Summary
Deviance is a term used to refer to violation of social norms and used to understand human conduct. Deviance is expressed in various forms such as crime, mental disorders, suicide, and alcohol and drug addiction. the concept of deviant behavior is understood based on the sociological analysis of three dimensions of the social structure i.e. institutional, relational, and embodied structures. The modern society is characterized by numerous social changes due to rapid technological advancements and globalization. As a result, deviant behavior is multidimensional due to variance in cultural norms. This is supported by Structural Strain Theory, which suggests that cultural norms or goals shape institutional means, which in turn become the premise for determining human conduct and expected behavior. When people are prevented from realizing culturally-approved goals, they become frustrated and experience strain that results in deviant behavior.

There are two major problems relating to deviance in today’s society, which is identified as a major global problem. One of these issues is the imbalance between cultural goals and structurally available ways for achieving these goals generate and encourage deviance. This issue has emerged due to the new frontiers of discovery and social change through which people engage in some behaviors that may violate cultural norms as they seek to achieve their goals. This issue is supported by the Structural Strain Theory, which emphasize the role cultural norms play in defining deviance. Secondly, applying labels to individuals has become a major issue relating to deviant behavior. Based on labeling theory, categories of deviance are created by formulation and interpretation of laws. As law enforcement personnel implement these laws and uphold social control, they sometimes apply certain labels to certain groups of people, which influence understanding of deviance.

Deviant Behavior, Issues and Theories

Deviance is one of the most important concepts to understanding human conduct. This term is used to refer to behaviors that violate norms beyond what can be tolerated by a group (Meier, 2014). From a sociological perspective, deviance is a term used to refer to behaviors or actions that violate social norms. This implies that deviant behavior refers to behaviors that violate formally established rules and regulations as well as informal breach of social norms. As a result, deviance is expressed in various forms such as crime, mental disorders, suicide, and alcohol and drug addiction. Since deviant behavior is mostly regarded as a sociological concept, it evolves as the society evolves. In essence, the determination of what constitutes deviant behavior is shaped by current issues and events in the society. This paper discusses deviant behavior in a modern complex society. The discussion incorporates contemporary issues as well as theories of deviant behavior.

Deviant Behavior in a Modern Complex Society

Deviance is a sociological concept used in explaining and understanding human behavior or conduct. This term is primarily defined as obvious violation of societal or cultural norms. In essence, every society has rules and regulations on expected behaviors of its members. When these members violate...…On the other hand, certain types of crimes have become associated with certain groups of people. For example, many Muslims are labeled terrorists because of previous incidents of terrorism that have been planned and conducted by some Muslims. Applying labels to people has become a major issue in descriptions and understanding of deviance. Through applying labels to people, categories of deviance are created while power structures and hierarchies of society are reinforced (Crossman, 2018). This issue is supported by labeling theory, which is regarded as one of the vital approaches to understanding deviant and criminal behavior. This theory postulates that deviance is categorized through formulation and interpretation of laws as well as application of labels. The criminal justice system sometimes apply labels to people as it focuses on upholding social control (“The Conflict Perspective on Deviance”, n.d.).

In conclusion, deviance is a term used to refer to violation of social norms and used to understand human conduct. This concept has gained considerable attention in the modern society, which is increasingly complex. The complexities are attributable to social change, globalization, and rapid technological advancements. Given the changes in today’s society and differences in cultural norms, deviance is a multidimensional concept. Therefore, what constitutes deviant behavior differs depending on the society and the existing cultural norms. In the modern complex society, some of the issues surrounding deviant behavior include imbalance between cultural goals and structurally available measures for achieving them as well as applying labels to certain groups of people.