Deviant Career - GCSE Sociology Definition

A deviant career refers to the progression through a series of stages in which an individual becomes increasingly involved in deviant behaviour, distinguishing it from a single isolated act of deviance.

As a person continues to engage in activities that society deems unacceptable or outside the norm, they may become labelled as deviant, which can lead to further involvement in these behaviours due to societal reaction and exclusion from conventional opportunities. This concept is important for understanding how deviance can become a defining feature of a person's identity, partly due to external labelling and internal acceptance of a deviant role.

In GCSE Sociology, studying deviant careers helps students explore the relationship between societal forces and individual behaviour and how the labelling theory might perpetuate deviance.