Deviant Behavior Theory Essay

Theories of Deviant Behavior “Deviant behavior is behavior that violates the normative rules, understandings, or expectations of social systems” (“Deviant Behavior,” 1968). Sociologists that study crime and deviant behavior look at a variety of different things to try to determine the causes of these acts. First, they look at cultural norms and in what ways these cultural norms change. Second, they look at how these cultural norms are being enforced. They also look at what would happen to individuals when they break these cultural norms (Crossman, 2015b). Through these observations, sociologists have come up with numerous theories as to what causes deviant behavior. One theory that has been connected to the cause of deviant behavior

During the 1940s, Robert Merton came up with the anomie theory. The anomie theory is also known as the strain theory. Merton suggested that deviant behavior is caused from a lack of understanding of what a culture’s norms are, what establishes success in one’s life and goals, and the appropriate ways in which to achieve these goals (“Robert Merton,” n.d.). The anomie theory is also the result of social strains that are caused by social structures (“Sociological Theories,” n.d.). This theory has been used when explaining why the United States deviant behavior rates are higher than other societies. The anomie theory has also been used when explaining deviant behavior conducted from those of a different class, ethnicity, and race (“Robert Merton,”

Although this theory is not the most used theory in the explanation of deviant behavior, it is considered the approach that is most important. The labeling theory was established from work that was done by W.I. Thomas in 1928 (Crossman, 2015a). According to Cliffsnotes.com (2015), “this theory holds that behaviors are deviant only when society labels them as deviant”. According to this theory, deviance is labeled by those who impose proper behavior and boundaries. Some individuals that this can include are court officials, experts, police officers, and school authorities. Because these individuals essentially create deviant behavior categories and apply labels to others, they “are reinforcing the power structure of society” (Crossman, 2015a). Once an individual has been labeled defiant, it is hard for that label to be removed. With this label in place, an individual sees themselves as defiant and therefore will be more likely to exhibit deviant behavior (Crossman,