Deviance

 Deviance refers to behaviors that defy social norms. Social norms refer to expectations or conceptions that are commonly shared by society as large as being correct or preferable. The law may be enacted to explicitly stipulate certain expectations - for example, to wear a seatbelt in the car or not to cross the road when there is a red light for safety purposes, or that one should not kill another person. If an individual would disobey the law, they may not only face civil or criminal liability, but they may also be engaging in formal deviance. There may be other social norms that are not codified into the law but nevertheless are believed or followed by most individuals in the society - for example, it is unhygienic to pick one’s nose, especially in public, or that women should play a bigger role in taking of the family and children (this may be especially evident in patriarchal societies). A deviance of the latter would constitute informal deviance, and while there may not be any legal liability, one may still suffer some side eyes or unfriendly comments if they would engage in such practice.

 It should be noted that social norms may differ from culture to culture, it may be because of how a particular society has come about or particular characteristics or policies within that society - for instance, gender equality may be less of a problem where women are supported with sufficient healthcare support and breastfeeding facilities, or where it is more common for men to be the caretaker and not occupy a job but act as a house husband.