1 2 Social Behavior and Inequalities Summary Social Behavior and Inequalities Summary Deviance Deviance can be defined as an act that violates the rules of a group whether it be custom, law or moral code. Social groups create the rights and wrongs by originating norms, the infraction that constitutes deviance. In other words, nothing inherent in a particular act makes it deviant. Whether or not an act is determined to be deviant depends on how other people react to the act. Deviance can be a criminal or non‐criminal act. The sociological discipline that deals with crime is criminology. Americans consider such activities as alcoholism, excessive gambling, being nude in public places, playing with fire, stealing, lying, refusing to bathe, purchasing the services of prostitutes, and cross‐dressing to name only a few as deviant. Social Perspectives People who engage in deviant behavior are referred to as deviants. Sociologists who follow the functionalist approach argue that societies need a limited amount of crime, because crime is inevitable, and that crime performs three positive functions that consist of: regulation, integration and change. They view deviance as a key component of a functioning society. Strain theory, social disorganization theory, and cultural deviance theory represent three functionalist perspectives on deviance in society. Akers (1991) Conflict theory looks to social and economic factors as the causes of crime and deviance. Unlike functionalists, conflict theorists don’t see these factors as positive functions of society. They see them as evidence of inequality in the system. They also challenge social disorganization theory and control theory and argue that both ignore racial and socioeconomic issues and oversimplify social trends. Conflict theorists also look for answers to the correlation of gender and race along with wealth and crime. Symbolic interactionism is a theoretical approach that can be used to explain how societies and/or social groups come to view behaviors as deviant or conventional. Labeling theory, differential association, social disorganization theory, and control theory fall within the realm of symbolic interactionism. Social Inequalities Social inequality refers to disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income as well as between the overall quality and luxury of each person's existence within a society, while economic inequality is caused by the unequal accumulation of wealth; social inequality exists because of the lack of wealth in certain areas prohibits these people from obtaining the same types of housing, health care, education, and other luxuries as the wealthy. One cause of social inequalities is starting points in life. Williams (2011), According to Williams “The situation that each of us are born into. If you’re born into a family with wealth and assets, you get a head start”. In other words, your life is setup for you to succeed because you were raised by a fami.

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Social Behavior and Inequalities Summary
Social Behavior and Inequalities Summary
Deviance
Deviance can be defined as an act that violates the rules of
a group whether it be custom, law or moral code. Social groups
create the rights and wrongs by originating norms, the
infraction that constitutes deviance. In other words, nothing
inherent in a particular act makes it deviant. Whether or not an
act is determined to be deviant depends on how other people
react to the act. Deviance can be a criminal or non‐criminal act.
The sociological discipline that deals with crime is criminology.
Americans consider such activities as alcoholism, excessive
gambling, being nude in public places, playing with fire,
stealing, lying, refusing to bathe, purchasing the services of
prostitutes, and cross‐dressing to name only a few as deviant.
Social Perspectives
People who engage in deviant behavior are referred to as
deviants. Sociologists who follow the functionalist approach
argue that societies need a limited amount of crime, because
crime is inevitable, and that crime performs three positive
functions that consist of: regulation, integration and change.
They view deviance as a key component of a functioning
society. Strain theory, social disorganization theory, and
cultural deviance theory represent three functionalist
perspectives on deviance in society.
Akers (1991) Conflict theory looks to social and economic
factors as the causes of crime and deviance. Unlike
functionalists, conflict theorists don’t see these factors as
positive functions of society. They see them as evidence of
inequality in the system. They also challenge social

2. disorganization theory and control theory and argue that both
ignore racial and socioeconomic issues and oversimplify social
trends. Conflict theorists also look for answers to the
correlation of gender and race along with wealth and crime.
Symbolic interactionism is a theoretical approach that can be
used to explain how societies and/or social groups come to view
behaviors as deviant or conventional. Labeling theory,
differential association, social disorganization theory, and
control theory fall within the realm of symbolic interactionism.
Social Inequalities
Social inequality refers to disparities in the distribution of
economic assets and income as well as between the overall
quality and luxury of each person's existence within a society,
while economic inequality is caused by the unequal
accumulation of wealth; social inequality exists because of the
lack of wealth in certain areas prohibits these people from
obtaining the same types of housing, health care, education, and
other luxuries as the wealthy. One cause of social inequalities is
starting points in life. Williams (2011), According to Williams
“The situation that each of us are born into. If you’re born into
a family with wealth and assets, you get a head start”. In other
words, your life is setup for you to succeed because you were
raised by a family in a high social class level.
References
Akers, Ronald L. 1991. “Self-control as a General Theory of
Crime.” Journal of Quantitative Criminology:201–11.
Williams, J. (2011). Five Causes of Inequalities. National
Osteoporosis Foundation. Retrieved from
http://makewealthhistory.org/2011/11/22/five-causes-of-
ineaquality/