sociology

- While most people do conform to the expected norms of their society, occasionally they may violate a norm, and depending on its importance and on the severity of the violation, the violator may or may not be seen as deviant. - Deviance is defined as the violation of social norms, which then evokes negative reactions from others; important to consider the social control mechanisms that keep most people from becoming deviant. - If the government imposes severe formal penalties then the deviant behavior becomes a crime. - Deviance is socially constructed meaning that members of groups in societies define what is deviant (tattoos and piercings). - Some acts are deviant at one time and place and not at others (stem cell research)