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In The Broadest Sense Of Deviance Essay

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While Psychology looks for reasons within the individual to explain deviant behaviors (genetic predispositions, personality disorders, etc.), Sociology looks for explanations outside the individual in relation to social experiences and factors . Deviance is the violation of norms and it varies from culture to culture. The textbook claims that “In the broadest sense, deviance refers to the socially disapproved behavior - the violation of some agreed-on norm that prevails in a community or in society at large” (Newman,2006,pg. 236). However it's not the act but the reactions to the act that make something deviant. In sociology there are two types of deviances, there is formal and informal. Some Formal examples of deviance would be murder, rape, robberies, physical assault, or some other form of crime. While informal deviances would be burping loudly, passing gas and, picking your nose in …show more content…

Outer controls consist of people who influence us not to deviate like family members, friends that truly do care about our well-being, and law enforcement officials, while our inner controls are our own conscience, religious principles we practice and believe in, feelings of integrity, the concept of honor and the desire to be an overall good person. People who have less effective outer controls like the family tends to deviate, therefore the stronger our bonds with society and our social groups like family and friends, the more effective our inner-controls are. Strong self-control is learned through socialization. Societal bonds are attachments which is our affection and respect for people who conform to norms, commitments which is having a stake in society and not wanting to risk it, involvements which is participation in approved activities and beliefs which are convictions that certain actions are morally

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