Deviance

Lately we have been learning about social deviance. We have been taught that there are two types of social deviance positive and negative. Deviance is an act a person does that does not lie within the social norms of a generation. Negative deviance is a deviant act that has a negative effect, this could be anything from underage drinking to a teenager robbing a the local gas station. A positive deviance is deviant act that has a positive effect. Positive deviances range from diffusing the tension of a fight that is about to break out to buying lunch for the person behind you in the drive through. This past week we read an article about a teenage robber and watched a clip about the potato chip hero. Both of these clips show prime examples of positive and negative deviance. The potato chip hero has positive deviance because, a man stopped a fight from possibly getting ugly just by stepping in the middle and eating chips. The teenage robber story shows negative deviance because a teen was holding a man at knife point. The story however shows positive deviance. The man saw that he could turn this kids life around by giving him his coat and buying him dinner. Although I did not get the chance to be this heroic I did have the chance to do a positive deviance. I had seen a young girl asking her sister for money to buy something at the concession stand. I paid for her pop corn for her. I noticed positive behavior from the people around. Although the young did not thank me personally I am sure she was thankful.