Compare/contrast positivist, relativist, and critical conceptions of deviance.
What will be an ideal response?
Positivist/normative—there is a general set of norms of behavior, conduct, and conditions on which we can agree; a violation of a rule understood by the majority of the group; “What leads an individual to engage in deviant behavior?”
Relativist/Social Constructionist—nothing is inherently deviant; our understanding of the world is in constant negotiation between actors; deviance is behaviors that illicit a definition or label of deviance; “What characteristics increase the likelihood that an individual or a behavior will be defined as deviant?”
Critical—the normative understanding of deviance is established by those in power to maintain and enhance their power; instead of focusing on individual types of deviance, this conception critiques the social system that exists and creates such norms in the first place; “What is the experience of the homeless and who is served by their treatment as deviant?”
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