Sociology of Deviance Behavior Essay
Discuss Ways in Which the Body is Subject to Notions of Conformity and Defiance
There have been endless debates about deviance behavior in the society by most sociological researchers and experts. Rubington & Weinberg defines deviant behavior as any unacceptable actions by an individual that are contrary to the societal and cultural norms within which it occurs (Rubington & Weinberg, 2015). Mostly, deviant people act against the commonly accepted life patterns and ethics within a societal setting. In the modern world, deviance occurs in different forms. The human body is subjected to different forms of deviance by people. For example, prostitution, drug abuse and alcoholism, homosexuality, suicide, rape, murder, naked exposure in the public among many others. Different sociological perspectives such as structural strain theory, labelling theory, and social control theory explain these deviance behaviors. This study will discuss the ways in which the body is subjected to notions of deviance behavior and conformity in the society.
To begin with, prostitution is a negative deviance behavior that subjects the body to crime. The act of prostitution is illegal by law, and is considered as a moral decay in the society. Prostitution involves the exchange of sex for monetary gains, and this is against societal norms, morals, and ethics. But, what provokes prostitution? Most people engage in prostitution behavior due to poverty, peer influence, and poor parenting. The social control theory of sociology explains this deviance behavior. Sometimes, attachment of people and their bonds weaken. The society expects people to conform to the societal beliefs and norms established, and these prohibit acts of immorality. The social control theory explains how deviance behavior is attached to situations when people break their commitment to societal values (Osgood et al., 2017). For example, parents misbehaving at their children’s presence or the youths deciding to engage in prostitution due to poverty.
