SOC 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Sociological Perspectives, Social Class, Thomas Szasz
Document Summary
To understand basis of deviance and relativity of deviance. In sociology, deviation refers to any violation of norms, either minor or major. Howard s becker, it is not the act itself, but the reaction to the act that makes something deviant. According to the principle of relativity of deviance, what is deviant to some is not deviant to others. The principle is true not in the case of cultural differences alone but also in the case of groups within same society and also extend to norms of sexuality. The relativity of deviation also applies to crimes (crime is the violation of norm written into law) In sociological sense deviation is a neutral term, it refers to any act to which people respond negatively, it does not imply that the act is bad, just that people judge it negatively. According to sociology all of people are deviants of one sort or another, since they violate some norm or the other.
