LECTURE NOTES

Instructor: SAGUIRA ABAS GUIANI, RSW

SW 8 – SOCIAL DEVIATION AND SOCIAL WORK
Deviant behavior is defined as actions that violate social norms, which may include both
informal social rules or more formal societal expectations and laws. Socially acceptable
behavior, on other hand, refers to the action that are generally viewed as being appropriate to
engage in when in the presence of other people.

Causes of Deviant Behavior

There are a variety of theories that explain why people engage in deviant behavior, including
psychological, biological, and sociological explanations.

In reality, there are likely many factors that play a role in deviant behavior. These include
genetics, personality, upbringing, environment, and societal influences.

It is also important to note that what is considered deviant can vary from one culture to the
next. Other factors—including sex and socioeconomic status—also influence the informal
and unwritten social rules and expectations that people are expected to conform to.

Psychological Explanations
Psychological theories of deviant behavior come from a variety of perspectives.
The psychoanalytic approach, for example, might suggest that all people have repressed,
unconscious urges that lead to social deviance.
Learning theories, on the other hand, might suggest that these behaviors are learned
by watching others engage in deviant behaviors. In the context of substance use, this would
suggest that people begin using drugs or misusing alcohol as a result of witnessing other
people use substances. Research does suggest that social influences can play an important
part in the onset of substance use and addiction.

Biological Explanations
Biological explanations for deviance suggest that genetic influences play a significant role in
deviant behavior. When it comes to addiction, for example, research has found that genes
play a significant part in the development of substance use problems.

Sociological Explanations
One sociological explanation is Merton's strain theory, which suggests that there is a tension
between a society's goals and the means that people have to reach those goals. As a result,
people often turn to deviant behavior (such as stealing or selling drugs) as a way to attain
socially acceptable societal ideals (such as having wealth).
Addiction and Deviant Behavior
Addiction—from drinking to gambling to sex—can involve socially acceptable behavior or
socially deviant behavior. Having a drink or two after work is a socially acceptable form of
alcohol use; getting drunk and then attempting to drive home is considered deviant behavior.
Deviance is a sociological concept referring to behaviors that violate social rules and norms.
People who have substance use disorders are often described as being socially deviant
because they do not meet society's expectations for what is considered acceptable behavior.
Behavior that is perceived as socially deviant is highly stigmatized, which often causes as
many or more problems for the person engaging in the behavior than the addiction itself—if
there even is an addiction.

The Continuum of Social Acceptability

There is a range of behavior, from socially acceptable to deviant, that is influenced by both
formal and informal social norms. Examples of behaviors that are generally viewed as
socially unacceptable include nose-picking, standing too close to other people, or not bathing
regularly. Examples of deviant behavior include drug use, theft, murder, excessive alcohol
use, and assault.
In order to understand the continuum that ranges from social acceptability to social deviance,
it can be helpful to look at specific examples, such as in the case of substance use. The table
below shows some examples of common addictive behaviors, which illustrate the continuum
from socially deviant to socially problematic to socially acceptable behaviors in mainstream
Western cultures.

Socially Deviant Socially Problematic Socially Acceptable

Alcoholism Binge drinking Occasional/social drinking
Underage drinking Public drunkenness Drinking in "drinking
establishments"
Drinking at the wrong time/place
Methadone maintenance
Medical marijuana
Illegal drug use Painkiller overuse Appropriate painkiller use
Cigarette smoking
Binge eating Moderate eating
Overeating
Excessive gambling Losing a lot of money in a gambling Bingo, lotteries, trips to Las Vegas
binge
Sexual abuse Promiscuity Sex within a relationship
Exploitative sex Sex work
Hardcore pornography
Sexual harassment

TYPES OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR

Deviant behavior can include both informal and formal deviance from social norms. Informal
types of deviance are things that are considered socially unacceptable and inappropriate.
Formal types of deviant behavior are those that violate codified laws, regulations, and other
rules.

 Conformity – the idea and concept of adhering and conforming to certain social
norms and toeing the line might ignite the sparks of deviance. For instance, women
were confined to housework for ages in different societies, confining themselves just
to social role of homemaker made them act upon it, deviate from a social norms and
demand the right to education and Employment as well.
 Innovation – where there is external pressure put upon the individual to achieve the
specific goal in a given time, the individual generally conforms and accept the
traditional norms or deviate and denies it. Additionally, sometimes it accepts the goal
or the social expectations but innovates the way or process to attain that specific
means.
 Ritualism – can be defined as a way of in which individuals reject their social values
and goals. They don’t conform or deny and deviate from them.
 Retreatism – sometimes the individuals develop the urge to deny the social
norms, values and conventional methods altogether. Rather than conforming to
traditional values or innovating their aims and methods, they completely rejects
the normal life way of that expected and accepted by the society.
 Rebellion – one step ahead of retreatism. It not only denies and deviates from the
normal expectation, social-cultural norms and goals of society but also expects a
change and revolution in the already existing system. Individual look for complete
change and destruction of present social order and construction of a new and drastic
order which is relevant to the coming times. This individual within the society and the
community are viewed as rebels.

Examples of Informal Deviant Behavior

These types of deviant behavior tend to be considered socially unacceptable, but they do not
violate laws. Examples of informal deviance include:

 Gossiping about people behind their back

 Showing up late to work
 Borrowing items and not returning them
 Telling inappropriate jokes at work
  Lying to others
 Chewing with your mouth open
 Swearing in public
 Staring inappropriately

Examples of Formal Deviant Behavior

These behaviors are generally classified as criminal acts and are subject to punishment. Some
of these behaviors may be seen as less serious, while others are considered the most deviant
forms of human behavior. These behaviors include:

 Domestic violence
 Rape, sexual harassment, and stalking
 Murder
 Theft and robbery
 Assault, violence, bullying
 Fraud
 Addiction, substance use, DUI, and drug trafficking
 What causes deviant behavior?

 Deviant behavior does not generally have a single, identifiable cause. It is often the
result of a variety of factors, including genetics, life experience, the environment the
individual lives in, and social pressures. Research also suggests that certain
personality traits may also play a role in deviant behavior.

 What are some examples of socially deviant behavior?

Examples of formal deviant behavior, which violates codified laws, include rape,
murder, domestic violence, robbery, assault, assault, arson, vandalism, fraud, drug
abuse, and animal cruelty. Examples of informal deviant behavior, which is often
considered socially unacceptable, include showing up late to work, swearing in
public, using inappropriate gestures, lying, and gossiping.

 How can I stop engaging in deviant behaviors?

On a societal level, deviant behaviors are often dealt with using deterrence and
punishment. If you are trying to stop deviant behavior such as substance use, finding
support is essential. Talking to a mental health professional can help you get the
support, resources, and tools that you need to change your behavior.

Theories of Deviance
Deviance is any behavior that violates social norms, and is usually of sufficient severity to
warrant disapproval from the majority of society. Deviance can be criminal or non‐criminal.
The sociological discipline that deals with crime (behavior that violates laws)
is criminology (also known as criminal justice). Today, Americans consider such
activities as alcoholism, excessive gambling, being nude in public places, playing with fire,
stealing, lying, refusing to bathe, purchasing the services of prostitutes, and cross‐dressing—
to name only a few—as deviant. People who engage in deviant behavior are referred to
as deviants.

DIFFERENTIAL-ASSOCIATION THEORY
According to this theory of Edwin Sutherland, the environment plays
a major role in deciding which norms people learn to violate.
Specifically, people within a particular reference group provide
norms of conformity and deviance, and thus heavily influence the
way other people look at the world, including how they react.
People also learn their norms from various socializing agents—
parents, teachers, ministers, family, friends, co‐workers, and the
media. In short, people learn criminal behavior, like other behaviors,
from their interactions with others, especially in intimate groups.

The differential‐association theory applies to many types of deviant

behavior. For example, juvenile gangs provide an environment in
which young people learn to become criminals. These gangs define
themselves as countercultural and glorify violence, retaliation, and
crime as means to achieving social status. Gang members learn to
be deviant as they embrace and conform to their gang's norms.

ANOMIE THEORY
Anomie refers to the confusion that arises when social norms
conflict or don't even exist. In the 1960s, Robert Merton used the
term to describe the differences between socially accepted goals
and the availability of means to achieve those goals. Merton
stressed, for instance, that attaining wealth is a major goal of
Americans, but not all Americans possess the means to do this,
especially members of minority and disadvantaged groups. Those
who find the “road to riches” closed to them experience anomie,
because an obstacle has thwarted their pursuit of a socially
approved goal. When this happens, these individuals may employ
deviant behaviors to attain their goals, retaliate against society, or
merely “make a point.”

CONTROL THEORY
According to Walter Reckless's control theory, both inner and outer
controls work against deviant tendencies. People may want—at
least some of the time—to act in deviant ways, but most do not.
They have various restraints: internal controls, such as conscience,
values, integrity, morality, and the desire to be a “good person”;
and outer controls, such as police, family, friends, and religious
authorities. Travis Hirschi noted that these inner and outer
restraints form a person's self‐control, which prevents acting
against social norms. The key to developing self‐control is proper
socialization, especially early in childhood. Children who lack this
self‐control, then, may grow up to commit crimes and other deviant
behaviors.

Whereas theory also suggests that people society labels as

“criminals” are probably members of subordinate groups, critics
argue that this oversimplifies the situation. As examples, they cite
wealthy and powerful businesspeople, politicians, and others who
commit crimes. Critics also argue that conflict theory does little to
explain the causes of deviance. Proponents counter, however, by
asserting that the theory does not attempt to delve into etiologies.
Instead, the theory does what it claims to do: It discusses the
relationships between socialization, social controls, and behavior.

LABELLING THEORY

A type of symbolic interaction, labeling theory concerns the

meanings people derive from one another's labels, symbols, actions,
and reactions. This theory holds that behaviors are deviant only
when society labels them as deviant. As such, conforming members
of society, who interpret certain behaviors as deviant and then
attach this label to individuals, determine the distinction between
deviance and non‐deviance. Labeling theory questions who applies
what label to whom, why they do this, and what happens as a result
of this labeling.

CAUSES OF DEVIANCE

There are various individualistic causes of deviance and the reason

behind deviant behavior might vary from person to person. However,
they can be classified and grouped into three major causes.

 Psychological causes of deviance – the impact on the mind

and thinking can be cause by the environment in which an
 individual is raised. Seeing deviant behavior frequently can
also ignite deviance among individuals and groups.

 Biological causes of deviance – in the case of biological

factors behind deviance, the functioning and development of
the brain and mental capacity of an individual, their health,
physical attributions and genetics play a pivotal role. Italian
physician Cesare Lombroso has also defined deviance in
criminal by stating a certain quality of traits exist in their
behavior or genes and stated such an individual as born
criminals.

 Sociological causes of deviance – the social upbringing of

people also plays an important part in the cause of deviance.
The social background, upbringing, socialization, family
problems, rejects faced by society, social and religious beliefs
and poverty plays an important role in causing deviant
behavior.