According to Howard Becker, how does society create deviance?

A)By perpetuating poverty and inequality
B)By failing to provide social control
C)By creating rules and then labeling rule breakers outsiders
D)By failing to provide jobs so people can be successful
Im thinking it's choice c...but i need some reassurance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labelling_theory

How much reassurance do you need?

To determine the correct answer according to Howard Becker's perspective, we need to understand his theory on the creation of deviance.

Howard Becker, a sociologist, argued that society creates deviance through a process known as social labeling or social constructionism. According to his labeling theory, deviance is not an inherent quality of an action or behavior but is instead the result of how society defines and reacts to such behavior.

With this in mind, let's examine the answer choices:

A) By perpetuating poverty and inequality: While poverty and inequality can contribute to deviance in certain contexts, Becker's theory focuses more on how societal reactions and labels influence the deviant status of individuals rather than solely attributing it to structural factors. Therefore, this answer choice is not the most accurate according to Becker's perspective.

B) By failing to provide social control: This answer choice partly addresses the concept of social control, but it does not fully capture the essence of Becker's theory. Social control refers to the mechanisms and institutions in society that regulate and guide individuals' behavior. However, from Becker's viewpoint, it is not merely a failure of social control that creates deviance, but rather the societal reaction, labeling, and stigmatization of rule breakers. Therefore, this option is not entirely in line with Becker's theory.

C) By creating rules and then labeling rule breakers as outsiders: This answer aligns most closely with Becker's theory. According to him, society creates deviance by establishing rules or norms and then singling out individuals who break those rules as deviants or outsiders. This process of labeling and stigmatization further reinforces the perceived deviant status of individuals within society.

D) By failing to provide jobs so people can be successful: While unemployment and lack of job opportunities can have an impact on deviance, it is not the primary focus of Becker's theory. His emphasis is on the social construction of deviance rather than solely attributing it to economic factors like job availability.

In summary, according to Howard Becker, society creates deviance by creating rules and then labeling rule breakers as outsiders. Therefore, the correct answer is C) By creating rules and then labeling rule breakers outsiders.