Deviance (sociology)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
Illustration: True portrait of Monsieur Ubu by Alfred Jarry
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“In order for one to deviate successfully, one has to have at least a passing acquaintance with whatever norm one expects to deviate from”--attributed to Frank Zappa Related: aberrant - abnormal - deviant modernism - difference - non-mainstream - radical - transgression - unusual Contrast: normal "The follies of man, his mental and moral aberrations, singularities of literature, enigmas of life and manners, and the like, had a strange fascination for his mind, and were treated by him in preference to subjects of more general interest, for which his natural taste, his vast reading, his versatility, and powers of analysis equally fitted him."--"In memoriam Octave Delepierre" (1879) by Nicholas Trübner
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Illustration: the head of Elagabalus, one of the five "mad emperors" of ancient Rome
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In sociology, deviance describes an action or behavior that violates social norms, including a formally enacted rule (e.g., crime), as well as informal violations of social norms (e.g., rejecting folkways and mores). Although deviance may have a negative connotation, the violation of social norms is not always a negative action; positive deviation exists in some situations. Although a norm is violated, a behavior can still be classified as positive or acceptable.
Social norms differ from culture to culture. For example, a deviant act can be committed in one society but may be normal for another society.
Deviance is relative to the place where it was committed or to the time the act took place. Killing another human is generally considered wrong for example, except when governments permit it during warfare or for self defense. There are two types of major deviant actions, mala in se or mala prohibits types.
Deviance in literature
Many works of literature offer allegories illustrating the conflict between character and society, in which the character does not conform to the society's norms and is subsequently alienated, ostracized, socially sanctioned, discriminated against or persecuted.
subfields
See also
- Abnormality
- Anomie
- Antisocial behavior
- Personality disorders
- Criminology
- Deviant Behavior
- Libertine
- Nonconformity
- Sociopathy
- Political abuse of psychiatry
- Positive deviance
- Psychopathy
- Role engulfment
- Rebellion
- Rudeness
- Sin
- Social disorganization theory
- Social norms
- Taboo
- Workplace aggression
- Workplace deviance
- Victimology
