ABSTRACT
Sociologists define deviance as behavior, attitudes, or characteristics that audiences—from the society in general or designated collectivities within the society—would react to in a negative, censorious, or punishing fashion. Sociologists call this the “ABCs” of deviance. The current sociological definition of deviance asks: How do or would actual or potential audiences label and react to the behavior we’re looking at? What do these audiences consider wrongful, and how do they deal with the people who enact the behavior, express the beliefs, or possess the characteristics they disapprove of? Some of these behaviors, beliefs, or traits fit into categories: crime, sexual deviance, drug abuse, alcoholism, mental disorder, physical disability, obesity, and so on. In addition, the poverty-stricken are often denigrated by people who are not poor; likewise, racial minorities bear the brunt of prejudice and discrimination. Hence, unfair though this process is, some sociologists discuss it as a form of deviance. Sociologists pinpoint four necessary ingredients for deviance to occur: one, a rule or a norm; two, someone who violates or is thought to violate that norm; three, an “audience” that judges the violation, whether the society at large or social circles within the society; and four, the likelihood of negative reactions from this audience.
