What is it? Why do we do it? How come certain people engage in deviant behaviour more than others?
“Deviance” is a tricky term: if deviant behaviour is behaviour outside the norm, what's the norm? Though there is no consensus over the true definition of deviance, here are 6 ways we can narrow the definition:
- Demonology: [EXPAND]
- Deviance as Relativistic Behaviour: the failure to obey group rules, where group rules can be government laws or social rules (don't pick your nose!).
- Deviance as Dangerous Behaviour: any dangeous behaviour towards society. We're specifially referring to criminals such as serial killers and sex offenders.
- Physiological: any physical traits that deviant from the norm. For example, burns on your face or being in a wheelchair are examples of physiological indicators of deviance.
- Statistical: certain individuals tend to consistently fall outside 2 standard deviants from the mean. (The most simplistic method of analyzing devaince.)
- Pathological Behaviour: where the individual exhibits behaviour that we attribute to disease. For example, schizophrenia and mania often elicits deviant behaviour.
Let's also remember that deviants aren't always bad people - they're not always criminals. People in wheelchairs, while they deviate from the norm in their physical limitations, are not necessairly bad people. Genuis’ are also deviants.
From dictionary.com: any function of an institution or other social phenomenon that is unintentional and often unrecognized.
- Deviance maintains social rules: it gives us an opportunity to celebrate our rules (for example, we buy Christmas trees to celebrate our traditions in the face of other religions/traditions).
- Deviance modifies social rules: it allows us to be progressive and change our rules based on the current social climate. For example, not too many years ago, homosexuality was a criminal offence; in today's climate, though the stigma remains, it's no longer a criminal offence.
- Deviance rewards conformity: [EXPAND]
- Deviance reinforces Boundary Maintenanceimportant: by testing your limits of what you consider tolerable deviant behaviour, you establish your boundary limits.
- Deviance provides solidarity and cohesiveness in groups: people tend to associate with similar people. For example, drug users or people in gangs often see themselves as “the society” and the rest of society is outside.
- Deviance clarifies social rules: deviant behaviour allows us to determine what we will and will not tolerate.
Negative Impacts
- Deviants elicit feelings of action - you feel like you need to do something about them, whether it be fix or manage them.
- Deviants may feel punished because of how they're treated:
- They may be isolated from society because they're different.
- They're often thought of as morally inferior (ex. sex workers).
- By labelling as such, they may be provoked into sometimes harsh reactions (rage or hostility).
- So they may be perceived as dangerous.
- They might also be institutionalized.
Positive Impacts
- They help clarifies social rules by helping us establish our boundaries of acceptable behaviour.
- They test (or challenge) the rules.
- They have an Alternative method of goal-attainment (ex. in order to make money, you might go to University or you may rob banks - deviants take the road less travelled).
- They provide a Safety Valve to reduce crime by allowing you to reduce tension and heighten solidarity. For example, sports allow us to vent our frustration and channel our energy into a productive endeavour.
- Promotes boundary maintenance and reinforces the community (ex. you get to say, “Well at least I'm not that guy”)
- Deviants are used a scapegoats (not always a good thing); we like to use them as the reason why things get shitty.
- Raises the value of conformity: without deviants, we lack the range for our moral compass.
- They provide an early warning system: they are useful indicators of when we can expect problems to arise, thus allowing us to prevent them.
- They help us protect our vested interests: we depend on crime to survive – police and academics depend on deviants.
- Conformists: these people are deviants because they blindly follow the rules (you're not challenging anything).
- Falsley Accused Deviants: people who are wrong accused/convicted of deviant behaviour (ex. wrongfull convictions in court).
- Secret Deviants: people who engage in deviant behaviour privately (ex. people who live secret second lives – some transsexuals, drug users)
- Pure Deviants: the people who knowingly engage in deviant behaviour.
In rule-enforcement, there are two people: the enforcers (ex. police officers, guards) and the rule makers (politicians, legislators). They often have opposing/differing values and attitudes towards the law and how deviants should be treated.
- Variation in Enforcement: the actual enforcement of rules can and will change depending on time and place – it’s never consistent.
- Entrepreneurial Act: though it’s easy to make the rules, someone needs to take the initiative to actually enforce it.
- Media: when a deviant behaviour is brought to the attention of the public (especially by a figure of authority), it can’t be ignored; someone needs to deal with it.
- Whistleblowers: though often punished, they are the heroes.
- Complexity: the complexity of the situation will affect how the rules are enforced. For example, if someone is speeding for the hell of it and gets caught, chances are the police won’t be very lenient (unless you cry, you big suck). But if the person is speeding for valid reasons (maybe there's a dying pregnant lady in the back), they might be more lenient.
