Final answer:
The situation described pertains to societal reactions to deviance, illustrating how hate crimes can emerge from group dynamics that enforce conformity. Deviance is a nonconformity to norms but is not always illegal or harmful, whereas crimes are legally punishable offenses. Theories such as differential association and labeling influence our understanding of these concepts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scenario described illustrates the societal tendency to exclude or persecute individuals whose ideas or behaviors deviate from what is considered normal. This is often seen with hate crimes, where people are targeted based on attributes such as race or religion. An example of societal exclusion due to in-group and out-group dynamics is the historical segregation in the United States, where African Americans faced discrimination and were barred from certain public spaces and opportunities.
Deviance, by definition, is the violation of societal norms, but it does not always equate to criminal behavior or bad intentions. In contrast, crimes are actions that violate the law and are subject to formal punishment. The complexity of deviance is seen in the varied enforcement of norms, such as societal views on gambling or how discrimination once sanctioned by laws, like racial segregation, is now universally considered to be morally repugnant.
The concept of differential association theory suggests that individuals learn deviant behavior from their close social circles, which provide examples and opportunities for such behaviors. The theory of labeling highlights how society labels someone as deviant, impacting their identity and interaction with others, while the notion of master status refers to a label that becomes the dominant characteristic defining an individual in the eyes of society, regardless of their other attributes.