SOC101Y1 Chapter Notes -Travis Hirschi, Corporate Crime, Labeling Theory
Document Summary
Objective: learn how sociologists define deviance and how any behaviour can appear deviant depending on context. Although there are a few countries now that openly accept gays in the military, not all treat them the same. Deviance: is any behaviour or physical appearance that is socially challenged and/or condemned because it departs from the norms and expectations of some group. Norms: rules and expectations for the way people are supposed to behave, feel, and appear in a particular social situation. Some norms exist for seemingly valid reasons, and others for not. Sociological perspective: not the individual who violates the norm, but the social group"s response that determines whether a behaviour is deviant. Sociological understanding deviance lies with studying the context under which something is deemed deviant. Durkheim defined deviance as those acts that offend collective sentiments: there is no society without deviance, perfect and upright person .
