"Deviance is normal" - In what sense is this true?

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Marie Sullivan 1st yr BA Hon’s Sociology 102Soc Jim Marlow

“Deviance is normal”. In what sense is this true?

Deviance could be identified as a form of social classification which is a sociological concept concerning “things” which offend a cultures expectance and social norms. Thus deviance can change over time and differ from societies, what is not accepted in one decade or society can be in another. For example guy relationships where once perceived as a mental illness. It could now be argued that they have become social accepted and are no longer perceived as being deviant or a mental illness. This change of viewpoint could be due to time and the society’s values changing.

Downs and Rode defined deviance “As banned or controlled behavior which is likely to attract punishment or disapproval.” Thus suggesting that all forms of “anti social” behavior are included, when considering deviance. Such acts such as murder which attracts punishment right through to mild acts such as burping and farting which attract mild disapproval. Therefore Downs and Rock could be suggesting that deviance is “normal” depending on the boundaries that the society enforces.

Deviance can be either secret or private and occur within the home and can also be public and open. Deviance however is often concealed and feared off. Thus takes on the secret form and people who appear to be living normal life’s and conforming to the norms of the society can in private be deviant for instance child abusers who can appear to outside world to be following societies rules are in private carrying out deviant acts.

Deviance is not primarily concerned with an “individuals” behavior, but in addition can be concerned with different group’s activities. For instance the Taliban a religious group who’s beliefs, values, and way of life is extremely different from the west they are perceived as not conforming to social worldwide set of norms and values.  Therefore there is much disagreement between the west and this religious group. It could be argued that the west is punishing the Taliban into having “social norms” and behaving “correctly”.

These “social norms” in society are “accompanied by sanctions”. Pg 120 Giddens. These sanctions either reward or punish social behavior. These sanctions can be informal and imposed by other members of society, or formal sanctions and implied by organized groups whose purpose is to see that they are ad headed to. For instance the police impose sanctions in the way of punishment if norm and values and expectations are not followed. Informal sanctions whether positive or negative are found among societies members, they can be thanking someone or talking down to an individual if they have done wrong.  Although Formal sanctions are more prominent in society, this could be because we fear negative public section due to public display and shy away from public positive sanctions. The most important is the informal sanctions, it is other peoples behavior which influence the way in which individuals conduct themselves within society.

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Although we are often influence by other members of society behaviour the laws are created and decided by the “elites” the government and these rules and laws are what the general public has to follow. “Crime” has therefore been described as “any mode of behavior which breaks a law”. Giddens pg121. Thus suggesting crime equals a form of deviant behavour and it is the rich and powerful who decided what is considered as deviant and what deviant behavior can be considered normal.

Early sociologist such as Lombroso explanations on deviance were scientifically “based on the premise that criminals ...

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