Final answer:
Anomie is the term for the deviance that occurs when societies shift from mechanical solidarity to organic solidarity, leading to normlessness and social instability during the transitional period.
Step-by-step explanation:
The deviance that may occur when societies transition from mechanical solidarity to organic solidarity is termed as anomie. Anomie represents a state of normlessness where the familiar cues to behavior that people have come to rely on are weakened, leading to social instability and potential deviance. This concept was introduced by Émile Durkheim, who noted that such a change—from a society where social cohesion is based on the homogeneity of beliefs, values, and customs to one characterized by complex division of labor and individual differences—could lead to a temporal disruption in society's normative framework.
In an industrial or capitalist society, this transition signifies the evolution of social structures and legal systems, adapting to the increasing specialization of work and differentiation of social roles. To overcome anomie, societies eventually redefine and strengthen their collective norms so that individuals, with their diverse roles and values, can coexist in harmony.