 Failure to act according to norms and

expectations of society.

 Violation of social norms.

 Behavior, belief, or condition that violates

significant norms in a society or group in
which it occurs. (Kendall, 2012)

 Any significant departure from what is

considered “normal” or normative.
 Positive Effects

◦ Teaches individuals what social behavior is.

◦ It strengthens group norms and values.
◦ It’s a sign and a source of social changes.

 Negative Effects

◦ Harms social group stability.

◦ It induces distrust and ill will.
◦ Drains human and economic resources.
◦ Weakens people’s faith in and conformity to social
norms.
Reactions to deviance vary by its intensity.
Violations of some norms of etiquette, for
instance may meet with only mild disapproval
and sanctions, whereas violations of the rule
of law such as murder, rape, or robbery, may
receive strong condemnation and severe
punishment.
 Deviance is relative in  Judgment as to
nature. whether an act is
 Depends upon the deviant or not
cultural norms. depends on various
◦ An individual appears factors.
deviant because other ◦ Culture
people see the person ◦ Situations
that way. ◦ Religion
◦ Relies on how people ◦ Place
interpret social ◦ Time
behavior.
◦ Doer of the act
 No act is deviant by nature. Even killing
maybe justified; incest is part of tradition; or
gambling is tolerated. Not all deviants are
immoral or wrong, not all immoral behaviors
are deviant.