Deviance Notes

What is Deviance?

• Behaviour that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society.
• Can be an impetus for social change.
• Minor instances occur frequently.
• A deviant is someone who has violated valued standards of conduct or expectations.

What Makes Something Deviant?

• Standards of deviance vary based on:
  • Culture
  • Location
  • Age
  • Social Status

Who is Deviant?

• May not necessarily need to act in a deviant manner.
• Appearance/trait/physical ability may distinguish them.

Deviance and Social Change

• Society labels people to devalue certain groups, called stigma.
• Violations of norms are dealt with through social control.
• Stigmas can change over time.

Dealing with Deviance: Social Control

• Internal social control: Developed during socialization process.
• External social control: Social sanctions, may be positive or negative.

Types of External Control

• Informal sanctions: Rewards or punishments applied by most members of a group.
• Formal sanctions: Imposed by people with special authority.

Violating Sanctions for Social Change

• Groups challenge social norms and face sanctions to effect change.