"Yeah, well, I'm crazy, but I'm not stupid, hopefully. And I think we're all a bit crazy if we do anything that's deviant. I've studied a great deal on deviance and aberrant behavior. Most of the interesting people I've ever met have been deviant in one form or another"
- Anton LaVey
So, as I've talked about before, society plays a big part in shaping us as human beings. Society has A LOT of rules to abide by, and it is not uncommon that we often break these rules-but does that make us deviants? I have always found this an interesting topic in the realm of sociology, and it has me questioning whether I am, in fact, a deviant. Deviance is defined as behavior that is recognized as violating expected norms and rules. Is it normal to have tons of piercings and tattoos (like the individual above)? To many, it is probably not. But, does going against conventional norms really make us deviants? I know that I have often associated the word "deviant" with crime; yet, I have not always abided by the so-called rules, but know that I am no criminal.
Crime is one form of deviance, but it is specifically a behavior that violates criminal laws. Getting piercings or tattoos does not violate any criminal laws-but still is considered deviant by many in society. Overall, our society has many forms of deviance, which encompasses the fact that we may all be deviant in some way or another. I've included an article on theories about deviance and crime, a video on social norms and social chaos, and a couple of links that provide more information on crime and deviance.
Article:
Video:
Links:
This is an interesting blog post on what social norms are -specifically social norms within a classroom setting. I will admit, I have probably broken some of these rules while attending class.
This is an in depth post on the relationship between deviance and crime. Often, the terms go hand in hand, so it is interesting to see what the distinct differences are. As well, there is a video to watch at the bottom of the page.
Crime and Deviance
Across
5. Definition a person has of him/herself as a deviant
7. Condition when social norms in a society breakdown
8. Behavior that violates criminal laws
9. Form of terrorism that involves chemical or biological substances
Down
1. Process by which groups/individuals within groups are brought into conformity with dominant social expectations
2. Use of computer to commit terrorist acts
3. Attribute that is socially devalued
4. Study of crime from a scientific perspective
5. Continuing to be labeled as deviant even after initial deviance has ceased
6. Behavior that violates expected rules and norms
Choices for cross word puzzle (Social control, deviant career, deviant identity, criminology, bioterrorism, anomie, cyberterrorism, stigma, deviance, crime)
