Essay Sample on Deviance and Social Norm

Introduction

Deviance behavior is one that goes against the social norms of society, institution or even group. There is no standard measure of deviance because social norms are unique and vary from one culture to another or even from place to place (Clinard and Meier 23). However, people violate the designated norms every day but the actions may not necessarily imply deviant behavior, it is how the society reacts to it. Therefore, social rules define the practices and situations appropriate to norms by specifying the does and don'ts or right and wrong. People who break the enforced social norms are viewed as outsiders because they cannot be trusted with the agreed social rules (Becker 67). However, people labeled as outsiders may have different views on the matter at hand. In this easy, therefore, I will explore deferent deviance and how they are related to my past deviant experiences.

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In school, group discussions are created for students to share their insights on course material or study particular aspects of a presentation. Most importantly, group discussions are designed to promote understanding, critical thinking, communication skills, and lesson interests. Students are expected to be disciplined in group discussions even when they are held outside the classroom. According to academic, social norms, students should respect each other, be organized and focused on studies. The goal of this norm is to ensure equitable learning grounds are created for every person and set objectives are met. However, often I have been violating the set group work norms by being deviant. Although I am aware of what is expected of me, and others in a group the discussion, I have exhibited deviant characteristics often.

Every time I am in the group discussion, I am always on my phone texting and chatting with friends. Also, am always happy to narrate the ordeal to my peers instead of committing me to the assigned task. My behavior has been found destructive in group learning, and also in the process, I have influenced few peers in the group into my deviant actions. Learning is the ultimate goal of group discussion, and anything that is not geared towards learning or anything unrelated to the group set objective is wrong. My action defies the norms, and this has caused me difficulties with my teacher and group members who find my actions wrong and destructive. My teacher and group members have gone to the extent or reprimanding my act with the intention of trying to have me focus on group learning experiences only and minimize destruction.

For the society, group or individual persons to undertint what deviance behavior is and how and when it occurred Sutherland's come up with differential association theory. Based on the differential association theory the society and cultures one is raised and born define what the norm is and what is deviance and often demanding conformity. Such set social and cultural standards influence how people behave and view the world. Social norms are not taught but through interaction and socialization people learn what is the norm and deviant and often this vary from one society to another (Becker 78). Based on the differential association theory, therefore, the behavior is learned through interaction and the nature of interaction one indulge in define what one character and norm one learn. For example, if one is raised in a violent environment, often one will turn out violent. Therefore, norms can only be defined by society one lives and interact with. Deviance behavior, therefore, is not inherently the nature of people who commit criminal activities (Clinard and Meier 84). The theory stipulates that the environment plays a significant role in determining the norms people learn to break.

When joining high school, I was a quiet student. But as time lapsed and I interacted with different school and classmate in different school contexts, I began picking specific characteristic from my peers that I did not possess before. Starting from English study group, I made new friends. Most of the group's members were highly talkative and social. During my interactions with them, I gained the confidence to tell stories and even express my thoughts. My behavior was almost similar to that of my peers and as a result, Every time we met for group discussion without the supervision of the teacher, I and my peers often spent half of the study time chatting and discussing matters that were not part of the study discussions. Based on our action we found fun in talking during group discussion, and this to us become a norm. Just like Sutherland's explained in differential association theory, we made it a norm that group discussions should be lively and not boring. According to my assumption and that of other group members, the group discussion was more fruitful when we combined both studies with jokes and stories. Unfortunately, dropping the act now that I have come out of high school is becoming problematic.

Due to the picked culture and norms in high school of talking during the discussion and in the library and also use of phones when learning it has been difficult for me to drop some of the high school norms that are considered deviant in college. Noise making in the group discussion in the collage is deemed to be deviant. Many people find my deviant action of making noise destructive during learning be it in a group discussion or any learning setting such as the library. Members of my group have even labeled me as the noise maker. Howard Becker argues that breaking the norms is deviant when the society labels specific behaviors as deviant (Becker 88). However, in every community, there are social control mechanisms that deal with deviant behavior. For example, in the group study, there is a leader mandated with the task of coordinating activities and even punishing members for defying the set rules and regulations. Likewise, schools have different practices for managing the library. For example, Students are forbidden from using their phones or talking loudly. In case one is caught breaking the library rules, a ban may be issued for a specified period after which permission is granted to access the library premises.

In spite of openly set and understood social controls in school that prevent me and others from committing deviant behavior, I still break the rules. My case, therefore, can be best described using the neutralization theory. The theory explains that deviant people have a justification for their deviant actions using alternative definitions to support their behavior (Clinard and Meier 120). In my case, I am talkative during group discussions which is wrong. However, I justify my action by saying my deviant talkative action help relieve group members from classwork pressure. I view it as a way of creating a friendly environment so that the group can achieve its desired objectives. Too much seriousness could lead scheming required class materials instead of internalizing them.

Conclusion

I have been socialized to be an obedient child who respects the cultural and religious norms by my parents. At school, the teachers are my guardian, and they have taught me about respecting and obeying the academic rules and regulations. As a result, I have great respect for my teachers, and I value my education. However, during group discussions, I find myself deviating from the group's objective with a cause. Nonetheless, I make sure that the peer group achieves the desired outcome despite my interruptions. According to the control theory, people may at times want to act in deviance, but most don't because of the internal restraint (Becker 99). Developing the act of self-control depends on proper socialization, particularly during childhood. I have been socialized correctly, but I feel that I overstep my role in a group discussion. I am working hard to maintain the conscious level of self-restraint to avoid annoying my peers during group discussions.

Works Cited

Becker, Howard Saul. Outsiders: studies in the sociology of deviance. New York. Free Press, 1997.

Clinard, Marshall B, and Robert F Meier. Sociology Of Deviant Behavior. 15th Ed. Wadsworth Publishing, 2015. Print.