What do you think of when you hear the word deviance? Most people think of the term in a criminal sense. Deviance is a, “socially disapproved behavior…” (Newman, 223). When we speak about disapproved behaviors, we are referring to behaviors that are not socially accepted by society. There is an understanding or acceptability among people as to what is considered deviant. For instance, society feels it is appropriate to punish those who commit robbery. Those who commit this crime should be punished.
A common issue we see in our society among youth is underage drinking. We would consider this type of behavior deviant. There is set drinking age in the state of Minnesota (21). Any young personal that engages in underage drinking, is consider to be deviant or engaging in behavior that is not considered appropriate. What most people do not think about, are the reasons in which a person engages in deviant behaviors. There could be deep rooted emotional/mental issues, or it could be as simple as a socially pressure from peers. Regardless of the reason a person engages in a behavior, society will consider that behavior or action to be deviant.
Below is an table of deviant behaviors and what is considered to be socially problematic and acceptable. It is interesting how we can take behaviors and turn them into actions that are accepted by society.
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