Causes of deviant behavior - Essay Example

Causes of deviant behavior Deviant behavior, which is when an individual acts or behaves in a way that goes against cultural and social norms, has always been a common occurrence in society. Though there has been much controversy as to what precisely causes an individual to be deviant, there are a few speculations as to what inspires an individual to act in a deviant manner. The primary factors that can influence a person to become deviant are the environment of the person and the influence of the people that they surround themselves with.

Where a person lives plays a big role in how they regard and respond to social norms. Homes, churches, schools, and neighborhoods provides varying views and beliefs about norms, both social and cultural. For example, if a person enters their church scantly clad, they are being deviant because they are going against the norm. Their attire might be right to them, and it might be right for hanging out with friends, but it is not right in the eyes of those in the church. The people in a person’s life can offer the same influence.

Peer pressure can cause a person to become deviant as they try to fit in with a certain group of people. They may also take on the beliefs and characteristics of friends or family members simply by being subjected to them for so long. A street gang is an example of how people can influence someone else to act out deviantly; in this case, the individual would conform against social norms out of fear of being punished by the other gang members. Despite the cause of deviant behavior, it is believed that people become deviant because they “have goals and needs that are not being met by society (Adler, 2008).

” Therefore, when they are influenced by environments or people that go against social norms, they adapt the behavior for themselves since abiding by social norms was not doing them any good. They have a weak bond with society and find deviant behavior to be the exact escape that they need (Pontell & Rosoff, 2010). Likewise, by not having their goals or needs met, they will act out deviantly either for attention, to make a point, or in another attempt to have their goals met. References Adler, P.A. (2008).

Constructions of deviance: Social power, context, and interaction. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Pontell, H. & Rosoff, S.M. (2010). Social deviance: Readings in theory and research. Manhattan, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.