Final answer:
Kai Erikson views deviance as a social construction shaped by society's reactions. This perspective recognizes the relative nature of deviance and its role in reinforcing societal norms and prompting social change. The correct option is c.
Step-by-step explanation:
In his article "Notes on the Sociology of Deviance," Kai Erikson conceives of deviance as a social construction shaped by societal reactions. This aligns with the view that deviance is relative and dependent on context, rather than an unchanging or biologically determined phenomenon.
Sociologists like Émile Durkheim and William Graham Sumner have also highlighted the functional aspects of deviance, such as reinforcing societal norms and fostering social change. Particularly, Durkheim emphasized that the reaction to deviant behavior reaffirms a community's values.
On the other hand, Robert Merton's strain theory provides insight into how access to socially approved means to achieve goals may influence one's likelihood to conform or deviate, reflecting on the systemic inequalities within society.
Selecting from the given options, the correct answer would be (c) Deviance is a social construction shaped by societal reactions. The correct option is c.