Deviant Behavior and Social Control
The ability to follow the commonly accepted customs in a society comes naturally for most people. A small percentage of the population though, has either no concern for the rules of society or, in some cases, an inability to control their behavior. The result takes the form of some type of deviant behavior. Deviant behavior can range from … Keep Reading → victimless acts such as cross-dressing to the most violent of criminal acts. What makes the actions deviant is that they are contrary to what is considered “acceptable” in a given society. It’s important to note that what is considered deviant can vary considerably among cultures and societies. Actions that are considered perfectly normal in most Western nations may be considered deviant behavior in some religious based cultures. The concept of deviant behavior assumes that the person understands what is considered acceptable behavior and makes a conscious choice to act in an “unacceptable” manner. In some cases the choice will feel involuntary to the individual; this is where the issues of lack of social control enter the equation.
