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Symbolic Interactionism: A Sociological Analysis

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Symbolic interactionism explains how societies view behaviours as deviant or conventional. Labelling theory, differential association, social disorganization theory, and control theory represent interactionist perspective on deviance. Labelling theory explains that deviant behaviours are determined by the reaction of others to those behaviours and it is vary across cultures (Introduction to Sociology 2e, 2015, p.141). Two types of deviance are Primary deviance and Secondary deviance. Primary deviance is a violation of norms that does not affect the individual’s reputation or interaction with others. Wearing white dress or shirt to the wedding ceremony is considered deviant in Thailand, White dresses are reserved only for the bride and the groom in honour of their special occasion. If you as a guest, unintentionally wear white dress to the wedding ceremony, people might just gossip or tease you. They won’t view you as a bad person. Secondary deviance is when one’s behaviours start to change after others …show more content…

It depends on a person who commit an act and those who perceive it to be deviant or not. One behaviour that legally allow to do in one country might violates the law of another country. Alcohol is strictly prohibited in Iran and Muslim countries while it is commonly sold in super market in Switzerland and many other countries. Sociology perspectives help us to view things differently, not from the one involve but from an outsider’s view. There is always a reason for every situation that occurred. The consequences of action and history are what make us who we are today. Functionalism, Feminism and conflict theory suggest us to perceive deviance as a whole, whereas symbolic interactionism view deviance individually. These perspectives very helpful not to understand culture differences, but also one’s own cultural norms in depth. There is no society without deviance. Positive and negative deviant behaviours are function

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