The study of deviance is based on studying the way people violate social norms or folkways. Folkways are norms created by society that specify the behaviors expected by individuals in everyday situations, and these folkways are developed through repetition of certain acts or behaviors. (Sumner, 1907, p. 3). To violate a folkway means to go against what the society views as normal. For this study, I decided to wear summer clothing in the winter, when there was snow on the ground. The folkway for this situation would be that people expect you to wear long pants, long sleeves and maybe a jacket in cold weather. Instead, I went outside to a public area in shorts, a T-shirt and flip-flops.
Folkways act as a means of social control, because society decides what they will view and normal or abnormal. Because of this, different societies and cultures may have different folkways or norms. However, in America, it is commonly known by society that we dress according to the weather. Violating this norm of dressing inappropriately for the weather was guaranteed to elicit many different responses from the people I …show more content…
This made me feel slightly uncomfortable because the people were judging my home life, and labeling me due to the fact that I was not wearing the appropriate clothing outdoors. Relativism explains that deviance is not deviant behavior until people label it as so. In this case, the wearing of inappropriate clothing most likely would not be known as a deviant behavior, but because people saw me standing outside in freezing weather wearing shorts, they labeled my acts as deviant. Thio, Taylor & Schwartz (2013) says, “Deviance then is a mental construct (an idea, thought, or image) expressed in the form of a label” (p. 7-8). Thio, Taylor & Schwartz (2013) continues to explain that because of this reasoning, deviance is social constructed and defined by
Folkways act as a means of social control, because society decides what they will view and normal or abnormal. Because of this, different societies and cultures may have different folkways or norms. However, in America, it is commonly known by society that we dress according to the weather. Violating this norm of dressing inappropriately for the weather was guaranteed to elicit many different responses from the people I …show more content…
This made me feel slightly uncomfortable because the people were judging my home life, and labeling me due to the fact that I was not wearing the appropriate clothing outdoors. Relativism explains that deviance is not deviant behavior until people label it as so. In this case, the wearing of inappropriate clothing most likely would not be known as a deviant behavior, but because people saw me standing outside in freezing weather wearing shorts, they labeled my acts as deviant. Thio, Taylor & Schwartz (2013) says, “Deviance then is a mental construct (an idea, thought, or image) expressed in the form of a label” (p. 7-8). Thio, Taylor & Schwartz (2013) continues to explain that because of this reasoning, deviance is social constructed and defined by