LS202 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Essentialism, Spritzer, Erving Goffman
Document Summary
Deviance is likely to generate negative reaction in others. Deviance is the process by which the actors, believers and posessors character is tainted, stigmatized and inferiorized. Sociology of deviance looks at informal and interpersonal reactions to behavior, beliefs and traits. Prostitution, kkk, bribing a government official, using heroine, robbing a bank. The study of deviance is about making rules, breaking rules and reactions to breaking rules. Deviance is a process, not specific forms of behavior. Deviance describes what is likely to happen when people break rules that are held in society or among social circles within a society. There are two sides to deviance: one is the vertical or hierarchal side, the side that says that people with more power (or the majority of society) get to say what"s deviant. The other side, horizontal, grassroots or mosaic side, says deviance can be anything that any collectivity says it is, no matter how little power they have.