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  • Essay / Overview of the concept of deviant behavior

    According to Sumner (2011), deviant behavior constitutes any behavior that diverges from the contextual, cultural or social norms of society. Three main theories have been adopted to define the concept of deviant behavior, namely functionalism theory, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism. A functionalism theorist highlights deviance as a social necessity of reminding people of the effects of action contrary to social norms. Conflict theorists emphasize that inequalities are at the root of deviant behavior. Finally, symbolic interactionism theorists argue that deviance is socially constructed from nature or the environment (Wallace & Wolf, 1999). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay Deviant behaviors range from consensual crimes, such as sexual assault, to conflict crimes such as prostitution, and social deviations, which are legal but harmful, for example. , provocative dress code. The collective perception of deviant behavior evolves over time. Deviant behaviors differ across generations, and some of these deviant behaviors may become convective over time (Wallace & Wolf, 1999). Fifty years ago, homosexuality was considered deviant behavior in the United States and the United Kingdom. Gay men were aggressively monitored and even arrested. According to Tatchell (1992), 420 men in the United Kingdom were convicted of homosexuality, as it was considered gross indecency, and by 1974 more than 1,700 men had been convicted in this way. It was actually after the 1967 law legalizing male homosexuality. Today, homosexuality is considered normal and widely acceptable. There are several reasons why homosexuality is now a convectional behavior. A law was passed to decriminalize this act. In 2000, a ban prohibiting homosexuals from serving in the military was lifted. Same-sex marriage was legalized in England, Wales, and Scotland in 2014. Additionally, discrimination based on sexual preference was outlawed in 2007. In the United States, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the country (Yoshino, 2015). Changes in the social imagination have led to a change in society's attitude towards homosexuality as a deviant behavior. Between 1974 and 1990, Americans considered homosexuality to be deviant behavior. In contrast, after 1990, the idea of ​​homosexuality as a collective identity grew, generating public and institutional support. From a structural-functionalist perspective, homosexuality was seen as fracturing society, but is now seen as reinforcing social stability through social adjustment and development. By having people with a homosexual orientation, society has, over time, been able to see the injustice of the system (Kirsch, 2013). Fifty years ago, it was legal to drink alcohol while driving in the United States of America. Drinking while driving was permitted, as long as you were not drunk when getting in the car. Today, this behavior is considered deviant because it poses a significant danger to human life. The federal government began enforcing open container laws to stop drinking and driving in 1998. However, only 39 states follow these open container laws which encompass six TEA-21 laws. Other states have developed their open container laws. Driving., 129, 147.