Sociological Viewpoint of Deviance Essay - 2108 Words

Sociological Viewpoint of Deviance Deviance is a wide-ranging term used by sociologists to refer to behaviour that varies, in some way, from a social norm. In this respect, it is evident that the concept of deviance refers to some form of rule-breaking behaviour. In relation to deviance, therefore, the concept relates to all forms of rule-breaking whether this involves such things as murder, theft or arson - the breaking of formal social rules - or such things as wearing inappropriate clothing for a given social situation, failing to produce homework at school or the breaking of relatively informal social rules. In practice, the study of deviance is usually limited to deviance that results in†¦show more content†¦Individuals, who anticipate necessary adjustments of social morality to changing conditions, may be stigmatised as criminals at first. Crime is the precondition and the proof of a societys capacity for flexibility in the face of essential change. In Some societies, the crime rate may become pathol ogical and as such, this indicates a society that is sick, which means that it is suffering from social disorganisation. Durkheim does not, however, provide any indication of what a normal crime rate might be, or how it could be calculated. (Giddens (2001), p. 200) Durkheim also ignores conflicts about morality within a society, which is the stock in trade of the labelling theorist. Equally important, Durkheim, while accepting the relative nature of crime, also seems to think that some acts seem constant, in terms of being defined as criminal, in all societies. That is, he recognises a minimum content of natural law. Finally, Durkheim, while regarding a certain rate of crime as a normal inescapable feature of society, also was aware that particular societies might be in a pathological condition, which generates excessive deviance. This leads into the area of anomie and the work of Robert Merton. (Giddens (2001), p. 203) Robert Merton argues that both human goals and constraints on behaviour are socially based (we learn them), andShow MoreRelatedSociology: Value Conflict1346 Words   |  6 Pagestheir deviance for granted, as one cannot assume that these people have actually committed a deviant act or broken some rule, because the process of labeling theory may not be infallible. In other words, to be deviant behavior deviant does not necessarily mean that the individual is, or has been deviant in the past. In addition, Kai T. Erikson (2005) also highlights the way social reaction affects the deviant individual. He reinforces what Becker had previously suggested saying that deviance is notRead MoreSociological Theory Of Labelization967 Words   |  4 Pageshas been an evident stimulator in life, causing no surprise that labeling is the most influential motivator in human behavior. 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