Final answer:
Erikson's utilization of court records to explore deviance in the Massachusetts Bay Colony would reveal the enforcement and implications of social norms in early American society, reflecting sociological perspectives like those of Émile Durkheim on the function of deviance in maintaining social order.
Step-by-step explanation:
Erikson utilized court records to investigate the roles of deviance within the Massachusetts Bay Colony and uncovered various aspects of how deviance was treated in this early American society. Drawing from historical sources, such as court records, Erikson's findings might align with the social theories of punishment and deviance proposed by notable sociologists like Émile Durkheim, who emphasized that deviance plays a critical role by challenging existing societal norms and reaffirming them when punished. Erikson's research would illustrate examples of how deviance was understood and managed in a Puritan society, potentially revealing the strict enforcement of social norms and the societal implications of this enforcement in the context of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Further exploring these topics on deviance reveals the significance of social structural factors present at the time in colonial America, such as the economic necessity for a disciplined workforce and how societal norms were enforced to maintain the desired social order. The concept of a 'city upon a hill' as envisioned by leaders like John Winthrop speaks to the deeply ingrained religious and moral expectations placed upon members of the colony, shaping views on deviance. This ties into Durkheim's view of laws representing the collective conscience and the more severe punishment for deviance in smaller, more homogeneous societies that would have existed at the time.