Which of the following ideas is central to the postmodernist perspective on deviance?

• A. Deviance is the result of biological abnormalities that can be scientifically measured.
• B. Deviance is best explained by the individual's unconscious drives.
• C. Deviance is always a violation of universal moral laws.
• D. Deviance is constructed through language, discourse, and power relations rather than being an objective reality.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that the postmodernist perspective in psychology and sociology challenges traditional, objective views of social phenomena, including deviance.
2. Step 2: Recognize that postmodernism emphasizes the role of language, discourse, and power relations in shaping our understanding of concepts like deviance, rather than seeing deviance as a fixed or universal truth.
3. Step 3: Compare the given options to identify which aligns with this view: biological explanations focus on objective, measurable traits; unconscious drives relate to psychoanalytic theory; universal moral laws suggest fixed standards.
4. Step 4: Identify that the option stating 'Deviance is constructed through language, discourse, and power relations rather than being an objective reality' reflects the postmodernist idea that deviance is socially constructed and context-dependent.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the central idea of the postmodernist perspective on deviance is the social construction of deviance through language and power, not biological or universal moral explanations.