SOC-p:How can deviance contribute to society and on the flip side how does it detract from...

SOC-p:How can deviance contribute to society and on the flip side how does it detract from it?

Expert Solution

According to the functionalist theory of sociology, founded by Emile Durkheim, every existing notion in the society serves to help society function properly. According to this paradigm, everything that serves as functional for the society continues to exist, while all that is dysfunctional ceases to exist.

The functionalists argue that because deviance has continued to exist, it must serve a function to the society. They state that deviance serves to help remind society what is right or wrong. Because each deviant act has a certain consequence (mostly negative such as a punishment), each time there is a deviant actor caught and punished, the society is able to see the outcome and this helps reassert the values of the society. Thus most people will begin conforming out of fear of punishment from becoming deviant.

On the other hand, deviance in a large number may help bring about revolution. Deviance is also a relative concept. What was once considered deviance is norm in another time.

For example once women participation in public spaces in society was deviance, but Now its norm. Similarly, martin Luther king at his time was a deviant but he gained following and eventually, once the following caught speed. It became widely accepted.

Because this deviance was functional for the society , it continued, deviance in other forms like people's cult died out because they were dysfunctional according to functionalist theory of sociology.

Deviant acts are classified into two categories, namely formal and informal. Formal deviance relates to criminal acts as dictated by the law, while informal deviance is dictated by social norms.

Formal deviant acts such as robbery, rape and murder are punishable by the law. A person caught engaging in such acts is prosecuted in court and may go to jail, pay a fine or serve a community service sentence.

Informal deviant acts such as talking to yourself in public or picking one's nose in public, have fewer consequences and may not cause serious harm to the victims. While considered offensive, they may not earn any severe punishment.

Hayet Jeridi answered 5 months ago

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