Deviant Career

Deviant Career Definition

Deviant career refers to the process through which an individual accepts a deviant lifestyle as their way of life, typically achieved via the acceptance of a deviant social label and the subsequent adoption of associated subcultural behaviours and values. This process involves a degree of choice, as the individual must decide whether to embrace the imposed label and the resulting lifestyle or to reject it. Furthermore, it encompasses the development of a deviant self-identity and identification with a specific deviant subculture.

Theoretical Context

The concept is fundamentally linked to labelling theory in sociology. This theoretical perspective posits that deviance is not an inherent quality of an individual at birth; rather, individuals come to perceive themselves as deviant only through a social process involving societal reaction and the application of labels.

Core Implications

The focus of deviant career is on the social construction of deviance. It highlights how external societal reactions and labelling mechanisms influence an individual’s sense of self and their subsequent engagement with subcultural norms, rather than focusing solely on the act of deviance itself.