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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. Submissions should be in APA format, with a title page and reference page. Refer to and cite at least one reading or lecture from Module 04 in the body of your paper and in the reference list. You can find resources on APA formatting here.

Paper For Above instruction

The concept of deviance in sociology refers to behaviors, actions, or attributes that violate societal norms and expectations (Henslin, 2017). Norms serve as unwritten rules that guide social conduct, shaping how individuals behave in various situations. For this assignment, I chose to violate a social norm related to personal space by standing unusually close to a stranger in a public setting. This experiment aimed to observe and analyze the reactions from others, providing insight into societal perceptions of appropriate behavior and the social sanctions associated with norm violations.

Normally, in a typical public setting, personal space is respected, and there is an understood distance maintained between strangers. For example, in a retail store or on public transportation, individuals tend to keep a certain distance to avoid discomfort or invasion of privacy. The appropriate behavior would have been to stand at a comfortable distance, respecting personal boundaries. However, I intentionally intruded into the stranger's personal space by standing very close—within a foot—without any apparent reason or prior interaction. This action was intended to violate the norm of bodily distance to observe how others would react and to understand societal norms related to personal boundaries.

My behavior clearly violated societal expectations of personal space, which generally aim to prevent discomfort or perceived threats. As expected, the individual I encroached upon appeared visibly uncomfortable; they shifted away, glared at me, or subtly moved away. Some individuals may have felt confused or perhaps even threatened, depending on their personal sensitivity and cultural background. The reaction I received underscored the social sanctions that maintain normative behaviors—most notably, discomfort and withdrawal from the norm violator, which serve as signals that certain behaviors are unacceptable in specific contexts.

To interpret the response to my norm violation, I will apply the functionalist perspective, particularly Émile Durkheim's theory of deviance. Durkheim (1897/2014) argued that deviance plays an important role in society by clarifying norms, promoting social cohesion, and fostering social change. According to Durkheim, the reaction to deviant behavior reaffirms societal values and boundaries. In my experiment, the discomfort and avoidance exhibited by others functioned as social signals that invading personal space is socially unacceptable and that such behavior threatens social cohesion. This reaction helps reinforce the norm of respecting personal boundaries, contributing to social stability.

Furthermore, from a symbolic interactionist perspective, the violation of personal space altered the ongoing social interaction, highlighting how societal norms are maintained through social cues and shared understandings (Blumer, 1969). The immediate reactions—such as stepping back or giving a disapproving look—demonstrate that individuals interpret violation of personal norms as a threat to the social order, which in turn prompts corrective responses. These reactions serve as social consequences that reinforce normative expectations, illustrating how individuals actively interpret and respond to deviant acts in everyday life.

This norm-breaking experiment illustrates the importance of norms in maintaining social order and the ways in which societal reactions function to enforce conformity. It emphasizes that deviance, while often viewed negatively, actually plays a vital role in defining moral boundaries and fostering social cohesion (Henslin, 2017). Applying sociological theories helps us understand that reactions to deviance are not random but are embedded in the social fabric, serving functions that uphold societal stability.

In conclusion, violating a norm such as invading personal space reveals much about societal expectations and the mechanisms that uphold social order. The reactions of discomfort and withdrawal serve to reinforce norms and highlight the importance of respecting personal boundaries. Sociological theories, such as Durkheim’s functionalism and symbolic interactionism, provide valuable frameworks for understanding these reactions and the role of deviance in society.

References

Blumer, H. (1969). Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. University of California Press.

Henslin, J. M. (2017). Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th ed.). Pearson.

Durkheim, E. (2014). The Rules of Sociological Method (W. D. Halls, Trans.). Free Press. (Original work published 1897)

Martin, J. (2020). Social Norms and Personal Space. Sociology Compass, 14(4), e12752. https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12752

Goffman, E. (1963). Behavior in Public Places: Notes on the Management of Social Situations. Free Press.

Laumann, E. O., et al. (1995). American Sexual Behavior: Trends, Factors, and Consequences. University of Chicago Press.

Sumner, R. K. (1938). Folkways: The Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, and Customs. American Sociological Society.