DEVIANCE

What is deviance?
Deviance is when you reject societal norms and or values. One example of this is committing a crime which is an infraction of societal norms.

THEORIES ATTEMPTING TO EXPLAIN DEVIANCE

• Conflict theory- suggests society is split into groups with different values and the more powerful ones influence what is considered deviant
• Control theory- suggests that many different factors play a role in refraininga from deviating
• Strain theory- suggest that deviance occurs when making certain goals is expected without the means to do so

ROBERT MERTONS DEVIANCE CATEGORIES

• Deviance can be categorized by acception or rejection of norms and means
• If one accepts the goals and means it is conformity
• If one accepts the goals but rejects means it is innovation
• If one rejects the goals but accepts the means it is ritualization
• When one rejects both goals and norms it is retreatism
• When one wants to replace the goals and means it is called rebellion

IMPACT OF DEVIANCE

• Deviance is an extremely important part of society. Everyone deviates one way or another through you there life and this unites us. Rebelling is a normal part of growing up and without deviance rebellion innovation etc. we would be stuck in the ages.