deviance

[ dee-vee-uhns ]

noun

1. deviant quality or state.
2. deviant behavior.

deviance

/ ˈdiːvɪəns /

noun

1. Also calleddeviancy the act or state of being deviant
2. statistics a measure of the degree of fit of a statistical model compared to that of a more complete model

Word History and Origins

Origin of deviance¹

First recorded in 1940–45; devi(ant) + -ance

Example Sentences

Some may abuse victims for reasons similar to male offenders – for example, to gain power, to retaliate against someone or because of sexual deviance.

From No Straight News

The term “positive deviance” first appeared in the mid 1970s, but the approach did not gain traction until nearly two decades later.

From Science News

Without approaches such as positive deviance that look at groups and individuals in the margins, “I just worry that we are missing a hugely important part of the picture,” Higgs says.

From Science News

One concerning upshot of this is the medicalization of deviance, which can ultimately motivate biological intervention to eliminate behaviors considered non-normative or wrong.

From Nautilus

In a 2013 study, psychologists designed a series of experiments to give people the opportunity to cheat on a puzzle, then measured how the deviance made them feel.

From Popular-Science

They were found guilty of practicing habitual debauchery and inciting others to sexual deviance because of the footage.

From The Daily Beast

This is a novel about sexual deviance, relentlessness, and desire.

From The Daily Beast

But his sexual deviance, sporadic drug addiction, and overreliance on hand-to-hand combat may not hold up to scrutiny.

From The Daily Beast