According to an absolutist approach to studying deviance,

• A. All deviance is caused by a lack of moral character or a moral failure
• B. Deviance is caused by social environment
• C. Deviance is an illusion
• D. Deviance is random

Answer: (A)

Absolutist approaches treat deviance as a violation of universal moral standards, so the root cause is seen as an individual's moral character. When someone engages in deviant behavior, it’s interpreted as a moral failure or flaw in that person, independent of the social context or circumstances. This perspective views rules as fixed and universally applicable, meaning if an act is morally wrong, it is so for everyone, everywhere, at all times.

That’s why attributing deviance to a person’s lack of moral character is the best fit. It aligns with the idea that the act reflects an internal moral deficit rather than being caused by social surroundings, an illusion, or randomness. In contrast, blaming the social environment points to relativist or sociocultural explanations, calling deviance a product of surroundings rather than a moral deficiency. Saying deviance is an illusion denies its reality, and claiming it’s random rejects any systematic cause.