Robert Merton's Theory Of Deviance In Society

1662 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Education and hard work key to success essay

Deviance or aberrance underscores any form of misdemeanor towards the generally acceptable principles or norms in any given society. Some factors to consider when defining deviance include gender, location, social status, and age. For instance, the crying of women in public in reiteration to emotional moments is not considered deviant in most societies. On the other hand, the crying of men in public places amounts to deviance in some societies, as it is against the norm for men to cry. Today in the United States, the crying of men in response to celebrations or achievements is a norm. In addition, a person laughing loudly at a funeral service is deviant, but when the same happens in a wedding or a political rally, it becomes the norm. In terms of status, an influential person can avoid protocols of a long queue waiting for security check to enter a building, but an ordinary person would be branded deviant for trying to do the same. Being deviant does not qualify one as a criminal, as some deviant acts are admirable; for instance, risking one’s life to save a drowning baby or representing one’s nation at war. Endangering one’s life is against the norm of the society. Case study I …show more content…

He talks of social instability defined by a society of haves and have-nots. In addition, he talks of some people having defined goals to success and creating the means through hard work and education. He goes ahead and describes the poor as having blocked access to their ends. However, he fails to identify who blocks their way or who provided the means for the haves. It is all about hard work and perception. Rebels are guided by choice and the same applies to the conformists. If I decided to go back on the streets and start begging as a means of livelihood, the proponents of this theory would label me an innovator. This aspect means that agree to the common goals of society, but I am not willing to work or use legitimate ways to get

Show More
Related

  • Theme Of Deviance In Benny And Joon

    1275 Words  | 3 Pages

    Deviance is described as “the recognized violation of cultural norms”(Macionis 238). While deviance can include crime, it is not always such. Deviance can mean trying to sneak into a hospital room, desperately searching for someone like the character of Benny in the movie Benny and Joon. Or it could be preforming on the streets for people to watch. Deviance isn’t always a criminal act. The movie Benny and Joon gave several examples of deviant behavior portrayed by the three main characters, Benny, Joon, and Sam.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Deviance

    747 Words  | 2 Pages

    What is deviance? What does it mean? What determines a behavior as deviant? Deviance is anything that violates a social norm. For example, when a child burps at the supper table but doesn’t excuse himself. Who we socialize and spend time with will determine what we deem as deviant behavior. There are many types of deviant behaviors, some of these behaviors may not be considered deviant to one culture but to another they are.

    Read More

  • What Is The Mystification Of Social Deviance?

    1132 Words  | 3 Pages

    After reading all four articles, it has come to my attention that deviant behavior is everywhere in our society, and all around the world. Different cultures have different norms and morals making things we believe are normal, deviant. Deviance can be seen in everything, sexual intercourse, rock n roll, and even so much as technology.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Criminal Deviance

    1241 Words  | 3 Pages

    Deviant behavior usually consists of a society expectation or norm which is being violated, and it is often met with some sort of reaction to correct the behavior, which is known as a sanction (Newman 109). Deviance does not always have to be criminal, it can also consist of breaking societal norms such as saying unacceptable things at the wrong times. This is often the type of deviance which is met by folkway sanctions, which are less severe sanctions such as eye rolling or sighing (Newman 110). In the context of this episode, I know that a certain behavior is deviant based on whether or not it is taken to court or by how certain individuals react to it such as tone of voice, and

    Read More

  • Sagging Pants Is Deviant Behavior

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    A deviant behavior is a label attached to a person’s activity that is conducted in a manner outside the normalized zone of conformity within a society. There is the perception of how people view or understand certain demeanors. Next, a behavior may be considered illegal in the eyes of the law and it may also be viewed as immoral, unethical or inappropriate in the eyes of the people. Moreover, deviant behavior is conceptualized in the eyes of the public even when an act is not illegal.

    Read More

  • Sociological Theory Of Deviance

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    We live today in the societies which are shaped by rules and norms that must be follow. At the same time, people establish their own way to do things or not and when these people break or not respect the established rules, that’s is called deviance. According to Henslin “Deviance is the violation of norms (rules or expectations)”. I will define deviance as set of behaviors that are beyond the rules accepted by society or a group of people.

    Read More

  • Deviant Behavior: Deviance: Positive, And Consequences

    1499 Words  | 3 Pages

    Deviant behavior is sociologically defined as, when someone departs from the “norms”. Most of the time when someone says deviance they think against the law or acting out in a negative behavior. To sociologists it can be both positive and negative. While most crimes are deviant, they are not always. Norms can be classified into two categories, mores and folkways. Mores are informal rules that are not written; when mores are broken, they can have serious punishments and sanctions. Folkways are informal rules that are just expected to be followed, but have no real repercussions.

    Read More

  • Sloppy Eating As A Social Deviance

    2505 Words  | 6 Pages

    Societies are founded on various social norms. Norms can best be defined as a set of acceptable attitudes and practices by a given society. These norms however are found to vary from one society or cultural setting o the other. Deviance on the other hand is simply when one does something that goes against the set societal norms. Deviance is gauged on a scale of attitudes and behavior contradicting to acceptable social standards (Samuels, 2012).

    Read More

  • The Sociology of Deviance Disputing it is Dead

    1614 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sociologists suggest deviance is a violation of any societal norm. Yet some have suggested deviance is a socially outmoded concept based on a Durkheim’s model of social solidarity. Therefore suggesting now it is obsolete, there is no longer a use for it in a (post) modern progressive and diverse society like Australia. According to Roach Anleu (2004) Colin Sumner was one such claimant. Sumner suggested that the sociological concept of deviance and any coherent theoretical development stagnated in mid 1970s, as no agreement on how deviance should be set never happened, therefore there was never an answer to the question, “deviant from what”? Secondly, Sumner states there is no explanation for why deviance is the chosen subject of research, instead of the norms that specify deviance. He believed it only made sense to examine deviance within the framework of social disapproval. Sumner also believed the relationships between deviance, crime, and difference to be unclear. Lastly he thought that the search for a general concept to encompass such a assorted range of activities, problems and situations was misguided because there can be no behavioural unity for such a diverse range of practices. Sumner (1994) suggested that the focus should analysis how deviant categories are constructed and managed by the power relationships that are continually changing. (Sumner 1994), (Roach Anleu 2014) Roach Anleu (2014) describe norms as reflecting some level of consensus and can be laws, rules, regulations, standards, or unspoken expectations. However, within large communities, there can be individuals, and groups whose behaviour is perceived as deviant according to the accepted norms. Those individuals and or groups may not necessarily be consider...

    Read More

  • Social Deviance Application: Charles Manson

    596 Words  | 2 Pages

    Social deviancy is the violation of social norms. A deviant is someone who rejects folkways and mores. Any action that violates the values or rules of a social group is deviant behavior. In order to actually be characterized as a deviant, the individual must be detected committing a deviant act and be stigmatized by society. A stigma is a mark of social disgrace, setting the deviant apart from the group. Criminality is healthy for society. Deviance affirms our cultural values and norms. Responding to deviance clarifies moral boundaries and brings people together. There will always be people who break society’s rules and that’s important.

    Read More

  • Deviance Theory Analysis

    1580 Words  | 4 Pages

    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).

    Read More

  • Deviance and The Strain Theory

    1628 Words  | 4 Pages

    Deviance is the violation of cultural norms. Deviance falls into two forms: formal and informal. Formal deviance is the violation of laws in a society, resulting in crime. Informal deviance is the violation of a social norm. This is an action not acceptable by society, but cannot be punishable by law. In order to understand deviance, one must examine why individuals are deviant and what function deviance serves in society. However, there is not a definite answer for either, rather multiple theories.

    Read More

  • What is Deviance?

    858 Words  | 2 Pages

    Deviance is defined as actions or behaviors that violate socials norms. In turn the concept of deviance is dependent on the social observation and perception. “By it’s very nature, the constructionism through which people define and interpret actions or appearances is always “social.” ”(Henry, 2009 , p. 6) One’s perception of a situation may be completely different from another depending on cultural and social factors. The way someone talks, walks, dresses, and holds themselves are all factors that attribute to how someone perceives another. In some cases what is socially or normally acceptable to one person is deviant in another’s eyes. For this reason there is a lot of gray area involving the topic of deviance because actions and behaviors are so diversely interpreted.

    Read More

  • Deviance and Social Control

    899 Words  | 2 Pages

    As we all have observed, throughout history each culture or society has unique norms that are acceptable to that group of people. Therefore, to establish and come to the acceptance of these basic norms, each society must develop its’ own strategies and techniques to encourage the fundamentals of behavior, which is clear in our modern society. Most do assume that everyone in a society will follow and respect such norms. However, some tend to deviate from the adequate norms and demonstrate deviant behavior. Nevertheless, we are inclined to ask ourselves, why do people decide to violate such important standards of living?

    Read More

  • Deviance and Society

    964 Words  | 2 Pages

    Determining Deviance The dictionary defines deviance as the breakdown or diversion from the accepted norm or expected standards of behaviour of a society. The concept of deviance however has no standard definition, it is deemed to be culturally relative. That is to say that your culture (norms, values and morals) determine what you as an individual or your society deems deviant behaviour. Functionalist Findings on Deviance The functionalist sociologist would see deviance as a necessary evil for society to function. This may seem contradictory to their belief that any form of conflict (deviance being a form of conflict) in society would be considered abnormal and should be removed or cured but deviance does help keep a form of structure in our society.

    Read More

More about Robert Merton's Theory Of Deviance In Society

Open Document