Topic 4a: Interactionist explanations Flashcards
1
Q
intro
A
Interactionists argue that definitions of normality and deviance are a social construction. This means that the same thing or act can be interpreted in different ways. Deviance is therefore relative and will depend on a person’s individual point of view, the place in which they live, the culture in which they are brought up, the time-period in which they live and the social context in which the activity occurs.
2
Q
Conclusion
A
Becker - Deviancy is not a quality of the act a person commits but rather a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender’. The deviant is the one to whom that label has been successfully applied: deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label. (use cicourel for a point)
