According to constructionist theory, are norms and deviance socially constructed through interaction?

• A. Yes, they are both socially constructed through interaction
• B. No, norms are fixed and deviance is fixed
• C. They are determined solely by laws
• D. They are determined solely by biology

Answer: (A)

Norms and deviance are built through social interaction. Constructionist theory holds that what counts as acceptable behavior and what gets labeled as deviant are created through ongoing conversations, shared meanings, and power dynamics within a society. They aren’t fixed by biology or determined solely by laws. Instead, meanings shift across cultures and over time as people negotiate and redefine norms. For example, certain behaviors might be seen as deviant in one era or culture but ordinary in another, and laws often reflect those social meanings rather than universally fixed truths. So, normative expectations and the labeling of deviance emerge from social interaction and context, not from intrinsic properties of acts or from biology alone.