In sociology, deviance does not always mean a criminal act; instead, it is defined as “any behavior, belief, or condition that violates significant social norms in the society or group in which it occurs” (Kendall, 2018, “What is Deviance?” section). When specific activities or appearances are not consistent with the norms or expectations of the larger groups, they will be discouraged or condemned. In fact, acts that may be considered normal by one group may be deviant to another group. An example would be tattoos and piercings; at a tattoo shop, several exposed tattoos and piercings would be considered the norm for both workers and customers; however, the same tattoos and piercings would be seen as deviant in corporate work place environments such as a bank or in a courthouse.

Sociology tells us that deviance is governed by what we call social control and sanctions. This is the systematic practice developed by social groups to encourage conformity and to discourage deviance. Sanctions can be positive or negative reactions we receive from others to either encourage us to continue an approved behavior or discourage us from continuing with one that is deviant.

2. In at least 150 words, answer the following discussion questions from the textbook resources for Chapter 6.
   1. Sociologists stress that deviance does not really occur in a meaningful way unless it is accompanied by sanctions. Think about a time when you “got away with” breaking a rule.
      • How did it make you feel? Did you ever tell anyone? Do you think of yourself as a deviant?