Deviance Theory Analysis

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Deviance Theory Analysis - Identify Deviance for situations and explain

Within any given society, individuals are expected to behave and or conduct themselves in a given acceptable manner. However, there are instances when particular individuals act contrary to the set standards and violate the cultural norms. Such acts may include acts of crime, theft, defiance, breaking of rules, and truancy just to mention a few. Deviance could thus be viewed as the intentional or accidental violation of the particular behavioral aspects and ways that people are expected to act within a society (Hardy).

When an individual breaks the societal rules of conduct, they are said to be involved in deviant behaviors. However, due to the dynamism of the societies, what may be regarded as a deviant act in one society could be regarded as normal within another society. This brings out the issue that deviance may be viewed as relative to both time and location with regard to the differences in societies. Out of this understanding, deviance is viewed as the violation of social norms out of any acts, thoughts, or attitudes that the particular society regards as violation of its values or rules (Long Russ). A deviant conduct is against the definitions of the good and bad conduct as agreed upon by members of a social system. Such behaviors are in a negated direction and bear enough magnitude to surpass the acceptance and accommodation limit of the particular community.

Different sociological theories have been put across in describing deviant behaviors. They include: cultural transmission/differential association theory; control theory; labeling theory; structural strain theory/anomie theory; subcultural theories; and medicalization of deviance (Sociolog...

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...ted Works

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Social Process: An Interactionist Approach, 1962. Houghton-Mifflin. Reprinted in Blumer (1969).

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Hardy, CL, eHow Contributor. Social Deviance Theory. 199-2011. Available at:

http://www.ehow.com/about_5413178_social-deviance-theory.html

Long Russ. Introductory Sociology, Deviance, 2008. Available at:

http://www.delmar.edu/socsci/rlong/intro/deviance.htm

Sociological Theories To Explain Deviance. Available at:

http://www.valdosta.edu/~klowney/devtheories.htm

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Belmont, CA. Thomson Wadsworth

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