Research norms found in other cultures or time periods that would be considered deviant in our culture today. Then, break 1 of our society’s expected norms by performing a behavior that is common in another culture or time period.
Please be sure to perform a deviant behavior, not a criminal behavior.
The following are some ideas to get you started:
Bowing instead of shaking hands
Dropping in on a neighbor you have never met for a visit
Being in the personal space of someone with whom you are talking
Slurping your food loudly
Riding in the front seat of a taxi
Avoiding making eye contact while speaking to someone
Wearing a minimum of four layers of clothing (for women)
Pushing all of the buttons when riding on a crowded elevator
Teasing and spraying your hair excessively
Then, write a paper to respond to each of the following assignment questions. Your response to each question should be 1–2 paragraphs, and as appropriate, they should be supported with examples and information from your textbook and intellipath®.
What norm did you break, and where (or when) would this behavior be considered normal?
How did breaking this social norm make you feel? How did people react to you?
What is the relationship between deviance and crime? Discuss why laws formally discourage certain acts while other behaviors are informally discouraged but not labeled illegal.
In your opinion, if someone commits a deviant act but no one is around to see it, is it still deviant?
