Sociology of Deviance - Essay Example

Running header: Research essay - Sociology/Identity Student’s name: Name of institution: Instructor’s name: Course code: Date of submission: Sociology/Identity Introduction Different kinds of behaviors can be distinguished by determining whether they are perceived as socially deviant behaviors or socially acceptable behaviors (Akers 1985, p. 13). Usually, all behaviors that people perceive as socially deviant are highly stigmatized. This is usually proven to cause a lot more problems to the person who is stigmatized for having such behaviors (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 316). Different societies are known to have different societal values, rules and norms. That is why a person can be considered socially deviant in one society and not deviant in another society (Becker 1973, p. 12). Not all people have the same perceptions of behaviors that are deviant and those that are not. This simply means that not everyone will agree on what is deviant or what is not deviant (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 32). This is further explained by sociologist John Curra who notes that just as beauty is said to be in the eyes of the beholder, deviance exists because a group of people may decide that another group should not be doing what they are doing (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 5). This paper will describe deviant behavior and explain the impacts that deviating from social norms and values has on one’s identity. The paper will also use numerous examples to critically explore whether deviance is dead or not. Deviant behavior has been defined differently by different people. This means that there are many different definitions and descriptions of socially deviant behavior (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). In a sociological context, the term deviance is usually used to refer to all behaviors and actions that violate societal and cultural norms and values (Becker 1973, p. 12). This violation may include the breaking of formally enacted rules such as engaging in crime (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 12). It may also include informally violating social norms through rejecting or disrespecting folkways among other violations (Jensen 2007, p. 45). According to Thio and Calhoun (2003, p. 27), deviance can be defined as anything that breaks or goes against social norms. It may further be explained as engaging in lifestyles or behaviors that are not partaken in well by the majority of society. According to Bader, Becker and Desmond (1996, p. 317), deviant behavior has been defined as any behavior that does not conform to the norms and values set by society and usually elicits negative responses from a majority of the society. Clarke and Kelly (2007, p. 4) on the other hand define socially deviant behavior as any behavior that does not adhere to or respect the social norms and cultures that are widely accepted (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). Generally, deviant behavior can be describes as those characteristics and behaviors that are found to be reprehensible or offensive and they usually generate hostility, condemnation, punishment or disapproval towards the possessor or actor (Jensen 2007, p. 45). Many scholars such as Thio and Calhoun (2003, p. 13) note that people usually misconceive deviance to mean someone doing something that is very wrong or even criminal in nature (Becker 1973, p. 12). That is why when most people are asked to explain who deviant people are, the most common answers range from the mentally ill, delinquents or criminals, sexual deviants or drug abusers (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). As noted earlier, there are some behaviors which may be viewed as deviant in some societies but they are totally accepted in other societies (Becker 1973, p. 12). For example, smoking may be viewed as a socially deviant behavior in one society but is accepted in another society. This means that people’s understandings of socially deviant behavior are usually relative (Douglas 1984, p. 117). What is taken to be deviant in one society is not necessarily deviant in another society (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 15). Deviant behaviors and acceptable behaviors are usually defined and set by different societies. It is societies that label behaviors as deviant and others as acceptable (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 14). From the above explanations, many scholars have reached the conclusion that deviance can either be positive or negative (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 320). According to Douglas (1984, p. 116), raising questions about abnormality and normality does in no way mean that there are no behaviors that are socially deviant and odd (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 15). There are those behaviors that are taken to be more deviant than others such as murder compared to hallucinations (Becker 1973, p. 12). Both are deviant behaviors but a behavior like murder is more associated with deviance than hallucinations are (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 92). This means that there are some behaviors which are considered to have a high degree of deviance than others. Murder and hallucinations have been best used to explain this (Douglas 1984, p. 116). Deviating from socially acceptable norms, values and behaviors is said to have several impacts on identity (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 74). In social perspectives, the term identity may be explained as the expression or conception of a person’s individuality or group affiliation, for example, cultural identity or national identity (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 320). Identity has also been defined as an individual’s distinctive character or a character that is shared by all members of a social group or category (Becker 1973, p. 12). Deviant behaviors can be best understood by studying social and cultural norms. Different cultures usually have different norms (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 15). That is why behaviors that are considered polite and acceptable in one particular culture may be taken as inappropriate or rude in another culture (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 92). Studying norms so as to understand deviant behaviors will include critically analyzing the history of these norms (Becker 1973, p. 12). It will also require the study of how the norms have evolved over time and the changes that they have undergone to be what they are today. This can help in the understanding of deviant behavior (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 320). Deviant behaviors can be explained from sociological, biological and psychological perspectives (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 15). Biologically, deviance can be looked at through variations in the brain which may make one to express deviant behaviors (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). Biologists are also interested in the factors that motivate normal and abnormal behavior when trying to understand deviant behaviors (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 234). Psychologists on the other hand are purely interested in the processes of thinking that are behind deviant or normal behavior (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 43). They study areas such as depression and childhood development among others which try to explain why people behave the way they do (Thio & Calhoun 2003, p. 27). This essay majorly concentrates on deviant behaviors from a sociological perspective (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 15). From the sociological perspective for example, issues that can play include factors such as class (Becker 1973, p. 12). Theft is a good example of deviant behavior (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). It could be said that theft is driven by class since a thief might be influenced by sociological pressures such as poverty (Douglas 1984, p. 119). Deviance has a lot of effects on the identity of the people who are referred to as deviants. In an organization for example, identities are considered very important antecedents of behavior, motivation and commitment (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). As a result of this, behavior may therefore influence social identities a great deal (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 15). Many scholars acknowledge that we can partly learn about ourselves by observing and understanding our own behavior (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 234). It is therefore correct to conclude that anyone who engages in behavior towards a collective might be seen to indicate that the collective is important to that person (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 5). Deviance therefore impacts the identity of an individual by influencing the commitment, motivation and behavior of someone (Thio & Calhoun 2003, p. 29). The question as to whether deviance is dead or not has been discussed by many different scholars (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 5). Many people have claimed that deviance is dead while others have claimed that it is not dead. There has been a common misconception that deviance is the same as undesirable and negative behavior (Thio & Calhoun 2003, p. 29). These claims hold no water because deviating from what society has established as norms or values does not necessarily mean that one is wrong (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 15). Norms and values are established by society and this does not mean that they are absolutely correct (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). The conception of deviance being dead has been brought about by the fact that deviance has more often than not been misconceived to mean so many things that it is not (Clinard & Meier 2008, p. 15). The term deviance has been given a lot of false meanings that do not reflect its true meaning (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). More often than not, if an individual is said to be deviant, the first thing that comes to the minds of many is that the individual is thought to partake in undesirable and negative behaviors (Thio & Calhoun 2003, p. 29). Deviant individuals are mostly thought to be the ones who lack a value system and partake in very negative or evil behavior (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 234). A good example is that of an individual who chooses never to get married or have children and a family but instead focus on his or her career or education (Bader, Becker & Desmond 1996, p. 319). Such a person’s behavior is considered to be deviant simply because he or she does not conform to what the rest of the society considers to be normal (Akers 1985, p. 13). Majority of the society may think that getting married and having children is the normal thing to do and when someone does not do this, they are considered to be deviant because they are deviating from social norms (Becker 1973, p. 12). In real sense, such a person is not deviant because he or she is simply doing what they believe in (Clarke & Kelly 2007, p. 234). In my opinion, deviance is dead because it is society that defines what is to be considered deviant or not. Everything is looked at in the eyes of the society and the individual is not given the chance to define what is right or what is wrong. Deviant behaviors are simply called so because they do not conform to social norms and values. In real sense, the society should not dictate what is wrong or right because the identities of individuals can be greatly affected. Conclusion In conclusion, it can be said that deviance is anything that breaks or goes against social norms. Deviance has also been further explained as engaging in lifestyles or behaviors that are not partaken in well by the majority of society. Deviance is indeed dead because it is no longer seen to clear. What is considered to b deviant in one society may not necessarily be deviant in another society. Not all people have the same perceptions of behaviors that are deviant and those that are not. This simply means that not everyone will agree on what is deviant or what is not deviant. References Akers, RL 1985, Deviant behavior: a social learning approach, 3rd edn. Belmont, CA, Wadsworth. Bader, C, Becker, PJ & Desmond, S 1996. ‘Reclaiming deviance as a unique course from criminology’, Teaching Sociology, vol. 24, pp. 316-320. Becker, HS 1973, Outsiders: studies in the sociology of deviance, Free Press, New York. Clarke, EJ & Kelly, DH 2007, Deviant behavior, Worth Publishers, New York. Clinard, MB & Meier, RF 2008, Sociology of deviant behaviors, Cengage Learning, Madison. Douglas, JD 1984, The sociology of deviance, Allyn and Bacon, Boston. Jensen, GF 2007, The path of the devil: early modern witch hunts, Rowman & Littlefield, Chicago. Thio, A & Calhoun, TC 2003, Readings in deviant behavior, Allyn and Bacon, Boston. Read More