Their deviance may be positively sanctioned; the soldier might be rewarded with a medal, the physicist with a Noble prize. Sociology of Deviance. Many sociological definitions of deviance simply elaborate upon this idea. Behind this seemingly simple and clear cut definition, however, lurks a swarming host of controversies.

Deviance can only be defined in relation to a particular standard, but no standards are fixed or absolute. Many sociological definitions of deviance simply elaborate upon this idea. In the West the private ownership of property is an established norm; members of society strive to accumulate wealth and substantial property holding brings power and prestige. Crime is not only inevitable, it can also be functional. Durkheim argues that it only becomes dysfunctional when its rate is unusually high. This response rejects normative means of achieving success and turns to deviant means, crime in particular.

In an effort to explain why gang membership exists in today’s society, there is one theory that stands out from the rest: Sutherland’s differential association. Emile Durkheim developed his view on deviance in his discussion of crime in The Rules of Sociological Method. In the same way terrorists of freedom fighters may represent a future established order .If crime is inevitable, what is the function of punishment.

A third form of deviance consists of acts which depart from the norms and expectations of a particular society but are generally tolerated and accepted. As such deviance varies from time to time and place to place. A second response is 'innovation'. Such behaviour would have incurred strong disapproval amongst the Sioux and those who acted in terms of the above norms would be regarded as deviant. The following examples will serve to illustrate the above points. Sometimes ago in Western society it had been considered deviant for women to smoke, use make-up and consume alcoholic drinks in public. Thus heretics who were denounced by both the state and the established church may represent the collective sentiments of the future.

Their occupations provide less opportunity for success than those of other members of the middle class. Today this is no longer the case. The situation becomes like a game of cards in which winning becomes so important that the rules are abandoned by some of the players. Merton outlines five possible ways in which members of American society can respond to success goals. Deviance is relative. Thus deviance consists of those areas which do not follow the norms and expectations of a particular social group.

Structural functionalism has its roots in the very origins of sociological thought and the development of sociology as a discipline. Without punishment the collective sentiments would lose their force to control behaviour and the crime rate would reach the point where it becomes dysfunctional. Sociologists stress social context, not just individual behavior. They resolve the conflict of their situation by abandoning both the goals and the means of reaching them. Sociology » Deviance Sociology In sociology deviance is defined as the violation of a social norm which is likely to result in censure or punishment for the violator. They are unable to cope with challenges and drop out of society defeated and resigned to their failure. Merton argues that it is typically members of a rising class rather than the most depressed strata who organize the resentful and rebellious into a revolutionary group.To summarize, Merton claims that his analysis shows how the culture and structure of society generates deviance. In a particular society an act which is considered deviant today may be defined as normal in the future. This is a question asked by sociologists subscribing to the school of structural functionalism. Within the sociology of deviance and crime, there are four key theoretical perspectives from which researchers study why people violate laws or norms, and how society reacts to such acts. A deviant does not conform. ; People who engage in deviance are called (noun) deviants because they (verb) deviate from norms. In this situation of anything norms no longer direct behavior and deviance is encouraged. In terms of the above definition of deviance, the soldier on the battlefield who risks his life above and beyond the normal call of duty may be termed deviant, as the physicist who breaks the rules of his discipline and develops a new theory. Thus deviance consists of those areas which do not follow the norms and expectations of a particular social group. In everyday language to deviate means to stray from an accepted path. In Merton's words: 'The social and cultural structure generates pressure for socially deviant behaviour upon people variously located in that structure.Using USA as an example, Merton outlines his theory as follows.

Deviance may be positively sanctioned (rewarded), negatively sanctioned (punished), or simply accepted without reward or punishment. It is a rejection of both the success goals and the institutionalized means and their replacement by different goals and means. This prevents them from turning to crime. The 'American Dream' states that all members of society have an equal opportunity of achieving success, of owning a Cadillac, a Beverley Hills mansion and a substantial bank balance. The little old lady with a house full of cats or the old gentleman with an obsession for collecting clocks would fall into this category. In one sense, though, neither is deviant since both conform to the values of society, the soldier to the value of courage; the physicist to the value of academic progress.By comparison, a murderer deviates not only from society's norms and expectations but also from its values, in particular the value placed on human life. Tweet. However, compared o members of the working class, they have been strongly socialized to conform to social norms.

Deviance and social norms vary among societies, communities, and times, and often sociologists are interested in why these differences exist and how these differences impact the individuals and groups in those areas. In all societies there are institutionalized means of reaching culturally defined goals.