Symbolic Interactionism And Deviance Essay

Deviance is the violation of norms. This could be as small as a speeding ticket or as serious as a murder. Sociologist Howard S. Becker described deviance like this: “It is not the act itself, but the reactions to the act, the make something deviant (pg. 162).” Deviance lead se to the three theoretical approaches (symbolic interactionism, functionalism, and conflict theory). Symbolic Interactionism is the first theoretical approach. Symbolic Interactionism is those symbols or things to which we attach meaning to. They are the key to understanding how we view the world and communicate with one another. Charles Horton Cooley and George Herbert Mead developed this perspective in sociology. An example the book gives is the words ““boyfriend” and “brother” or “girlfriend” and “sister” (.pg. 14).” Both of these symbols are certainly different, and each symbol acquires different behavior. Relationships are not the only thing that depends on symbols, but so does society as a whole. Without symbols we couldn’t have movies and religions the way we do these days. Another example of symbolic interactionism is the meaning of love. In some depth of our being we expect to eventually din “true love”. This

Functionalists points out that deviance also has functions. Emilie Durkehiem, the classical functionalists theories came to a surprising conclusion. Deviance is functional for society. Deviance contributes to the social order in three ways: Deviance clarifies moral boundaries and affirms norms, deviance encourages social unity, and deviance promotes social change. By moral boundaries, Durkheim referred to a groups ideas on how people should think and act. Deviance challenges these boundaries. “To call member into account is to say in effect, “You broke an important rule, we cannot tolerate that (pg. 172).” Punishing deviant affirms wishing the group, clarifies what it mean to be a member of the