Band one was supposed to contain the ablest students and band three was the least able. [2] Becker claimed that certain labels may increase one's likelihood of aligning with expected behavior, but they do not fully predict action.[2]. ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/labeling-theory-3026627. Labeling and Stigma | SpringerLink [3] In-group favoritism occurs when individuals in one group (united by one label) favor members of their group above outsiders. At this point, the teacher believes he or she can make sense of the students behaviour entirely in reference to the label. This refers to a theory of social behaviour which states that the behaviour of human beings is influenced significantly by the way other members in society label them. Deviant roles are very special roles that society provides for deviant behavior. [5] Labels have been used to alienate groups and justify unequal power dynamics, which can harm the individual experiencing exclusion and alienation. She found that, rather than simply living out their labels, 107, no. During the speculation stage, first impressions are made on the basis of things like the students appearance, ability and enthusiasm and their relationship with other students. [2] Other labels are commonly researched under this theory, including homosexual and mentally ill. Labeling theory emphasizes that labels do not necessarily represent inherent truths, but actions and behaviors that are responses to social constructions. "On 'Doing' and 'Being' Gay: Sexual Behavior and Homosexual Male Self-Identity. Definitions of criminality are established by those in power through the formulation of laws and the interpretation of those laws by police, courts, and correctional institutions. [6] The social climate was one of disillusionment with the government. Labels are a mode of identifying social groups. According to sociologists like Emile Durkheim, George Herbert Mead, and Kai T. Erikson, deviance is functional to society and keeps stability by defining boundaries. Describing someone as a criminal, for example, can cause others to treat the person more negatively, and, in turn, the individual acts out. According to Ball, this led to a progressive deterioration in the behavior of most band two pupils, which was reflected in higher levels of absence, more non-conformist behavior and a lack of effort being put into homework which of course had a negative impact on attainment. Ex-cons might end up back in prison because they have formed connections to other offenders; these ties raise the odds that they will be exposed to additional opportunities to commit crimes. United States Government Accountability Office, Mar. Top 50 Examples of the Labeling Theory - Tutorsploit He later studied the identity formation of marijuana smokers. This page was last edited on 4 June 2023, at 23:29. 'What is 'labelling theory' in sociology? - The Hindu BSc (Hons), Psychology, MSc, Psychology of Education. A number of authors adopted a modified, non-deviant, labeling theory. London: Free Press of Glencoe. A pupil subculture is a group of pupils who share similar values and behavior patterns. [24]:6167, Males do not represent two discrete populations, heterosexual and homosexual. Only the human mind invents categories and tries to force facts into pigeonholes. There are two distinctions in labeling: hard labeling and soft labeling. Theory suggest that, people tend to act and behave as they are labeled by other people. "[16]:13 2006. When the pupils first arrived at the school, Ball observed that most were conformist and eager however their behavior quickly diverged. Beachside comprehensive: A case-study of secondary schooling. ", Simon, W., and J. H. Gagnon. It was Alfred Kinsey and his colleagues who pointed out the big discrepancy between the behavior and the role attached to it. Homosexuality is simply based on the sex act. Some researchers seem bent on 'rescuing' their subjects from 'defamation' by ignoring the problems of defeatism and complicit self-destruction. Labeling theory had its origins in Suicide, a book by French sociologist mile Durkheim. Secret deviant represents those individuals who have engaged in rule breaking or deviant behaviour but have not been perceived as deviant by society; therefore, they have not been labeled as deviant. 'What is 'labelling theory' in sociology? Discuss - InsightsIAS 'What is 'labelling theory' in sociology? "A Critique of the Labeling Approach: Toward a Social Theory of Deviance." She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors. This study was the basis of his Outsiders published in 1963. The deviant is one to whom that label has been successfully applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label. An Overview of Labeling Theory. [the one] who first seizes the word imposes reality on the other; [the one] who defines thus dominates and lives; and [the one] who is defined is subjugated and may be killed. ", Cass, Vivienne. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Understanding Critical Theory. George Herbert Mead explained that positioning a group in opposition to a common enemy is the easiest way of getting together.[11] He further claims that values are strengthened and validated when aligned with the values of a group. They view them as socially constructed illnesses and psychotic disorders. Outsiders: Studies in theSociology of Deviance. "[7], Edwin Lemert writes: "His acts are repeated and organized subjectively and transformed into active roles and become the social criteria for assigning status.When a person begins to employ his deviant behavior or a role based on it as a means of defense, attack, or adjustment to the overt and covert problems created by the consequent societal reaction to him, his deviation is secondary. "[17]:93. Label (sociology) - Wikipedia Accessibility StatementFor more information contact us atinfo@libretexts.org. ", Leopold, A. Labeling theory states that people come to identify and behave in ways that reflect how others label them. A social role is a set of expectations we have about a behavior. 'The persistence of the class structure, despite the welfare reforms and controls over big business, was unmistakable. Howard Becker: Sociology, Biography & Theory | StudySmarter am I a thief? (PDF) LABELING THEORY - ResearchGate 7.6C: Labeling Theory is shared under a CC BY-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. However, there is a strong correlation between educational success and banding, and between banding and social class. Both positive and negative labels may create a case of self-fulfilling prophecy. The crimes committed by heavily drunk person like rape, child abuse and theft are considered as mental illness. In all likelihood, both labeling and increased contact with the criminal population contribute to recidivism. There, the bedeviling force of the stigma will introduce him to more excessive modes of deviance such as promiscuity, prostitution, alcoholism, and drugs. Phenomenological perspectives and the sociology of the school. It discusses how the interconnections between labelling, crime, and criminal justice are changing in a context of technological development, cultural change, and media proliferation. One of the founders of social interactionism, George Herbert Mead, focused on the internal processes of how the mind constructs one's self-image. ", McIntosh, Mary. [2][10] Groups may also choose to label themselves in order to separate themselves from mainstream society, setting themselves apart as superior to those who follow the norm. "[16]:53, In On Becoming Deviant (1969), sociologist David Matza[17] gives the most vivid and graphic account of the process of adopting a deviant role. [31], Perhaps the strongest proponent of labeling theory was Edward Sagarin. A question became popular with criminologists during the mid-1960s: What makes some acts and some people deviant or criminal? Labeling Theory on Health and Illness. Deviance in Classrooms. Hargreaves et. He wrote: "To put a complex argument in a few words: instead of the deviant motives leading to the deviant behavior, it is the other way around, the deviant behavior in time produces the deviant motivation. 1968. Simply Scholar Ltd. 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU, 2023 Simply Scholar, Ltd. All rights reserved, The Process of Label Formation (Speculation, Elaboration, Stabilization). Instead of focusing on the offender, and why they commit crimes, it discussed how agencies of social control label act as deviant and how the whole process of labelling . [33] It solves some problems but creates many more, replacing a closet of secrecy with one of gay identity. Deviant roles: Labeling theory concerns itself mostly not with the normal roles that define our lives, but with those very special roles that society provides for deviant behavior. "[9]:9, While society uses the stigmatic label to justify its condemnation, the deviant actor uses it to justify his actions. Most sociologists' views of labeling and mental illness have fallen somewhere between the extremes of Gove and Scheff. [8] Social roles hold symbolic meaning and can define what expectations are placed on individuals. [24]:639, The classification of sexual behavior as masturbatory, heterosexual, or homosexual, is, therefore, unfortunate if it suggests that only different types of persons seek out or accept each kind of sexual activity. Consequently, labeling is more to do with the teachers prejudices than the students actual ability. Mental Illness and Labeling Theory - Wiley Online Library Symbolic interactionism and its examination of social roles is the theoretical basis for labeling theory. However, when the children were tested, it was found that they were actually grouped according to how well they conformed to the teachers own middle-class standards. People who believe in hard labeling believe that mental illness does not exist they are entirely socially constructed. Labeling Theory Authors: Jn Gunnar Bernburg University of Iceland Abstract Labeling theory provides a distinctively sociological approach that focuses on the role of social labeling in the. 1967. [1] Individuals may choose a label, or they may be assigned one by others. The application of labeling theory to homosexuality has been extremely controversial. Avoidance of dispiriting reflection upon the day-to-day practice of dominated people appears to spring from a desire to 'enhance' the reputation of the dominated and magically relieve their plight. Race is also a factor. The term "labeling" refers to attaching an emotional reaction or social meaning to someone, for example, racial slurs and stereotypes. Labeling Theory of Deviance in Sociology: Definitions & Examples Rosenthal, R., & Jacobson, L. (1968). Labeling theory holds that deviance is not inherent to an act, but instead the result of the externally-imposed label of deviant. 5, May 2017, pp. Instead of using these terms as substantives which stand for persons, or even as adjectives to describe persons, they may better be used to describe the nature of the overt sexual relations, or of the stimuli to which an individual erotically responds. It would clarify our thinking if the terms could be dropped completely out of our vocabulary. On the other hand, it is almost impossible to deny, given both common sense and research findings, that society's negative perceptions of "crazy" people has had some effect on them. Labeling an individual for deviant behavior has serious and negative repercussion for that person. This conception and the behavior it supports operate as a form of social control in a society in which homosexuality is condemned. It is interesting to notice that homosexuals themselves welcome and support the notion that homosexuality as a condition. The victim of racism is already living under the weight of disgrace and oppression. In order to justify such punishment and misfortune, a process of rationalization is set in motion, by which to explain the ghetto and colonial exploitation. In this article, we share everything you need to know about the fascinating labeling theory. Ultimately, "a cadre of patients had developed an entrenched, negative view of themselves, and their experiences of rejection appear to be a key element in the construction of these self-related feelings" and "hostile neighbourhoods may not only affect their self-concept but may also ultimately impact the patient's mental health status and how successful they are."[51]. How Psychology Defines and Explains Deviant Behavior, 5 Common Misconceptions About Black Lives Matter, How to Tell If You've Been Unintentionally Racist, police kill Black people at far higher rates than whites, "K-12 Education: Discipline Disparities for Black Students, Boys, and Students with Disabilities.". Labeling theory is also connected to other fields besides crime. "Becoming Homosexual: A model of Gay Identity Acquisition. 121138 in, Link, Bruce G., and Jo C. Phelan. About 500 years ago the dominant and powerful institution in the west was church. "[16]:108 Marxists also criticize labeling theory for ignoring the wider structures of power within which labeling takes place. "[19]:85 Thomas J. Scheff in Being Mentally Ill challenged common perceptions of mental illness by claiming that mental illness is manifested solely as a result of societal influence. Labelling Theory (Crime) | Sociology | tutor2u The movement has lost the high moral ground by sponsoring the "flight from choice" and not taking up the moral issues. She also claims that "people who are labeled as deviant and treated as deviant become deviant. [8] Sociologist Robert K. Merton named this effect self-fulfilling prophecy to explain the change he observed. Erving Goffman's Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity distinguished between the behavior and the role assigned to it: The term "homosexual" is generally used to refer to anyone who engages in overt sexual practices with a member of his own sex, the practice being called "homosexuality." They are Bruce Links modified labeling, John Braithwaites reintegrative shaming, and Ross L. Matsueda and Karen Heimers differential social control. Labels can describe a certain facet of one's personality, or they may highlight certain achievements. "Homosexuality: The Formulation of a Psychological Perspective. If a rich lady is caught stealing in a store is treated for obsessive compulsive disorder. Marxists criticize labelling theory for failing to locate the origin of such labels in the unequal structure of capitalist society. Rist, R. C. (2000). In 1969 Blumer emphasized the way that meaning arises in social interaction through communication, using language and symbols. We are committed to engaging with you and taking action based on your suggestions, complaints, and other feedback. The modern nation state's heightened demand for normalcy. "One has to convey the impression that the burden of the stigma is not too heavy yet keep himself at the required distance. Chriss, J. J. It seems that, realistically, labeling can accentuate and prolong the issues termed "mental illness", but it is rarely the full cause.[21]. Many, particularly action theorists, would suggest that, because people have agency, no theory can predict human behaviour entirely accurately. Labeled people might be more vulnerable to discrimination, prejudice, and other negative outcomes. Deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label. Therefore, if society sees mentally ill individuals as unpredictable, dangerous and reliant on others, then a person who may not actually be mentally ill but has been labeled as such, could become mentally ill. 1978. Members of the stigmatized group lose the opportunity to establish their own personal system of evaluation and group membership as well as the ability to arrive at their own ranking of each personal characteristic. For example, newly self-acknowledged homosexual individuals cannot take for granted that they share the world with others who hold congruent interpretations and assumptions; their behavior and motives, both past and present, will be interpreted in light of their stigma. Level 2 - Labelling (Interactionist theory) - AQA A2 Sociology Crime These hypotheses are either confirmed or contradicted during the elaboration stage. [1] Despite groups holding many positive qualities, others may perceive positive traits of a group to be inferior. He first began describing the process of how a person adopts a deviant role in a study of dance musicians, with whom he once worked. Speeding would be a good example of an act that is technically criminal but does not result in labeling as such. Pygmalion in the classroom. "Sociological approaches to mental illness." Saul Mcleod, Ph.D., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years experience of working in further and higher education. Thomas, Charles Horton Cooley, and Herbert Blumer, among others. Itbegins with the assumption that no act is intrinsically criminal. This acceptance is the crowning point of oppression. However, its core ideas can be traced back to the work of founding French sociologistEmile Durkheim. Communities that share labels may have similar experiences that bind individuals to a group identity. The act of labeling may affect an individual's behavior and their reactions to the social world.[1]. Labeling theory posits that self-identity and the behavior of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe or classify them. [24]:446, In regard to sexual behavior, it has been possible to maintain this dichotomy only by placing all persons who are exclusively heterosexual in a heterosexual category and all persons who have any amount of experience with their own sex, even including those with the slightest experience, in a homosexual category. The attempt to maintain a simple dichotomy on these matters exposes the traditional biases which are likely to enter whenever the heterosexual or homosexual classification of an individual is involved. If one believes that "being mentally ill" is more than just believing one should fulfill a set of diagnostic criteria (as Scheff see above would argue[citation needed]), then one would probably also agree that there are some who are labeled "mentally ill" who need help. Educational Review, 25(3), 175-189. The class structure was one of cultural isolationism; cultural relativity had not yet taken hold. Woods identifies a total of 8 different types of pupil adaptation: This theory shows that pupil responses to schools are not straightforward, and there is an element of negotiation There was an up and down pattern in self-esteem, however, and it was suggested that, rather than simply gradual erosion of self-worth and increasing self-deprecating tendencies, people were sometimes managing, but struggling, to maintain consistent feelings of self-worth. Labelling Theory (Education) Topics Education Labelling Theory (Education) By Saul Mcleod, PhD Updated on April 20, 2023 Reviewed by Olivia Guy-Evans Introduction It is argued that teachers often classify (type) and label working class students as non-academic. The stigma associated with mental illness results in discrimination, loss of socioeconomic status, lowered sense of self-worth, and increased symptoms. Labeling theory is closely related to social-construction and symbolic-interaction analysis. Mattson Croninger, Robert Glenn. Labeling theory view deviance from symbolic interaction and conflict perspective. Proponents of hard labeling, as opposed to soft labeling, believe that mental illness does not exist, but is merely deviance from norms of the social order, causing people to believe in mental illness. Law enforcement agencies considered public drinking as criminal behavior and label the drunk trouble maker as criminal. "[17]:1634, "The meaningful issue of identity is whether this activity, or any of my activities can stand for me, or be regarded as proper indications of my being. The LibreTexts libraries arePowered by NICE CXone Expertand are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot. Life in School: The sociology of pupil culture. ", Perhaps the most important contributor to labeling theory was Erving Goffman, President of the American Sociological Association (ASA), and one of America's most cited sociologists. I have done a theft, been signified a thief. Labelling Theory (Education) | Sociology | tutor2u Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. "[9]:26, Francis Cullen reported in 1984 that Becker was probably too generous with his critics. Deviancy amplification When the action of the rule enforcers or media in response to deviance brings about an increase in the deviance. The dominant group of the society develop and impose the rules on subordinate groups and decides whether the behavior is deviant or not. - being labeled a deviant will cause people to do more deviant acts since they were already labeled. Mead's central concept is the self, the part of an individual's personality composed of self-awareness and self-image.[4]. Vito, Gennaro F., Jeffery R. Maahs, and Ronald M. Holmes. Labelling theory, when it first emerged, became very popular among sociologists because it created a new perspective on the study of crime. become teachers pets), others actively rebel whilst others simply go through the motions of the school day in order to stay out of trouble. Thomas, Charles Horton Cooley, and Herbert Blumer, among others. It ends by becoming so familiar to him that he believes it is part of his own constitution, that he accepts it and could not imagine his recovery from it. Labeling theory has been accused of promoting impractical policy implications, and criticized for failing to explain society's most serious offenses. Thoits, Peggy A. 1977. Exploring the Role of Diagnosis in the Modified Labeling Theory of "[17]:16570, As an application of phenomenology, the theory hypothesizes that the labels applied to individuals influence their behavior, particularly the application of negative or stigmatizing labels (such as "criminal" or "felon") promote deviant behavior, becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, i.e. Criteria for different mental illnesses are not consistently fulfilled by those who are diagnosed with them because all of these people suffer from the same disorder, they are simply fulfilled because the "mentally ill" believe they are supposed to act a certain way so, over time, come to do so. [1] The theory was prominent during the 1960s and 1970s, and some modified versions of the theory have developed and are still currently popular. labeling is not an integrated theory; it is a perspective based on a number of common assumptions about social definitions and behavior. Consequently band two pupils were less likely to take O Levels, to stay on in school after the age of 16, or to take A-Levels. What gives force to that movement is the development of a new identity: "To be cast as a thief, as a prostitute, or more generally, a deviant, is to further compound and hasten the process of becoming that very thing. Abstract. The goal of the movement instead should be to gain acceptance of homosexual relationships as useful and productive for both society and the family. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Labeling theory is a sociological perspective developed in 1967. For just as the rigid categorization deters people from drifting into deviancy, so it appears to foreclose on the possibility of drifting back into normalcy and thus removes the element of anxious choice. Deviance is therefore not a set of characteristics of individuals or groups but a process of interaction between deviants and non-deviants and the context in which criminality is interpreted. Sagarin had written some gay novels under the pseudonym of Donald Webster Cory. A label is an abstract concept in sociology used to group people together based on perceived or held identity. Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects. Social control: History of the concept. At Beachside, students were divided into three bands, based on information from their primary schools. Many resist such temptations and try to normalize their life, but the fast lanes of gay society are littered with the casualties of gay identity. [7] American sociologist Howard S. Becker emphasized that labels and labeling are not the sole factors in behavior, and must be considered among other factors. It is associated with the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping. A label may be placed on someone to designate them as different from mainstream society. Labeling Theory. "A Critique of the Labeling Approach: Toward a Social Theory of Deviance. The living world is a continuum in each and every one of its aspects. Persons who perform homosexual acts or other non-conforming acts are sexually free. Teachers were observed to make a working hypothesis about the student. "The Angry Men; Broadsides from the H. I. C.". 1979. He was the first to suggest that deviant labeling satisfies that function and satisfies societys need to control the behavior. [7] Although stereotypes may have no factual basis, they may alter an individual's behavior if consistently applied. [3] In some cases, othering can cause social exclusion, in which case groups labeled as "other" are denied full participation in society. While labeling theory is not singularly focused on the study of crime, it uses "deviance" and the criminal to explain the effect of labels. Consequently, labeling theory postulates that it is possible to prevent social deviance via a limited social shaming reaction in labelers and replace moral indignation with tolerance. Labeling theory is an approach in the sociology of deviance that focuses on the ways in which the agents of social control attach stigmatizing stereotypes to particular groups, and the ways in which the stigmatized change their behavior once labeled. This can result in in-group favoritism and othering. The social construction of deviant behavior plays an important role in the labeling process that occurs in society. 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