Understanding Deviance in Society

📋 Course Outline

1. Deviance Definition
2. Sociological Theories
3. Functionalism and Deviance
4. Symbolic Interactionism
5. Conflict Theory
6. Types of Deviance
7. Primary and Secondary Deviance
8. Formal and Informal Deviance
9. Crime Classifications
10. Types of Crimes
11. Criminal Justice System
12. Social Control Mechanisms

📖 1. Deviance Definition

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Deviance: Behavior, beliefs, or conditions that violate societal norms and expectations, which are context-dependent and vary across cultures and time periods.
• Norms: Social rules that guide acceptable behavior within a society; they can be formal (laws) or informal (social customs).
• Social Control: Mechanisms—formal (laws, regulations) and informal (social norms, peer pressure)—used by society to regulate individual behavior and maintain order.
• Primary Deviance: The initial act of rule-breaking that may not lead to a societal label or long-term consequences.
• Secondary Deviance: Deviant behavior that occurs after an individual is labeled as deviant, often leading to further deviance due to societal reactions.
• Labeling Theory: A sociological perspective suggesting that being labeled as deviant influences an individual's self-identity and can perpetuate deviant behavior.

📝 Essential Points