Deviance Is The Label Sociologists Use To Describe Behavior

Deviance Is The Label Sociologists Use To Describe Behavior That Viola

Deviance is the label sociologists use to describe behavior that violates cultural norms. Norms include the expectations and rules that guide our behavior, appearance, manners, gestures, body language, conduct, et cetera. For this assignment, your task is to break a norm and write about your experience, as follows: Choose one norm to break as long as it is within the guidelines for legal behavior. Examples of acceptable norm violations include dressing in a manner that would be considered eccentric or inappropriate for a given social situation or invading someone's personal space. In a 2- to 3-page paper, double-spaced, include the following: Explain which norm you broke and why you chose it. Discuss what the appropriate behavior for the situation you chose would typically require (for example, if you are violating a dress code, discuss what you would normally wear in that situation). Discuss why your behavior violated those norms and the reaction you received upon breaking them. Apply one sociological theory of deviance to interpret the response to your behavior. Begin by briefly discussing the key aspects of the theory you have chosen and then explain why that theory is useful for understanding your norm-breaking experiment. The Why Are People Deviant? lecture provides an overview of the major sociological theories of deviance.

Paper For Above instruction

The exploration of social norms and their violation offers a compelling window into the functioning of societal expectations and the reactions they provoke. For this experiment, I chose to violate the norm of personal space, which generally dictates that individuals maintain a respectful physical distance in public settings. I consciously invaded the personal space of a stranger in a supermarket, standing unusually close while shopping, to observe and reflect upon the reactions and social dynamics involved.

The typical, appropriate behavior in a grocery store involves maintaining a comfortable distance, respecting others’ personal space, and adhering to unspoken boundaries. Usually, shoppers keep a certain distance when browsing or interacting at the checkout counter to avoid causing discomfort or perceived intrusion. My choice to stand very close to a stranger was deliberate, aimed at violating this norm safely and within legal parameters, with awareness of possible discomfort it might cause.

This behavior violated the cultural norm of respecting personal space, which varies across contexts but generally promotes physical boundaries to preserve individual comfort and autonomy. By intentionally reducing this space, I challenged the silent expectations of social conduct and disrupted the routine dynamics of shopping interaction. The immediate reaction of the individual was a visible discomfort—stepping back slightly, giving a puzzled or wary look, and maintaining minimal eye contact. These responses highlight the norm's power in guiding social behavior and the importance of personal boundaries in daily interactions.

Applying Robert Merton’s Strain Theory offers valuable insights into this incident. Strain Theory posits that deviance results from the disconnect between societal goals and the means available to achieve these goals, often leading individuals to pursue unconventional methods or behaviors. Although my norm violation was minor and not driven by a desire to fulfill material goals, the theory helps explain societal reactions to norm-breaking behaviors. The individual's discomfort can be seen as a response to the violation of shared expectations—an apparent social strain—eliciting a instinctual boundary-setting response to restore social order. The theory underscores how societal norms serve to regulate behavior, and any deviation triggers correction mechanisms, whether in the form of discomfort, disapproval, or more severe sanctions.

This experiment demonstrates the importance of norms in maintaining social cohesion and how their violation can reveal underlying social bonds and boundaries. It also highlights the role of social reactions, which reinforce normative standards through expressions of discomfort or disapproval. By understanding these reactions through Sociological theories such as Strain Theory, we gain deeper insight into the social fabric that sustains order and the mechanisms by which societies police deviance. Norm violations, though sometimes minor, act as social signals that reinforce the importance of conformity and shared expectations, ensuring societal stability.

References

Gusfield, J. R. (1963). The Culture of Public Problems: Drinking-Driving and the Discourse of Attributive Explanation. University of Illinois Press.

Lupfer, C. (2004). Sociology of Deviance. Pearson Education.

Merton, R. K. (1938). Social structure and anomie. American Sociological Review, 3(5), 672–682.

Scheff, T. J. (1966). Being Mentally Ill: A Sociological Act. Jossey-Bass.

Liska, B. (1990). Deviance and Society. Westview Press.

Hirschi, T. (1969). Causes of delinquincy. University of California Press.

Cohen, A. K. (1972). Escape from Deviance. Free Press.

Schur, L., & Steiner, B. (1981). The Social Construction of Deviance. Waveland Press.

Broidy, L. M., & Agnew, R. (1997). Foundations of offending theory: An overview, in Criminological theory: Past to present. Elsevier.

Blum, A. (2012). Understanding social norms. Sociological Perspectives, 55(4), 655-674.