Durkheim Deviance Theory

Durkheim Deviance Theory
Deviance Durkheim's perfected theory on deviance reaffirms that it is a normal part of society. In other words, the social structure cannot be
defined as perfect if elements of deviation are not included. In the same degree, social conflict theory proponents state that inequalities in society
tend to make people to be regarded as evil and therefore laws of good are made to punish deviants. For the best part of this sociological paper, the
focus will be on the social conflict theory which tends to shares some baseline from the work of the sociological father Durkheim on crime.
Deviance Definition According to Macionis (2016, p.171), deviance may be defined as the documented contravention of cultural standards. It is
the intentional disregard for the conventional way of association and the link between deviance and crime may be high based on what theory one
chooses to explicitly follow. Stated Opinion on Durkheim Durkheim's perception on deviance asserts that it is a normal part of society and
therefore should be regarded as that customary way of life. In this regard, one can only see it usual when it is applicable in defining moral virtues in
society. For instance, a man cannot be said to be a thief if there are no other good behaviors that oppose stealing. Also, Durkheim believes that
deviance for one reason or the other ensures social change in a society especially in one that is metropolitan. In the 1950's, people hated rock bands
such as rock–n– roll but today they are
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Youth Deviance Essay
Deviance is defined as the recognized violation of cultural norms. This is an extremely broad definition, and depending on who is explaining it, the
above definition can mean a variety of different things. Critically examine the theory of deviance with reference to young people and their membership
in deviant subcultures or gangs. Deviance is associated with young people today and is rapidly on the increase within the street and school
environment. Young deviants are engaging in gang membership and subcultures with a means of social belonging, social interest and ethnic identity.
There are several sociological and subcultural theories which deem to explain deviance. Some of the theories are functionalist pretentious that criminal
...show more content...
The Chicago school on gangs urbanized the school into a set of theories arguing that certain groups or subcultures in society have values and attitudes
that contribute to crime and deviance. The key focus is on juvenile delinquency. Juvenile delinquency refers to criminal acts performed by juveniles, a
juvenile is a young person. Theorists deem that if this precedent of criminal behaviour can be understood and controlled, it will break the transition
from teenage offender into habitual criminal. Subcultural theorists argue that certain groups develop norms and values which are diverse from those
held by other affiliates of society. Subcultural theories argue that deviance is the result of individuals conforming to the values and norms of the social
group to which they belong. Their subculture allows them to commit certain acts which are seen as deviant. Albert K. Cohen agreed with this
subcultural theory on deviance, where he believed that the development of subcultures is explained in terms of the position of groups or individuals in
the social structure. Sociological theories on deviance diverge from biological and psychological theories that elucidate norm violation in terms of
social notion, the development of theories of deviance reflect the social

Deviance And Crime Reflection Paper
Reflection 3 Chapter seven is focused on deviance and crime. The text provided a thorough analysis of the way deviance is defined, while also
defining crime in ways I never thought of. Some of the terms explained ways that society labeled individuals, which led me to an understanding about
why certain individuals are viewed a certain way. The material that was covered also gave an in–depth picture of the criminal justice system as well as
explaining the reasoning behind labels for certain groups. In tThis reflection various perspectives of deviance, types of crimes and the importance
of their labels when it comes to the justice system punishment will be presented. In society, deviance is determined by social norms and interactions
that are defined by society itself, based off of how it is perceived by others. In chapter seven, Kendall (2017) mentions different perspectives that
defines s deviance. One of the perspectives that is mentioned is from the functionalist. When I read the chapter, I thought about what functions
deviance has in society, . wWhich was answered by Emile Durkheim, who stated that deviance contributes to social change in society. Kendall
(2017) states that "deviance may also be dysfunctional for society" (p.177). This is due to the fact that everyday existence in society can be
interrupted by too many people moving away from the norm. In addition, when too many people move from the norm, it creates violence and chaos
such as more serious deviance such as crimes. But the act of deviance may also provide ways into which some individuals acquire necessities for life
that they cannot afford legally, which the term anomie comes into play.
Robert Merton modified Durkheim's concept of anomie to create the strain theory. The strain theory gives examples of how people use deviance to
obtain resources or necessities needed to survive in society in good and bad ways. Learning about these good and bad ways on the strain theory led
into the second perspective of the first half of the chapter called Conflict Perceptive. This perspective focused on the conflict between the social
classes and gender classes. AOne point that I would like to mention that helped me in this chapter was made by Kendall

Deviance Essay
Deviance is a term which I was unfamiliar with prior to doing research and learning more about it in sociology. Whenever I would hear the word in
society, it would usually be in pop culture and for me, it was most notably in those stereotypical "student misbehaving in classroom" scenarios. In
these scenarios, the child would misbehave in some way, whether it be by throwing materials at other classmates, or bad mouthing the teacher in a
disrespectful way. As a result, the student would be called a "deviant" by the teacher and would receive suspension for deviance in the classroom.
The word deviance is generally defined as follows, behaviors or actions that may violate social norms as well as informal social norms. The definition
of the word...show more content...
Lastly, with promoting social change, for example, "deviants" can show majorities differing norms to expose those who may be unfamiliar. Another
article I came across was titled, "Status, Endorsement, and the Legitimacy of Deviance". The part of the article in which I thought was intriguing was
the depth that the author went into; regarding the theory of endorsements and legitimacy and how deviant actions shown from individuals unto others
can appear to legitimate or illegitimate. A quote taken from the article further examines legitimacy, "an act violating these existing norms may itself
become legitimate within a group, generating expectations obligating group members to engage in deviant conduct. Failing to engage in legitimated
deviance communicates that the focal actor believes that the behavior suggested by the carrier is inappropriate and raises doubts about the definition
of the situation (Berger and Luckmann 1966; Thomas et al. 1986). If deviance is legitimate, therefore, group members will be more likely to engage in
deviance, will expect others to do the same, and will support deviance and punish non–deviance" (Younts 2008). This quote expressed the theory that if
deviance is shown to be normalized by an individual of a group, then others are less likely to go against it because it appears as legitimate. This aspect
of deviance I found unsettling because in this example, deviance can be used as a form of manipulation depending on the

Essay On Deviance
The crime deviant behavior that violates prevailing norms cultural standards prescribing how human ought to behave normally. As we look at it
everyone has values and cultures or upbringings cause a to have a very wide range of what we wall consider the deviant and completely normal or
satisfactory. Well, some people may think that devious is many different things. Maybe a criminal act or just being outright disrespectful and just
being defiant to any rule possible. I will be interviewing to people one will be Lydia and Raul I will be getting their point of view on what they
consider deviance and how they also Define deviance and in a way how they came corrected also if they were to see that happen before their eyes
Lydia is 27–year–old with a bachelor of science in RN registered nurse and Raul is 22–year–old who has two–year associate degree in human services.
Norms guide almost all human activities, so the concept of deviance is quite broad. One category of deviance is crime, the violation of a society's
formally enacted criminal law. Even criminal deviance spans a wide range, from minor traffic violations to prostitution, sexual assault, and murder
(Macionis, 2013). First off, I will be interviewing Lydia who I meet at a Starbucks at a coffee place. when I was talking to Lydia I want to ask her can
you tell me what you think deviance is she felt like deviance is somebody who has total disrespect to any rule weather is the smallest or to the most
major rule ever so it to

Example Of Relativity Of Deviance
Deviance tends to be a misunderstood term in our modern day society. Just speaking for myself, when I generally hear about a person referred to as
'deviant', I assume they are a trouble–making, outcasted, or mean individual. However, this generalized idea is not necessarily truthful because the term
deviant actually has a much more in–depth definition. Sociologically, deviance is defined as "a violation of contextual, cultural, or social norms"
(OpenStax, 2015). Although a violation tends to be thought of as a negative offense, violations can also be positive movements made by individuals
in order to break free of generalized societal norms as well. Deviance can also vary based on who is committing the deviant act, depending on factors
such...show more content...
The first example of the relativity of deviance that I thought of was the act of eating dog meat as a meal. I know that specifically in the U.S., the
mere thought of this act is (for the most part) deemed to be entirely unethical and outrageous to even consider. However, having dog meat as the main
dish of a meal is more common than not in countries such as China and Nigeria. As the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have stated loud
and clear, "Before we point the finger and call such people hypocrites, think of people in the Western world who have "pet" hens and pot–bellied pigs
yet still eat fried chicken and ham sandwiches. They balk at eating animals they "know" but have no problem eating an animal they never met who
invariably endured a miserable life on a filthy factory farm and ended up in a very scary place: the slaughterhouse" (Sherrow, 2011). Essentially,
dogs clearly play different roles in different cultures. While dogs are primarily considered 'man's best friend' in the U.S., dogs in other countries are
equivalent to the chicken and pork in the U.S. While our culture sees the killing of dogs for meals as deviant, other countries may not. It is obvious
that deviance will always be relative to the 'eye of the beholder' so to say, meaning that deviance is open

Essay on Deviance and Society
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...show more content...
This theory can be seen as a form of relativism theory because the criteria for judgement varies form individual to individual and also from time and
from circumstances. It is my opinion that this labelling is mostly prevalent in countries with mixed and populations like North America where the
groups would be big enough to make this classification even though it can and does happen in counties with smaller populations. Racial profiling is a
type of labelling that is used by law enforcement officers in North America, this type of labelling is used in the apprehension of non–Caucasian
criminals, racial profilers make a pre–judgement that certain races are responsible for deviant or criminal activity and any action they perform that is a
diversion of the normal behaviour is considered deviant behaviour regardless of the situation or circumstances, so if a crime is committed in a district
automatically the search for the suspect is narrowed down to someone of a no–Caucasian race typically blacks. Police departments in America have
denied using racial profiling as a method of apprehending criminals and have dismissed it as a myth.
Marxist Mentality on Deviance
From reading the theories of the Marxist I have concluded that deviance for their point of view would be the result of the working class of society
reacting to the

Deviance Essay
Deviance is an action or behavior that violates social norms, including a formally enacted rule, as well as informal violations of social norms. Deviant
behavior is any behavior that is contrary to the dominant norms of society. Norms are rules and expectation by which members of society are
conventionally guided. Social norms differ from culture to culture. Deviance can be criminal or non–criminal. There are many different theories on
what causes a person to exhibit deviant behavior. Some explanations can be biological, sociological as well as psychological. Sociological
explanations for deviant behavior focus on how social structures, forces, and relationships foster deviance whereas biological explanations focus on
physical and...show more content...
Conformity and deviance are two responses to real or imagined pressures from others. In order for a society to function smoothly, it must have
social order; although, that does not mean that all members will behave as expected to all the time. When a person fails to conform to the social
norms of society, social deviation arises and some people may react differently than others. I conducted a few "experiments" to see how people
would react if I displayed deviant behavior in regards to the social norms. I started out small by cutting in line, once at the bank and another in line
to get Costco food. Banks are typically quiet so when I did no one said anything, in fact, the lady I passed cleared her throat and when I looked at
her she just gave me a confused look and then smiled when I just kept looking at her without reacting. She was surprisingly nice about it. When I
got to the teller though he asked me if I knew that I just passed someone and I just said "yes" and went on with my day. At first, he was giving me a
bit of attitude when I was getting money out of my account. Before I left I finally explained why I did that and his whole demeanor changed. At
first, he was a little shocked and didn't know how to react and finally, he asked me how that made me feel being called out on passing someone in
line and that he misjudged me due to the deviant behavior. When I cut in line to get food at Costco I was rudely put in my place. At first, the lady

Theoretical Approaches To Deviant Behavior
Deviance can be defined as the transgression of social norms. Deviant behavior may not always be criminal behavior. It can be as minor as farting
or picking your nose in public to as serious as vandalizing someone's property or murder. Societal expectations provide orderliness that when
society finds an act unacceptable or offensive, you would be considered a deviant. Power plays a big role in the construction of a deviant behavior.
Power can manipulate the individual and society and how they view deviance. The following discussions apply three sociological theoretical
approaches to deviance based on the Fifth Edition Social Problems book. Deviance can be looked at from conflict theorist perspective. According
to the conflict perspective, deviance is a social creation and the power in society defines what is normal and what is not. Power can manipulate
others. In relation to the Unites States society, a deviant behavior like abortion, shooting innocent and unarmed people, and child abuse is seen as a
deviant behavior. These acts are punishable by the law. Conflict theorists draw attention to power differences, such as class conflict. The powerful
have the ability to change norms, then wealth and status comes into conflict with the individual. The legal rights of the poor might be ignored,
while the middle class side with the elites rather than the poor. The upper class in our society is the social class composed of the wealthiest
members of society, who also have the greatest political power. In our society people frown upon the usage or selling illicit drugs while getting
hallucinogenic drugs or narcotic prescription drugs from a doctor is considered acceptable. Politicians, set the policies on what drugs should be legal
and which should not in order to "minimize harm" to people here and abroad. In fact, many legal drugs cause serious harm, including death. To secure
the these norms, professional control plays a huge role in who gets what and their solutions are dominant. Deviance can also be looked at from the
Symbolic Interactionist perspective. The symbolic interaction, labeling theory concerns the meanings people derive from one another's labels, symbols,
actions, and reactions. This theory holds that

Essay about Deviance
Deviance Whatever the term deviance creates , in general it is popularly assumed that 'deviants' are individuals who are somehow less capable, less
socially responsible, less adjusted, and consequently less useful to society than their more fortunate, upright and 'normal' fellows ( Social Deviance in
Australia, p 4). In the case of Aboriginal drinking, alcohol is the main source of criminalisation and incarceration. This publiclabelling gives the
individual an entirely new status– one which tends to dominate the person's self conception. Once this assumes a 'master status' it becomes the major
reference for personal identity and relegates all to other 'normal' characteristics to a subsidiary status. This process insures that...show more content...
According to Merton it is this lack of integration between what the culture expects and what the structure permits that causes deviant behaviour (Robert
Merton Website). Merton points out that there are particular goals which are strongly emphasised by society. Society puts a strong emphasis on the
correct means in which to reach those goals (such as education, hard work etc,.). However not everyone has equal access to the legitimate means to
attain those goals. The"Social structure" of American society limits the ability of certain groups to satisfy those appetites. The result is "a definite
pressure on certain persons in the society to engage in nonconformist rather than conformist conduct". Merton points out that the culture of any society
defines certain goals it deem "worth striving for". The most important aspiration in American society, is to obtain wealth. Accumulated wealth is
generally equated with personal value and worth is associated with a high degree of prestige and social status (Criminological theories p 135–136).
Merton argues that American culture specifically encourages all individuals to achieve the greatest amount of wealth. American culture is based on an
egalitarian ideology that declares that all people have an equal chance to obtain wealth. Although all individuals are not expected to achieve this goal,
all are expected to try. Those who do not may be unfavourably charcterised as "lazy" or "unambitious" ( Criminological theories p

What is Deviance? Essay
Deviance can be defined as an absence of conformity to the social norm. Not all deviant behavior is necessarily illegal or harmful to individuals,
these behaviors can range from standing in another's personal space to murdering another individual. In some cases, it can be looked upon as a
positive change or a unique and favorable act. Although, considered deviant because it is not the social norm, it still can have a very positive social
aspect or lead to social change. Culture and the societies within these cultures have a significant impact on what is considered deviant and what is
acceptable or even lawful behavior. The degree of deviance is measured by society's reaction towards the action and the lawful sanctions that may take
Abnormal behavior in one society appears normal in the other society (Nairne, 426). Deviance is weighed by the society's reactions to the
particular behavior, also it is measured by the society's way of life so that it defines the unwelcoming behavior. It ignores the social order and some
organizations believe, the reality in society. The violation of the social norm can be meant to be utilized as a way of sustaining power, position, and
influence of a specific group of people or organizations. In most cultures, the idea of deviance is based on the values, deeds, and beliefs that are
achieved through interaction among people that have influence in the society and from the understanding that culture is passed on from member to
member. Societies are also comprised of the subculture and the culture itself. The huge cultural forces depict what deeds are appreciated and which are
unaccepted or discouraged. On the other hand, the subculture in a certain setting creates a resistance to the dominating culture and in doing so, they
give a hand in the behavior that violates the large culture social norms. Therefore, the deviation from the cultural norms can be attributed to the social
classes and financial classes. For example, prostitution in regions of the developing world is deviant in most cultures, however poverty pressure
pushes young girls toward it for survival. Another reason deviant people take a

Essay On Mental Illness And Deviance
Deviant behavior is something that is usually disapproved and it is when someone goes against the 'norms' of society. According to the American
Psychiatric Association (2015), mental illness is technically a health condition involving changes in behavior, emotion, or thinking. So where does
mental illness come in to play with being a deviant behavior? Well, shockingly mental illness and deviance go hand in hand quite often. Everyone
who is considered a 'deviant' may not be mentally ill, however, majority of people diagnosed with a mental illness are considered deviant. When
sociologists study deviance, they are also studying mental illness. Mental illness is something that clearly will imply some sort of deviation from the
defined norms of society.
Mental illness and deviance fit together like a puzzle. Many times if someone commits a crime or does something so insanely crazy, people are
quick to say "Well, they were mentally ill". Although, that is not always the case, a lot of the time it is. If someone is an excessive drinker, people
will label them mentally ill. They obviously must have something wrong with them if they just drink all the time. If someone commits a murder, they
will be labeled mentally ill. If someone does drugs, robs a store, commits suicide, and so many more things – they will automatically be labeled as
someone who is mentally ill. People will plead insanity so that they don't get the death penalty in prison. Pretty much every time, if someone

Assignment : Deviance And Crime
Paper One: Deviance and Crime
So I took this summer class online because I travel extensively during this time of year. What better way to study sociology than during my evenings
under the stars while on vacation. What I didn't anticipate was that this was sociology and it may require me being "social" and interacting with those
around me or observing behaviors of those who I may happen to come in contact with. With that being said, I spend most of my summer isolated in a
rural community in Arkansas with little to no contact with others unless it is passing them at high speed on a pair of skis. Once I received this
assignment I became frantic with worry, "What were you thinking Sharon, studying sociology while having nobody to interact with." The days began to
skim past without any opportunity to elicit a subject for my paper; that was until today.
The scene begins in a small rural community that has no franchised restaurant, an independently owned supermarket, one gas station and the place
where it all went down. The liquor store. I walked in to purchase a case of beer; for my husband of course. I opened the door and there he was, a
rather large man about 6'4", three hundred plus pounds, cut off jean shorts and tattered shirt. The topper, a skull printed doo–rag. I took one look and
stereo typically thought, he must be a biker, a criminal or just a rough and tumble rowdy guy. I definitely labeled him from the get go. I made eye
contact instantly as I knew he was

Deviance Theories Paper
Deviance Theories Paper Different theories have explanations for deviance and crime. Deviant behavior can be defined as positive or negative. The
following discussions will provide greater insight as to how and why society defines them as such. Deviance is Socially Constructed Deviance is
socially constructed, meaning societal norms define what deviance is. Societal norms are defined in three categories: folkways, mores, and laws
(Sumner, p. 11). Folkways are defined as traditions, mores are defined by their social disapproval, and laws are defined by their social sanctions
(Sumner, p. 11–12). These three are societal norms that rule the lives of the people within it. As a result, certain behaviors are labeled deviant, which
lead the people...show more content...
In her article, Hendershott states that moral law originates in God (Hendershott, p. 48). This notion of natural law is considered to be a part of the
absolutist perspective, which I also disagree with. Stating that God is who made all the moral rules eliminates the responsibility of society. Society is
a crucial factor in the establishment of morals, since it is also the institution in which people practice them. Stating that morals are absolute disregards
the fact that morals vary from culture to culture, society to society. For example, our society is becoming more accepting of homosexuality. To my
understanding, religions such as Christianity, disapprove of homosexuality, deeming it sinful in the eyes of God. Despite this disapproval, society is
breaking this moral by being accepting of homosexuality. If God were the absolute creator of morals, the acceptance of homosexuality would not exist.
Thus, society is a major institution for the establishment of these major shifts on morals. Generalizing the entire perspective on deviance in regards to
one being, God, reinforces my disapproval of the absolutist

Essay on Deviance and Social Control
The concepts 'Social Control' and 'Deviance' have more than one definition to me, my understandings of these terms are that they try to group, control
and define different kinds of anti–social behaviour. In this essay I will be reflecting on how certain topics have deviant labels attached to them as a
result of social control. I will be explaining my initial understanding and views of these topics, going on to explain how they may have been changed,
challenged or reinforced after attending lectures and using the sources available to me to expand my knowledge. Also, I will be using evidence from
texts I have read to support these views and considering how these contribute to the inner–relationship between 'deviance' and social control. The...show
more content...
This understanding has been reinforced but I now understand that social control lays much more emphasis on the behaviour of individuals in the
society it controls. The knowledge I had on deviance was slightly mixed, as before this module I was unsure whether deviance and crime were
related. I knew that crime is the act of disobeying the law, and I did not see that socially deviant behaviour should be classified as a criminal act. I
believed deviance was more so directed to behaviour that is not socially accepted or follows social norms. For example, I think the act of being as
part of a 'gang' is socially deviant behaviour but until a person within a gang has disobeyed the law and committed a crime, they are not a criminal.
I believe social control has a very big influence on what society views as 'deviant' especially with teenage mothers. My view on teenage mothers was
one that was slightly biased. Being twenty one, I have many friends a few years older and around the same age as myself who have children that were
conceived and/or born whilst the mother was in her teens. After seeing first–hand what a great job they do, shaped my opinion that it should not matter
what age you are when you have a child as long as that child is loved and cared for. Women should not be stigmatised, defined or judged upon the age
they become parents. I do however believe that it is not a wise choice, and do not encourage it, because although teenage mothers may give their
children all

Deviance Essay
The Role of Deviances Juliette Scott Kaplan University September 12, 2017 Introduction Describe the role of deviance in social movements based
on the readings. Deviance is any behavior that stands against cultural norms; norms are the social behavior that protects some type of behavior.
Deviance is differed in two separate ways the first crime is standing against laws that has been passed which is suggested to be formal deviancy this
type of formal deviance could be like theft, raping, assaulted etc. then of cause the second deviance way of acting could be standing or violate social
norms which has not been organized or adapted to law which can be acknowledged as informal norms Consider and explain your own views on civil
Include details of your experiences in your service project so far. If you have not started your service project yet, I do not start my service project
yet but I am planning to start soon Incorporate elements of your previous community involvement describing what was successful and made it
effective or in contrast At the Darby recreation center closer to where I live, they serve dinner to the children and family every Tuesday after the
children get off school. They also provide the children with school supplies and wrapped Christmas gift for them, at the Darby Recreation center
they encourage every parent to involve in the live of the children and assist the children for a better tomorrow, they parent come together and assist
the children with their home work and sharing of food always volunteer to help, What made it unsuccessful? I do not see it as unsuccessful yet
because every child came in well fed and the parent where happy about their services even my son is always happy to be there every Tuesday. The
basketball coach is very nice to the children and the parent help the children with behavioral and emotional issues. Because of the desire I have for
volunteering and specifically working with children, I have decided to volunteer at the head start program to help with their school trips, helping class
room full of 3 and 4 years old, serving breakfast in the morning, and reading to the kids.

Deviance And Formal Deviance Within The Workplace
Deviance is defined as, recognized violations of cultural norms. There are two types of deviance, formal deviance and informal deviance. Formal
deviance, or a crime, is described as a criminal violation of formally–enacted laws, examples include robbery, theft, rape, murder, and assault. Informal
deviance is a violation of informal social norms, which have not been codified into law people declare these activities as deviance, examples of this
would be nose–picking, belching loudly, or standing unnecessarily close to someone. Deviance is important to society, because without it people
would not have any manners. If there was not any formal deviance people would think that it is okay to go around killing people and robbing
places. Deviance is what keeps our society sane. There are many current reports of informal deviance throughout our country. A good example of
deviance is the theater shootings. A main theater shooting was the one in Lafayette, Louisiana; July 24, 2015. A man named John Russell Houser,
59, a law school graduate with a history of mental problems, methodically shot eleven people in a Louisiana movie theater. He used a legally
purchased handgun from an Alabama pawn shop. He fired off ten rounds, then ran out a side door to his 1995 Lincoln, when he saw a police car in
the parking lot. Houser then ran back inside the theater and reloaded his gun and fired three more shots. After firing those last three shots he shot
himself in the head. He fired a total of

Essay about Social Deviance
Social Deviance
Social deviance is a term that refers to forms of behavior and qualities of persons that others in society devalue and discredit. So what exactly is
deviance? In this essay we are concerned with social deviance, not physiological deviations from the expected norm. In general, any behavior that does
not conform to social norms is deviance; that is behavior that violates significant social norms and is disapproved of by a large number of people as a
result. For societies to run with some semblance of order 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...show more content...
(Erikson 1964)
Sociologists have said that deviance is a social reality, that it is shared and learned like any aspect of culture. Emile Durkheim and other functionalists
posed the notion that deviance is functional. He asserted that:
1. Deviance acts as a safety valve
2. Deviance inspires creativity
3. Deviance creates social change
4. Deviance outlines boundaries and rules
5. Deviance can promote social solidarity. (Haralambos, Holborn,van Krieken, Smith, 1996)
Chicago school sociologists believed that any region that was physically separated from the others was viewed as a natural area. Within each of these
areas are moral, social and structural orders. That is, a set of customs, rules, or regulations that control the process of competition and cooperation.
Theorists of the Chicago school believed that deviance resulted from disorganized areas (which they believed would be characterized with physical
deterioration, economic deprivation, poverty, racial and ethnic heterogeneity, turnover, alienation, high rate of suicide.). The weak community
integration led to the formation of and higher rates of deviance. Overtime these theorists backed away from the idea that these areas are disorganized
and instead argued that they were differently organized. Deviance was a by–product of different social organization. This move allowed researchers to
see deviant behavior as something that was caused by society and culture rather than

Durkheim Deviance Theory

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