A man living all alone can do whatever he wants to do and however he wants to do, however, when he starts living in a group, he is expected to follow certain set patterns of life. Society expects a man to act in a certain fashion. When a person fails to conform to those set norms, he is said to be deviating from the right path. Acts of deviance may be minor in nature or more serious ones to be branded as crimes. Sociologists have put forward a number of theories to understand and explain why these acts of deviance occur.
Emily Durkheim- Durkheim was of the opinion that crime is essential in a society. He explained deviance in sociological-functional manner. He said that the act of deviance serves a number of functions such as:-
(1) deviance affirms social norms and values. Acts of deviance help in understanding what acts are acceptable in the society and what are not.
(2) deviance help set moral boundaries
(3) repeated acts of deviance bring together the various sections of society to take a collective action against them. They help in formulation of new rules and policies.
(4) deviance brings about social change and expand moral boundaries. Acts that were once taboo get accepted by the society.
Merton- strain theory. According to Merton, the gap between a man's goals and aspirations and the legitimate means to attaining them leads to acts of deviance. When a man has aspirations that are beyond his capacity of legitimate labor, he tends to resort to unlawful means of attaining them.
Sutherland's differential association theory- according to Sutherland, associating with persons of deviant nature tends to have an impact on the behaviour of a person. He was of the opinion that deviant behavioural pattern is learnt and is dependent upon the nature and degree of association, duration of association, influence of the person and so on.
Labeling theory- according to Frank Tannenbaum and Howard S Becker, labeling of a person as deviant makes him deviant. They said that deviance is in two stages- primary deviance, where a person is labeled as deviant by his peer group and secondary deviance, where the person after getting frustrated with the label actually commits the acts that he is branded for.
Control theory- according to this theory, weak bonds between the individual and the society lead to acts of deviance. Where the social control machinery is weak, it is easier for inividuals to break the norms of the society.
Biological theory- according to Cesare Lombroso, criminals are born criminals. He was of the opinion that the individuals with deviant tendencies have certain physical abnormalities or deformities. The acts of deviance are a result of the inferiority caused by the abnormal physical features in a person's body.
Economic theory- according to Karl Marx, the capitalist society is responsible for acts of deviance. The difference between the income groups, the haves and the have-nots, the unequal distribution of resources and income is the reason behind the various acts of deviance. The poorer section of the society resorts to acts of violence to bring about equality in distribution of income. Mob violence and vandalism can be explained by it but not the cases of white collar crimes.
Thus, a number of theories have been put forward to explain the acts of crime and deviance. Deviance is a social phenomenon requiring a preventive action against it. Understanding its causes plays an important role in controlling it.
Emily Durkheim- Durkheim was of the opinion that crime is essential in a society. He explained deviance in sociological-functional manner. He said that the act of deviance serves a number of functions such as:-
(1) deviance affirms social norms and values. Acts of deviance help in understanding what acts are acceptable in the society and what are not.
(2) deviance help set moral boundaries
(3) repeated acts of deviance bring together the various sections of society to take a collective action against them. They help in formulation of new rules and policies.
(4) deviance brings about social change and expand moral boundaries. Acts that were once taboo get accepted by the society.
Merton- strain theory. According to Merton, the gap between a man's goals and aspirations and the legitimate means to attaining them leads to acts of deviance. When a man has aspirations that are beyond his capacity of legitimate labor, he tends to resort to unlawful means of attaining them.
Sutherland's differential association theory- according to Sutherland, associating with persons of deviant nature tends to have an impact on the behaviour of a person. He was of the opinion that deviant behavioural pattern is learnt and is dependent upon the nature and degree of association, duration of association, influence of the person and so on.
Labeling theory- according to Frank Tannenbaum and Howard S Becker, labeling of a person as deviant makes him deviant. They said that deviance is in two stages- primary deviance, where a person is labeled as deviant by his peer group and secondary deviance, where the person after getting frustrated with the label actually commits the acts that he is branded for.
Control theory- according to this theory, weak bonds between the individual and the society lead to acts of deviance. Where the social control machinery is weak, it is easier for inividuals to break the norms of the society.
Biological theory- according to Cesare Lombroso, criminals are born criminals. He was of the opinion that the individuals with deviant tendencies have certain physical abnormalities or deformities. The acts of deviance are a result of the inferiority caused by the abnormal physical features in a person's body.
Economic theory- according to Karl Marx, the capitalist society is responsible for acts of deviance. The difference between the income groups, the haves and the have-nots, the unequal distribution of resources and income is the reason behind the various acts of deviance. The poorer section of the society resorts to acts of violence to bring about equality in distribution of income. Mob violence and vandalism can be explained by it but not the cases of white collar crimes.
Thus, a number of theories have been put forward to explain the acts of crime and deviance. Deviance is a social phenomenon requiring a preventive action against it. Understanding its causes plays an important role in controlling it.
