Constructivism

Constructivism is an extension of symbolic interaction theory which proposes that reality is what humans cognitively
construct it to be. We develop social constructs based on interactions with others, and those constructs that last over time are those that have meanings which are widely agreed-upon or generally accepted by most within the society. This
approach is often used to understand what’s defined as deviant within a society. There is no absolute definition of
deviance, and different societies have constructed different meanings for deviance, as well as associating different
behaviors with deviance. One situation that illustrates this is what you believe you’re to do if you find a wallet in the
street. In the United States, turning the wallet in to local authorities would be considered the appropriate action, and to
keep the wallet would be seen as deviant. In contrast, many Eastern societies would consider it much more appropriate to
keep the wallet and search for the owner yourself; turning it over to someone else, even the authorities, would be
considered deviant behavior.