Social Deviance Essay -- Sociology Behavior Society Deviant Essays

Social diversion Social optical aberration is a term that refers to forms of behavior and qualities of persons that others in society devalue and discredit. So what hardly is deviance? In this essay we are concerned with social deviance, non physiological deviations from the expected norm. In general, each behavior that does not aline to social norms is deviance that is behavior that violates signifi sewert social norms and is disapproved of by a large number of people as a result. For societies to run with whatsoever semblance of differentiate the problem of deviance is essential and intrinsic to any conception of social order. It is problematic because it causes a disruption, but it is essential because it defines our boundaries as a society. It is intrinsic to a conception of order in that be what is real and expected, defining what is acceptable, and defining who we are - always done in impedance to what is unreal, unexpected, unacceptable and who we are not. If we ci garet accept the reality of variety, and so designations of deviance are crucial in locating the shifting boundaries of our socially structured reality. (Erikson, 1964) What is perceived as degenerate behavior is subject to change depending on our position, place and time. Different cultures have different levels of social order and control, therefore making what can be seen as a abnormal behavior in one culture highly acceptable in another. When we define someone or some group as deviant - we strengthen our own position and simplify our response to the other we can ignore, expunge, destroy, or rehabilitate them. We convince ourselves of our own normalcy by condemn and controlling those who disagree. Deviance is a phenomenon situated in power Winners are the good and the normal Losers are the sick, the crazy, and the evil. Deviance therefore exists in opposition to those who attempt to control it - to those who have power. (Phofl, 1994) Deviance is not a question of the cost o r consequences of a particular behavior, or the behavior itself. Deviance is a label used to maintain the power, control, and position of a dominating group. It is a negotiated order. Deviance violates some groups assumptions about reality (social order). It violates expectations. The definition of deviance defines the threat and allows for containment and control of the threat. The definition of deviance preserv... ...one is given the label of a deviant in order to understand deviance itself. (Haralambos, Holborn, train Krieken, Smith, 1996) It seems that it can be concluded that deviant behavior cannot be seen to be ground entirely on the individuals involved. It is a social problem, brought about by the differing views and determine instilled in each culture and society. Amazonian Indians walk around without any clothing, to them this is not a deviant act, in modern western society this is thusly an act of great deviance and one might find themselves arrested for it. So dep ending on the state of social order and associated norms acts of deviance differ greatly. recognition ListBecker H. S., Outsiders Studies in the Sociology of Deviance, Free Press, New York, USA. Erikson K. T. 1964, Notes on the sociology of deviance, in The other(a) Side Perspectives on Deviance, Free Press, New York, USA. Giddens A., 1997, Sociology 3rd edition, Polity Press, UK. Haralambos M. Holborn M. van Krieken R. & Smith P., 1996, Sociology- themes and perspectives, Longman, Melbourne, Australia. Phofl S. 1994, Images of Deviance and Social Control A Sociological History, McGraw-Hill, USA.