Deviant behavior is defined as actions that violate social norms, including informal social rules and more formal societal expectations and laws. Socially acceptable behavior, on the other hand, refers to actions that are generally viewed as appropriate when in the presence of other people. Examples of deviant behavior can range from lying or chewing with your mouth open to serious offenses like addiction, assault, and murder.
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What Counts as Deviant Behavior
Deviant behavior can include both informal and formal deviance from social norms. Informal types of deviance are considered socially unacceptable and inappropriate. Formal types of deviant behavior violate codified laws, regulations, and other rules.
Examples of Informal Deviant Behavior
These types of deviant behavior tend to be considered socially unacceptable, but they do not violate laws. Examples of informal deviance include:
- Gossiping about people behind their back
- Showing up late to work
- Borrowing items and not returning them
- Telling inappropriate jokes at work
- Lying to others
- Chewing with your mouth open
- Swearing in public
- Staring inappropriately
Examples of Formal Deviant Behavior
These behaviors are generally classified as criminal acts and are subject to punishment. Some of these behaviors may be seen as less serious, while others are considered the most deviant forms of human behavior. These behaviors include:
- Domestic violence
- Rape, sexual harassment, and stalking
- Murder
- Theft and robbery
- Assault, violence, bullying
- Fraud
- Addiction, substance use, DUI, and drug trafficking
What Causes People to Break the Rules
Deviant behavior does not generally have a single, identifiable cause. It is often the result of a variety of factors, including genetics, life experience, the environment the individual lives in, and social pressures. Research also suggests that certain personality traits may also play a role in deviant behavior.
It is also important to note that what is considered deviant can vary from one culture to the next. Other factors—including sex and socioeconomic status—also influence the informal and unwritten social rules and expectations that people are expected to conform to.
- Psychological explanations: Psychological theories of deviant behavior come from a variety of perspectives. The psychoanalytic approach, for example, might suggest that all people have repressed, unconscious urges that lead to social deviance. Learning theories suggest these behaviors are learned by watching others engage in deviant behaviors.
- Biological explanations: Biological explanations for deviance suggest that genetic influences play a significant role in deviant behavior. For example, research indicates that between 40% and 60% of the risk for developing an addiction is due to genetics. Genetics also affects temperament and overall personality. These characteristics and traits may influence the likelihood that a person will engage in deviant behavior.
- Sociological explanations: One sociological explanation is Merton’s strain theory, which suggests that there is a tension between a society’s goals and the means people have to reach those goals. As a result, people often turn to deviant behavior (such as stealing or selling drugs) to attain socially acceptable societal ideals (such as having wealth).
How Addiction Is Connected to Deviant Behavior
Addiction, ranging from drinking to gambling to sex, can involve socially acceptable behavior or socially deviant behavior. Having a drink or two after work is a socially acceptable form of alcohol use, while getting drunk and then attempting to drive home is considered deviant behavior.
Deviance is a sociological concept referring to behaviors that violate social rules and norms. People who have substance use disorders are often described as being socially deviant because they do not meet society’s expectations for what is considered acceptable behavior.
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.
There is a large gray area between socially deviant behavior and socially accepted or “sanctioned” behavior. Certain sub-cultures also develop around different substances, which include prescribed behaviors and social sanctions that keep people who use these substances feeling like they belong to the group.
Where We Draw the Line on What’s “Acceptable”
There is a range of behavior, from socially acceptable to deviant, that is influenced by both formal and informal social norms. Examples of behaviors that are generally viewed as socially unacceptable include nose-picking, standing too close to other people, or not bathing regularly. Examples of deviant behavior include drug use, theft, murder, excessive alcohol use, and assault.
To understand the continuum that ranges from social acceptability to social deviance, it can be helpful to look at specific examples, such as in the case of substance use. 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.
Socially Deviant
Socially Problematic
Socially Acceptable
Alcoholism
Binge drinking
Occasional/social drinking
Underage drinking
Public drunkenness
Drinking in “drinking establishments”
Drinking at the wrong time/place
Methadone maintenance
Medical marijuana
Illegal drug use
Painkiller overuse
Appropriate painkiller use
Cigarette smoking
Binge eating
Moderate eating
Overeating
Excessive gambling
Losing a lot of money in a gambling binge
Bingo, lotteries, trips to Las Vegas
Sexual abuse
Promiscuity
Sex within a relationship
Exploitative sex
Sex work
Hardcore pornography
Sexual harassment
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.
As noted previously, many addictive behaviors are considered acceptable by mainstream society and are even encouraged. Alcohol is arguably one of the most harmful drugs in use, but its consumption by adults is accepted and encouraged in every stratum of society, including the highest classes.
Furthermore, you can actually ostracize yourself by not drinking alcohol in some social situations where it’s expected.
Dealing With Deviant Behavior
How deviant behavior is handled depends on the cause, the context, and the severity. General strategies that can help reduce it include:
- Understanding the causes, including factors like underlying mental health issues, societal pressures, stress, unmet needs, and environmental factors
- Creating clear boundaries, conveying expectations, and following through on consequences
- Focusing on positive reinforcement by rewarding good behavior rather than only focusing on punishing undesirable behaviors
- Seeking support from friends and family, and not being afraid to seek professional help from therapists and community resources
On a societal level, deviant behaviors are often managed using deterrence and punishment. If you are trying to stop deviant behavior such as substance use, finding support is essential. Talking to a mental health professional can help you get the support, resources, and tools that you need to change your behavior.
Key Takeaways
- Deviant behaviors violate social norms, including informal expectations and formal rules and laws. Examples can range from less harmful actions like gossiping and lying to serious concerns like domestic abuse and murder.
- It can stem from various causes, including personality, upbringing, societal influences, genetics, and environment.
- The line between what is socially acceptable and what is deviant can vary. Social drinking is acceptable for adults, but considered deviant when it involves underage people or drinking to excess.
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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Popescu A, Marian M, Drăgoi AM, Costea RV. Understanding the genetics and neurobiological pathways behind addiction (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2021;21(5):544. doi:10.3892/etm.2021.9976
Iratzoqui A. Strain and opportunity: A theory of repeat victimization. J Interpers Violence. 2018;33(8):1366-1387. doi:10.1177/0886260515615146
Harding FM, Hingson RW, Klitzner M, et al. Underage drinking. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2016;51(4):S148-S157. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2016.05.020
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