Which approach treats deviance as a property of the person who engages in it?

Which approach treats deviance as a property of the person who engages in it?

• A. Absolutist
• B. Constructionist
• C. Interactionist
• D. Functionalist

Answer: (A)

Deviance as a property of the person relies on the idea that some individuals are inherently deviant due to stable traits or dispositions. In this Absolutist view, there are universal moral standards that apply everywhere, so a person who engages in a deviant act is considered deviant by nature, regardless of context or social labeling. The act reflects something about the individual’s character or biology, not just how society defines or responds to it. That contrasts with other views. A constructionist or interactionist perspective sees deviance as something produced by social definitions, labels, and interactions—what counts as deviant can change with culture, situation, or who is labeling it. A functionalist perspective looks at how deviance serves a role in society, such as reinforcing norms, rather than attributing it to the person’s inherent nature.

Deviance as a property of the person relies on the idea that some individuals are inherently deviant due to stable traits or dispositions. In this Absolutist view, there are universal moral standards that apply everywhere, so a person who engages in a deviant act is considered deviant by nature, regardless of context or social labeling. The act reflects something about the individual’s character or biology, not just how society defines or responds to it.

That contrasts with other views. A constructionist or interactionist perspective sees deviance as something produced by social definitions, labels, and interactions—what counts as deviant can change with culture, situation, or who is labeling it. A functionalist perspective looks at how deviance serves a role in society, such as reinforcing norms, rather than attributing it to the person’s inherent nature.