Deviant behavior
Deviant behavior refers to behavior that does not conform to norms, does not meet the expectations of a group of a society as a whole. ... These values provide justification and motivation or for wanting to refrain from behavior that is disapproved. After reading this, one can see how a behavior is considered deviant, but the question is, “Why is a certain type of behavior considered deviant?” This paper will take a particular deviant behavior, which is illicit drug use, and examine why this type of behavior is labeled as deviant. ... Throughout history, all human societies have used drugs, but it hasn’t been until recently considered deviant behavior. ... It’s stated that “since a social process creates standards for deviance, consumption of a particular drug becomes deviant only when individuals and groups define it a such” (Clinard and Meier, 2001). ... This causes public opinion to look at drug use as deviant because the norms of society have been changed. ... Hence, creating new laws and stricter enforcement only helps to inform the public of how serious a problem drug use is and in turn, is labeled as deviant behavior. Now knowing why society believes illicit drug use is considered a deviant act, what type of theories can be best used to evaluate them? ... The deviant is one to whom that label has successfully been applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label. ... This means as long as the deviance is unknown to others, the individual would not be considered deviant or abnormal. ... Labeling theory looks at the deviant, which in turn causes them to be considered standard deviant behaviors. However, the conflict theory directs attention away from being labeled and its consequences for generating deviant identities and deviant careers, rather focusing on issues such as who makes the rules and laws, who decides who is deviant and which groups benefit from or suffer by these decisions.