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Deviance is a breach of acceptable standards or social norms present in our society. This can include behaviour that is viewed as abnormal, odd, wrong, or strange to the majority of the population. Whether an event is considered "deviant" relies on context, how a similar situation is usually handled, and people's responses to the behaviour. I believe deviance should be present in our community as it allows for laws to be made and danger to be minimized. If we did not have standards on what is considered deviant, we would have a society that is not controlled. Although there are many situations considered low consensus deviance, it allows individuals to be entitled to their own opinion and reaction to any given situation. It helps laws get overridden, be made, and assists our society in growing and improving as a whole.

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Deviance is represented in the news, media and law as negative acts that should not be happening. Individuals considered deviant are often looked down upon, and are seen as poor examples for others abiding by societal, contextual and cultural norms. I partially agree and disagree with this. I believe many acts of high consensus such as rape and murder are justified to be portrayed in a negative light, whereas acts such as cannabis use and refraining from school dress code should have a more positive outlook. I think events and situations that pose a serious risk to society should have a preventative approach from the news, media and law; however, situations that do have benefits should refrain from being heavily publicized as a deviant act.

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Speeding is an example of low consensus deviance as many believe it is not socially acceptable, where many others believe it is a form of formal deviance for the government's benefit. There are laws in place to prevent speeding due to its nature of causing accidents, harm and danger to those using a vehicle as well as pedestrians. However, there are contextual situations where speeding is considered "okay" such as when used by first responders. Many argue that speeding should be acceptable when late to an event, when in danger and when needing to access emergency services in a quick manner. The rational for those who disagree with speeding being a deviant act is that it is mainly used as income for the government when one receives a ticket, and if that no one is harmed, there should not be a misconduct in place. This is a valid example of deviance as both sides of the argument believe speeding or the laws against it are a violation of contextual and social norms.

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The most facile argument against speeding is the teacher inspired "It's not big and it's not clever." Well it is, because everything we have done as a species since we first left the trees has revolved around being better, faster and more efficient than whatever went before. It is part of the human condition every bit as much as our instincts to feed ourselves and to reproduce.

There is no civilization in the history of mankind which has profited from slowing itself down or hindering and even reversing this desire for improvement, and no area of our lives where we accept that things now are slower, less efficient and worse than they were in the past. We expect year on year improvements in every area of our lives and we normally get them because we obsessively strive for them in every area.

Cars have kept pace with this, and the worst, most basic car you can buy today is better in almost every way than the vast majority of cars made in 1965 when the speed limits were introduced in the UK. A modern car in good condition is safer cruising on the motorway at 100mph than any 1960s car at 70mph, yet the limits have been lowered and the enforcement of them stepped up relentlessly. On quiet, dry motorways in the right car with a competent drive, 120mph is quite manageable.

What Should Speed Limits Really Be?

We could raise the speed limit to 90 which would be a good start, 120 would be real progress, but that will still become dated in a few years. As cars, roads and drivers improve there is no reason not to expect safe cruising speeds to carry on going up. Why not 150 or 200mph when it's safe? At one time it was 4mph, and you had to have a man with a flag in front of you. The idea of ordinary millions of working men and women driving along at 80mph on their daily routes to work would have seemed probably more incredible then.

The idea of an upper limit applied always and everywhere remaining unchanged for decades is fundamentally wrong on a philosophical level. It's a denial of who we are and what we do as a species.

The way we as a country go about regulating speed limits is also a sad indictment of the kind of society we are - One that is stifled by regulations, one that is obsessed with safety as an end in itself, one that has lost the will and the habit of improvement in exchange for the comfort of imposed order and one that has lost belief in itself and it's people's ability to use their own judgement.

It's no coincidence that crime has risen over the same period, or that drug use has become normal, or that taxes have gone up every year - people are scared to think for themselves; so mistrustful of others that they need them to be bound by ever more laws and watched by ever more cameras. And yet we still feel more threatened than ever before too. By crime, by terrorism, by disease, by globalization and it's effect on our financial well being. Not that each of these threats aren't real, but compare them to previous threats - of nuclear war, of invasion, of death from diseases that would hardly register nowadays, and from the real threat of starving to death if you were poor in the 19th century.

All of these improvements are down to the same basic instinct that pushes your right foot down that bit further, and when you deny that instinct you're denying the inventive, the striving, the imaginative and creative side of your brain. The side that put a man on the moon, that crossed oceans, tamed animals, built houses and lit fires. You're denying being human and accepting a position as a dumb beast of burden, cowed by your masters into plodding along for all eternity at the speed they dictate, against your own judgement and desire. Swapping the ecstasy of achievement for the safety of the feudal serf.

So go on, drive faster - it is big and it is incredibly clever.

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The most facile argument against speeding is the teacher inspired "It's not big and it's not clever." Well it is, because everything we have done as a species since we first left the trees has revolved around being better, faster and more efficient than whatever went before.

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Although alcohol is acceptable to use by the eyes of the law, there is much debate on whether its use is considered deviant or appropriate. Alcohol seems to be accepted in social gatherings and establishments, but becomes deviant when used on a regular basis or as a coping mechanism. The social norm is that it is used when "partying" or on occasion to have fun or enjoy. When a person consumes too much, too often, or when negative acts occur as a result of intoxication, they are seen as alcoholic or addict. It can be difficult to understand what is acceptable as every individual has a different definition on what is considered too much alcohol. Driving while intoxicated is seen as a high consensus form of deviance, where drinking until intoxicated can be seen as a low consensus form of deviance.

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Addictive behaviors - from drinking to gambling to sex - can range from socially acceptable behavior to socially deviant behavior. Here's why.

Are All Addicts Social Deviants?

The stereotype of someone with an addiction is a social deviant. Deviance is a sociological concept referring to behaviors that violate social rules and norms.

Behavior that is perceived as socially deviant is highly stigmatized, which often causes as many or more problems for the person engaging in the behavior than the addiction itself - if there even is an addiction.

Certainly, some addictive behaviors are considered socially unacceptable, and therefore the person doing them can be considered a social deviant.

Heroin use, for example, would be considered quite shocking in most social circumstances. However, in communities and sub-cultures where heroin use is common, it's not really socially deviant to take heroin. In fact, if your parents, friends, and neighbors all take it, taking heroin helps you to fit in with those around you.

On the other hand, many addictive behaviors are considered acceptable by mainstream society and are even encouraged.

Furthermore, you can actually ostracize yourself by not drinking alcohol in some social situations where it's expected.

The Continuum of Social Acceptability

The table below shows some examples of common addictive behaviors, which illustrate the continuum from socially deviant to socially problematic to socially acceptable behaviors in mainstream Western cultures.

Excessive gambling
Losing a lot of money in a gambling binge

Bingo, lotteries, trips to Las Vegas

These are not meant to be rigid categorizations, but simply examples of how behaviors tend to be perceived - for example, illegal activities such as underage drinking are classed as "deviant," whereas in reality, this is quite common and often accepted by youth and adults.﻿﻿

Some behaviors have shifted position in recent decades, for example, smoking cigarettes is socially problematic, but not yet socially deviant, while it was socially acceptable 30 years ago.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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Why Addiction Can Sometimes Be About Fitting In

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Addictive behaviors - from drinking to gambling to sex - can range from socially acceptable behavior to socially deviant behavior. Here's why. The stereotype of someone with an addiction is a social deviant.

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As interest builds in the potential health benefits from the plant, accumulating evidence confirms that taking the drug also carries risks

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Utilizing cannabis was seen as a wrongful act and an example of formal deviant behaviour for many years. Individuals who utilized the drug were seen as lazy, unmotivated and as drug addicts. Today, cannabis use is legalized and apart of many people's routines. It can be used alone, for medicinal purposes, as well as in social gatherings. Although the drug is legal, there are still many people who believe it should not be included in society's norm. There are both positive health benefits from the plant as well as risks that come with its use. It can be used to improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, but can also pose a risk for addiction and making poor and dangerous decisions while under the influence. Cannabis use has the potential to increase the chances of a person driving under the influence, or utilizing other drugs. It can cause susceptibility to other forms of deviance in our society such as sexual assault, and act as barrier to completing work and education commitments. This is a large controversy present in the media and throughout the news, making it a prime example of low consensus deviance.

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1. Monte, A. A., Zane, R. D. & Heard, K. J. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 313, 241-242 (2015).

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2. Sewell, R. A., Poling, J. & Sofuoglu, M. Am. J. Addict. 18, 185-193 (2009).

3. Broyd, S. J., van Hell, H. H., Beale, C., Yücel, M. & Solowij, N. Biol. Psychiatry 79, 557-567 (2016).

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As interest builds in the potential health benefits from the plant, accumulating evidence confirms that taking the drug also carries risks. As interest builds in the potential health benefits from the plant, accumulating evidence confirms that taking the drug also carries risks.

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School dress codes are primarily seen in the elementary and highschool population. Whether it be uniform, or restrictions on what one is allowed to wear, there is major controversy between whether this should be present or not. Girls are expected to wear shorts below mid thigh, and tank tops that are at least 3cm in diameter. Many believe this should be present as it prevents revealing attire to be worn, where others believe this inhibits a negative standard and mindset towards women. They believe it shows the male population that a female's nature can be represented based off what they wear. Individuals who do not abide by the dress code are often seen as deviant, and are punished by having to change or be sent home.

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Arguments Against School Dress Codes | LoveToKnow

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In his 1996 State of the Union address, President Clinton called on American schools to require uniforms to ensure the safety of school children. Although ...

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What Women Who Criticize Plastic Surgery Don't See 

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Plastic surgery among women has become very common over the last decade. Popular celebrities such as Cardi B and Kim Kardashian have utilized medical procedures to sculpt their bodies and become a version of themselves they find ideal. Plastic surgery is often seen as a deviant act as many believe it is showing the public unattainable standards impossible to achieve without cosmetic changes, and that we should not strive to accept ourselves. Our society has become insecure with the presence of social media, reinforcing how plastic surgery has the ability to open more windows of comparison, personal neglect and depression. Although plastic surgery is often seen as deviant, others argue that what you do to your body should primarily be your choice, and it is not to appease our environment. If an individual wants to change something about themselves to increase their confidence, it is for them and them only.

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Opinion | What Women Who Criticize Plastic Surgery Don’t See (Published 2020)

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The “natural” body movement is unfairly exclusive.