Groups, as we have seen constantly try to enforce conformity on their members through the use of sanctions-- both positive and negative; formal and informal. In this section of the course, we'll address how and why people deviate from social norms. Deviance is the violation of a social norm. Generally, deviance is regarded in a negative light, but there are many positive sides to deviance. For example, ice cream lovers in the United States have come to regard Ben and Jerry's ice cream as one of the best brands on the market.