Deviance

"Discuss how one of the sociological theories of deviance can be used to explain social phenomena, such as pornography, drug use, suicide and disability."

By Vanessa Neil

1 - Introduction

2 - A Brief background to the Interactionist Perspective

3 - More recent developments in the Interactionist Perspective

4 - Using the Interactionist Perspective to explain social phenomena

5 - Conclusion

Introduction

Deviant behaviour has sadly been a ongoing occurrence in society throughout history, more noticeably in life today. Sociologists have been provoked to study and form theories in order to try and explain why social phenomena such as suicide, prostitution and drug use occur in our society. The Interactionist Perspective, known to many as the Labelling Theory, is interested in social processes and examines deviant behaviour using such methods as social typing. The Interactionists emphasise the role that meanings play in the creation of deviant behaviour and gain a greater understanding of what it means to commit actions that others label as deviant.

A Brief background to the Interactionist Perspective

In order to discuss how the Interactionist theory can be used to explain deviance, it is necessary to understand the historical development and approach of