Deviant Behaviors And Social Norms

The vast majority of deviant behaviors are routine, because they violate existing and generally accepted social norms.“They don’t adhere to the normative structure of society and are almost always situationally condemned”(Humphrey & Schmalleger,2012). They also typically require high levels of cognitive ability or involve concerted effort. The majority of illicit behaviors that we deem deviant seem to also violate ordinances, or state laws. “Sometimes cultural changes may become institutionalized and persist through time, or short-lived or disappear from the social landscape. Special interest groups that seek to foster the acceptance of particular rights or protections, usually vulnerable populations or the environment”. “Over time , patterns

of deviant behavior become institutionalized and are imbedded in the sociocultural fabric”(Humphrey & Schmalleger,2012).
As an example, a vehicle that exceeds the posted speed limit, may be seen as deviant behavior. This is a routine behavior that is occurs on a very high rate on a daily basis, but this behavior is only viewed deviant to the others, who are driving the posted speed limit.
Some deviant behaviors are institutionalized due to culture changes. For example body tattooing is an art to some cultures, but deviant behavior to other cultures as it may be associated with immoral activity. But as it becomes more acceptable in a culture, it seems to disappear from the deviant behavior side to the more socially acceptable side.
The reason why there are few idiosyncratic is, because “their type of behavior is not likely to be repeated or to form institutionalized patterns of behavior”(Humphrey & Schmalleger,2012).
This type of behavior is far less common and unique to to particular individuals.
Also few behaviors are considered innovative, because they become require years of careful experimentation or sometimes it can happen in a flash of insight. Innovation require the merger of two or more theoretical concepts or material objects in a new way.

Reference:
Humphrey, J. A. & Schmalleger, F. (2012). Deviant behavior (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning