Theories of Deviance

Deviance is not an inherent quality of an act — it is a social label applied to behavior that violates the norms of a particular group at a particular time. Drinking alcohol is deviant in Saudi Arabia but normative in France. Homosexuality was classified as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association until 1973; today it is accepted by the majority of Americans. Tattooing was once associated with criminals and sailors; it is now mainstream fashion. This social constructionist view does not deny that some behaviors cause harm — it insists that which behaviors are labeled deviant, and who gets labeled, are matters of social power rather than objective moral truth.