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Introduction: Socialization, Groups, and Deviance

Can you use your hands to eat? Who should pay? Do you stand when someone else gets

up, and is that dependent on their gender? The dining manners and customs of different

cultures are learned by socialization. Acting differently from what is expected by a social

group might be regarded as deviance.

Source: Kurman Communications, Flickr

When sociologist Todd Schoepflin (2011) ran into his childhood friend Bill, he was

shocked to see him driving a hearse for everyday tasks, just like an ordinary car.

Schoepflin, a trained researcher, interviewed Bill about why he drove such an

Learning Resource

unconventional car. Bill had simply been on the lookout for a reliable car that could handle

winter; on a tight budget, he searched used car ads and stumbled upon one for the

hearse. It ran well and the price was right, so he bought it.

Bill admitted that others' reactions to the car had been mixed. His parents were appalled,

and he received odd stares from his coworkers. Bill received mostly positive reactions

overall, though. Strangers gave him a thumbs-up on the highway and stopped him in

parking lots to chat about his car. Bill even thought about creating a social group of hearse

fans. Could it be that driving a hearse isn't so deviant after all? Did driving a hearse affect

Bill's self-concept?

This week, we will examine the sociological concept of self and the complex process of

socialization that takes place through interaction with many individuals, groups, and social

institutions. We will explore the various types of groups that people join, particularly

formal organizations. Understanding socialization and groups helps us better understand

how and why some people do not follow social norms and are labeled by others as

deviant.

References

Schoepflin, T. (2011, January 28). Deviant while driving? Everyday Sociology Blog.

http://nortonbooks.typepad.com/everydaysociology/2011/01/deviant-while-

driving.html

Licenses and Attributions

Introduction to Sociology 3e (https://openstax.org/details/books/introduction-sociology-

3e) by Tonja R. Conerly, Kathleen Holmes, and Asha Lal Tamang from OpenStax is

available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

OpenStax. UMGC has modified this work and it is available under the original

license. Download for free at https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-

3e/pages/1-introduction (https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-3e/pages/1-

introduction)

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