1. plural of deviance; instances or acts of departing from established norms, rules, or expected behavior
Usage: commonly used in sociology and psychology; can refer to minor infractions or serious violations
2. plural of deviance; the quality or state of being deviant; divergence from a standard or norm
Usage: technical usage in statistics and social sciences

Examples

• The study examined various deviances from standard classroom behavior.
• Sociologists analyze deviances to understand how societies maintain social order.
• Minor deviances in test scores can occur due to measurement error.
• The school's discipline policy addressed multiple deviances including tardiness and dress code violations.
• Cultural deviances that are acceptable in one society may be frowned upon in another.
• The researcher documented deviances in the experimental results.
• Adolescents sometimes engage in deviances as part of identity formation.