Positive Deviance: Paying Comments

Positive Deviance: Paying Compliments My idea for a positive deviant act was giving compliments to my peers. I executed this task at my high school, Milton District, as there are several students and therefore, many opportunities to comment on them positively. I did this on Thursday, November 23rd, 2017 from the morning to early evening. Although I did not compliment every person I saw, I made an effort to flatter my friends, volleyball teammates, and even mere acquaintances. This plan was executed throughout the day for approximately twenty five times. The purpose of this deviant act was to brighten up each person’s day with a praise. The goal was to increase the confidence in my peers and make them feel good and happy about themselves. This task was a comment about how some people may act deviantly to appreciate the outcome of their achievement. After I completed this activity, not only did I boost the self esteem of my peers, but I also gained trust and felt more accepted. This act is considered deviant because in this time period, people usually throw insults at each other rather than compliments, especially with …show more content…
She was delighted to hear the positive comment and smiled. Next, I moved on to my regular circle of friends and continued to execute my task. Some of my friends reacted similarly to the first person I complimented, but most of them were suspicious. They commented on how my behaviour was strange and they were concerned that I was up to something. Eventually, I had to explain that my assignment was to act deviantly in a positive way. When I began flattering my acquaintances and volleyball teammates, they were thankful and I did not have to defend my actions at all. I observed that peers who I rarely talk to will take compliments acceptingly whereas peers who I am friends with are more likely to question my