SOC100H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Embezzlement, Labeling Theory, Symbolic Interactionism
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SOC100H5 Full Course Notes
Verified Note
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Document Summary
No act is deviant in and of itself. People commit deviant acts only when they break a norm and cause others to react negatively. From a sociological point of view, everyone is a deviant in one social context or another. Deviance involves breaking a norm and evoking a negative reaction from others. Crime is deviance that breaks a law , which is a norm stipulated and enforced by government bodies. Many otherwise deviant acts go unnoticed or are considered too trivial to warrant negative sanctions, or actions indicating disapproval. People who are observed committing more serious acts of deviance are typically punished, either informally or formally. For example, criminals are usually formally punished by having to serve time in prison, pay a fine, or perform community service. It may involve raised eyebrows, a harsh stare, an ironic smile, gossip, ostracism, shaming, or stigmatization. When people are stigmatized, they are negatively evaluated because of visible characteristics that distinguish them from others.
