Each article concludes with cross-references to related entries and further readings. Strain theories assume that social order is a product of a cohesive set of norms, that these norms are shared by community members, and lastly that deviance and the community’s reaction to it are essential to maintaining order (Inderbitzen, Bates, & Gainey, 2016). Key Features: More than 300 articles authored by key figures in the field are organized A-to-Z in two volumes. culture.ĭrawing contributions from across the social and behavioral sciences, including sociology, anthropology, criminology, politics, psychology, and religion, the Encyclopedia of Social Deviance introduces readers to the lively field of rule-making and rebellion that strikes at the core of what it means to be an individual living in a social world. Labeling theory, also called social reaction theory, was developed to explain behavior considered deviant, which, of course, includes criminal behavior. Explore Durkheims deviance theory, Mertons strain theory, and the functionalist theory of deviance. Whether a crime, a sin, or simply unique taste, what's considered deviant at one time and place can change, as when extensive tattooing and “body art” evolved from a sideshow carnival spectacle to a nearly universal rite of passage within U.S. Learn about social deviance and identify two types of deviance.

Social deviance-any behavior that violates a cultural norm-can involve something as major as crime or as minor as consistently and deliberately wearing lively mismatched socks. The theory purports that society's establishing someone as a criminal based on deviant behavior (action perceived to violate society's normal standards) may lead others to mistreat the person.

Define deviancy theory