Secondary Deviance

Definition of Secondary Deviance

The Canada social science dictionary [1] provides the following meaning of Secondary Deviance: As used by Edwin Lemert secondary deviance refers to deviant behaviour which flows from a stigmatized sense of self; the deviance is thought to be consistent with the character of the self. A person’s self can be stigmatized or tainted by public labeling. Secondary deviance is contrasted to primary deviance which may be behaviorally identical to secondary deviance but is incorporated into a ‘normal’ sense of self. One may, for example, get drunk several times because one sees oneself as enjoying a party. However, if one notices that friends are hiding their liquor during visits to their house, one may come to see oneself as a ‘drunk’ and then continue to get drunk because one is a drunk. The first acts are primary deviance and the second act is secondary deviance.

Secondary Deviance: Resources

Notes and References

• Drislane, R., & Parkinson, G. (2016). (Concept of) Secondary Deviance. Online dictionary of the social sciences. Open University of Canada