Why Do People Deviate?
People deviate because according to the:
1. Anomie Theory
It tells that because of economic interdependence, some people lose their sense of belonging, participate less in socially meaningful activities, feel alone, frightened and disoriented and these experiences and development’s result into the feeling of anomie- a condition of normlessness in which norms and values and culture no longer provides adequate guildelines for behavior.
2. Strain Theory
It explains that strains is experienced by individuals when structures in the society do not give them an opportunity to attain the provided goals with legitimate means.
3. Opportunity Theory
In this theory, given an opportunity to act defiantly, a person will, especially if he is supported by structures that will increase his success and that structures is referring to different groups that could help an individual have access to illegitimate activities like the gangs.
4. Labeling Theory
It says that deviant person is a product of differentiating and isolating processes.
5. Cultural Transmission Theory
It focused mainly on the development of some urban neighborhoods of criminal tradition that persists from one generation to another despite changes in population and it tells that crime areas remained the same over several decades even though the ethnic groups living in those areas have changed.
6. Differential Association Theory
It says that criminal behavior is learned in the context of intimate groups and develops when people rationalize about breaking of the law and when they associate themselves with individuals who hold the same view.
7. Control Theory
It assumes that individuals develop deviant behavior when they are not integrated to conventional groups- refer to social groups that cater to traditional values and norms of the society.
8. Containment Theory
It says that when the stronger one’s inner containment, the least likely one would commit crime and the weaker one’s inner containments, the more prone to crime one would become.
9. Rational Choice Theory
It tells that weighing the risks and benefits of the act before it is done gives the individual a reason whether such action will be pursued or not.
10. Self-Esteem Theory
It tells that an individual with low self-esteem will most likely to commit deviant acts or violate norms while an individual with high esteem is likely to violate social norms.