Functionalist Perspective
According to functionalists, deviance is a common part of human existence, with positive (as well as negative) consequences for social stability. Deviance help to define the limits of proper behavior. Children who see one parent scold the other for belching at the dinner table learn about approved conduct. The same is true of the driver who receives a speeding ticket, the department store cashier who is fired for yelling at a customer, and the college student who is penalized for handing in papers weeks overdue.