Deviance Behavior and Moral Judgment
Deviance is behavior that some people in a society find offensive and incites disapproval, punishment, condemnation, or hostility (Long). Deviance is more than just behavior: it involves a moral judgment as well. It is impossible to isolate certain behaviors and call them deviant because deviance is a relative term, defined by the society, the time, and the place. There is nothing that is absolutely condemned by all societies. Biological theories of deviance are of no use because no consistent evidence that supports the belief that social temperament is related to body types. Functionalist theories focus on the preservation of social order; deviance helps maintain social cohesion and the collective conscious (Long; McClelland). Durkheim emphasized the importance of deviance in society as a tool to maintain cohesion because he said when the media reports on deviance and the accompanying punishment, it serves to educate the public by restating the rules of society, and punishing the violators reaffirms the rightness of society and its rules. Deviant behavior can also be a tool for social change. For instance, deviant behavior calls attention to civil rights issues, and inadequacies in the system. What is considered ille
Symbolic interactionists say that people learn deviance by associating with people who are deviant, just as they learn anything else (Long; McClelland-Symbolic). The earlier in life one is exposed to deviance, the greater the chance the individual will internalize these attitudes and become deviant. The more one associates with deviants, the greater the chance that the individual will develop deviant attitudes and skills. Labeling theory, another interactionist theory, states that deviants behave the way they do because people have labeled them as deviant. Primary deviance is committing a deviant act. Secondary deviance is the process by which a person who has been labeled deviant accepts the label and continues the deviant behavior. The different types of "sexual deviants" include: prostitutes, streetwalkers; bar girls; adolescent females; adolescent males, typically by unplanned meeting, peer-delinquent subculture, hustling network, gay subculture; "road whores" at labor camps, conventions, truck stops; massage parlor and photo shop attendants; escort services; business office "party girls", "mistresses" and "career climbers"; house prostitutes; and call girls (Keel). gal today, may become common place tomorrow. Functionalists like to concern themselves with deviance which promotes the maintenance of social order, and dysfunctional deviance is the type that threatens the social order. Most people do not engage in deviance because of outer controls from family and friends, and inner control from self-control. The prostitutes said there was no enjoyment in the act because it got in the way of their work (Keel). They appreciated the economic side of the business, but regretted the sex side. They said it made a mockery of sex and love, and they felt they were selling their humanity. They also felt men behaved contemptuously towards their tricks. The prostitutes were no
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Approximate Word count = 1280
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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