). It is also a fact that the normative behaviors contribute greatly towards bringing as well as strengthening order within the society. This is so crucial in ensuring peaceful relations between individuals and amongst individuals living in a specific community setting. However, any form of behavior depicting a contradictory form of norm within the society will draw lots of suspicion to the society members (Clinard and Robert, 2011). Such may make the society respond in several ways evident through their reactions. In this regards, the normative behaviors can be used to determine how a given population in a certain setup will behave. Such societal setups may include schools, work places as well as religious places. Each societal environment has certain key norms and rules that govern any form of behavior (Clinard and Robert, 2011). In addition, each societal setting expects that the individuals comply as well as observe such norms considered morally accepted within the society. Therefore, any behavior that tends to drift away from the societal norms may face certain reactions within the society involving rejection, opposition or approval. The nature of the societal reaction majorly depends on the nature of such a normative behavior or the deviant act depicted by the individual in question. A positive deviant behavior depicts a morally and ethically accepted normative behavior in the society (Clinard and Robert, 2011). Such will face positive reactions within the society. However, negative deviant behaviors depict morally and ethically unacceptable normative behaviors within the society. Such may face negative reactions from the society in question. The case of playing poker in a library is a deviant behavior depicting noncompliance to the socially accepted ethics, codes of conduct as well as morality. Such will elicit a variety of behavioral reactions from people within that societal setup. The fellow students will question the decision as well as the sanity of such a fellow student. Some may decide to come and offer advice to the player as well as try to lure him to obey the codes of conduct expected within the library. This is crucial in championing for the change of behavior of such a student to adopt the good norms as well as behaviors expected in such places of learning. The normative constructs within a society are supposed to be observed with due respect, compliance and obedience. It is of crucial significance to note that social or normative constructs are perceptional rules within the society (Goode and Nachman, 2009). Such rules are not written anywhere, though they contribute significantly in maintaining good conducts within the society. The society may append greater significance to such normative constructs on the basis of such benefits associated with the. Therefore, violation of such normative constructs may be considered unethical as well as abusive to the general perception accorded to such normative constructs (Clinard and Robert, 2011). Any breach of such normative constructs can significantly contribute to breach of the societal norms. Anybody who may be found guilty of breaking such normative structures may always be considered outcast within some communities. This always depend on the nature of behavior of such a person that informed the breach of such normative structures. Normative constructs are important to the society in several perspectives. These may involve setting standards of acceptable morals within the community that every member is expected to comply and oblige. In addition, normative structures are crucial in defining the codes of conduct that each member of the society is expected to follow (Goode and Nachman, 2009). Such conducts always lead to good behaviors expected in the society. The violation of such normative constructs within a society is enough to classify such violations as deviant behaviors. This is because such violations always tend to disrupt the level of compliance, obedience as well as respect that should be accorded to such normative constructs. The violations of such normative acts may also lead to adoption of morally unacceptable behaviors and codes of conduct within the society. Moreover, such violations may undermine the socially acceptable ethics, virtues and values within a society. Thus, such acts involving violations of normative structures within a society is enough to classify such violations as deviant acts. In summary, deviant behaviors refer to such behaviors that tend to drift away from the morally and ethically accepted behaviors with regards to social perspective. Normative behaviors are such behaviors considered morally upright, ethically correct as well as socially acceptable. Such behaviors always have elements of normalcy as well as commonness within the society. Normative behaviors are significant in that they assist in meeting the demands and needs of the society regarding morally accepted behaviors. Therefore, it is important to note that normative constructs and behaviors are the most appropriate and effective tools in correcting the deviant behaviors within the society. References Clinard, M. B, and Robert F. M (2011). Sociology of Deviant Behavior. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Fey, R. (2003). Social Sanctions and Deviant Behavior. New York: Random House. Goode, E, and Nachman B. (2009). Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Deviance. Chichester, U.K: Wiley-Blackwell. Rainwater, L. (2011). Deviance & Liberty: Social Problems and Public Policy. New Brunswick: AldineTransaction. Read More