Labeling theory provides a distinctively sociological approach that focuses on the role of social labeling in the development of crime and deviance. A closely related concept to labelling theory is the that of the selffulfilling prophecy where an individual accepts their label and the label becomes true in practice for example, a student labelled as deviant actually becomes deviant as a response to being solabelled. Studies in the sociology of deviance, it is this labelling theory that is perhaps his most important influential contribution to sociological and criminological knowledge. Therefore, the child will act up to this label they have been given and. My goal is to examine the grounds on which labelling theory calls itself critical. Lemert posited the notion of primary and secondary deviance in his 1951 text social pathology. The labelling theory of crime is associated with interactionism the key ideas are that crime is socially constructed, agents of social control label the powerless as deviant and criminal based on stereotypical assumptions and this creates effects such as the selffulfilling prophecy, the. Rather, its advocates have taken a common viewpoint in analyzing criminal behavior.
This essay will go on to show the origins of labelling theory, the theory itself and will show its strengths and weaknesses using various case. The application of a label often negative from one societal group to another results in the creation of an other. Juvenile delinquency social labeling theory was originally developed by the theorist howard becker to explain why certain individuals believe that a path of crime will be more advantageous to them then following social norms. Labeling theory is also connected to other fields besides crime. Labeling theory also referred to as societal reaction theory. Becker s most famous book, outsiders 1963, viewed deviance as the cultural product of interactions between people whose occupations involved either committing crimes or catching criminals. The second part of my examination was made in the spring of 1976. Hallahan and kauffman 1982 and kaufman 1993 present several advantages of special education labeling. He argued that society views certain actions as deviant. In sociology, labeling theory is the view of deviance according to which being labeled as a deviant leads a person to engage in deviant behavior. The role of labeling in the stigmatization of mental illness. As such, behaviours become deviant when those that are conforming to the norms attach labels to those that are not conforming. This articles begins with his arguments about the interactionist perspectives on deviance which can be understood that deviance constitute homogenous category as they have commited the same.
Associations diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, though it once was. Becker s study included prostitutes, drug addicts, criminals, jazz musicians, gypsies, hobos and winos to name but a few. Labelling theory, popularised in the 1960s, serves as a method of understanding behaviour in relation to. Humans are constantly adapting their own identities and behaviour in order to suit the label given to them from those around them bartlett and burton, 2012. Becker 1937 founder of the labelling theory social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infrac. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on sunday, january 11, 2015. Beckers theory suggests that when a novice smoker joins a marijuana smoking group they primarily identify with each other. The discussion of these distinct forms of deviance took only a few pages, but the effect on various theories of criminal behavior, particularly labeling theory, were rich and farreaching. A compulsively readable and thoroughly researched exploration of social deviance and the application of what is known as labeling theory to the studies of deviance. Labeling theory proposes that it is not the actor alone, but the reactors, or. Popularity labeling theory was popular in the 1960s and early 1970s.
This posits social control as an organizational problem of 1 adaptation to change, and 2 management of conflict within and between groups and associations. He argues that the labelling theory has a clear value position that is, it speaks up for the powerless and the underdog. According to becker, whether or not labelling occurs depends upon. Becker 1963 applies this theory to his study of marijuana smokers to illustrate how. The theoretical survey which follows takes in descrip.
Labelling theory transformed the field of research on crime and deviance in. Labelling theory is a result of the work of howard becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in masters theses 1911. Jan 28, 20 labelling and criminal justice policy research findings indicate that labelling theory has important policy implications. Labelling theory tends to blame teachers for labelling pupils, but fails to explain why they do so. Definitions of criminality are established by those in power through the formulation of laws. Labeling theory is a theory to understand deviance in the society, this theory is focused more on trying to understand how people react to behavior that happens around them and label it as deviant or nondeviant. Labelling achieved its theoretical importance in quite.
These are the sources and citations used to research labelling theory. Theoretical basis lemerts concepts of primary and secondary deviance draw from george herbert. Together, these factors give rise to deviant careers with everincreaing involve ment in deviant behavior. Among the bestknown names in the field are becker, lemert, scheff and goffman. Labeling theory was developed by sociologists during the 1960s. Labelling theory this paper critically examines howard becker s labeling theory 1963 view that social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitutes deviance.
Berkelman university of massachusetts amherst follow this and additional works at. Labelling perspective is regarded as one of the main theories developed by the interactionists, with howard becker being instrumental in its formation giddens and sutton, 20. These labels are given to us by higher members of society, for example teachers may label a child as naughty. Labeling theory emphasizes that formal labeling, police and criminal justice. Self fulling prophecy theory argues that predictions made by teachers about the future success or failure of a student will tend to come true because that prediction has been made. The author of this article provide the arguments about the deviance in his view as a social construct. Labeling theory is a pretty simple theory that is based on social deviations which result in the labeling of the outsider. According to becker, deviance is not an intrinsic feature of behavior. However, its core ideas can be traced back to the work of founding french sociologist emile durkheim. Becker, in a later article, equates labelling theory with the dis covery of this kind of error. Marxists argue that labels are not merely the result of teachers individual prejudice, but stem from the fact that teachers work ina system that reproduces class divisions. The labelling theory of crime is associated with interactionism the key ideas are that crime is socially constructed, agents of social control label the powerless as deviant and criminal based on stereotypical assumptions and this creates effects such as the selffulfilling prophecy, the criminal career and deviancy amplification. Thus, the labelling theory shifted the focus to those who label, that is, the process of rulemaking and rule enforcement. Labeling theory, in criminology, a theory stemming out of a sociological perspective known as symbolic interactionism, a school of thought based on the ideas of george herbert mead, john dewey, w.
Labeling theory is situated within the symbolic interactionist framework which suggests that one. I then deal with labeling as a self fulfilling prophecy, and conclude my discussion with the main premises or assumptions of the labeling perspective. As can clearly be seen, though, labelling theory is difficult to test empirically and, perhaps, with the defence provided by becker 1973 is impossible to test this way. It begins with the assumption that no act is intrinsically criminal. Deviancy is not a quality of the act a person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an offender. Lemert further delved into this dichotomy in his 1967. This theory was given by howard becker who tried to understand, not in the causes behind the deviant behavior but rather which behavior was considered deviant and. Labelling theory argues that most people commit deviant or criminal acts but only some get caught and s. Howard becker 1971 carried out an important interactionist study of labelling. Pdf labeling theory provides a distinctively sociological approach that focuses. Labelling theory critical theories of antisemitism network.
Labelling is theory that was developed by howard becker and was the concept that everyone has a label. It is the interactional elements in explaining crime that had previously been ignored or minimised labelling theory was an attempt to highlight the fact that crime cannot be explained without. Pdf labelling theory societal reaction theory trixie. It was found that employers would not offer a job to a person with a criminal record. Deviance is a label created by society he says labels, for example a deviant drug addict, once heshe is called a drug addict and the label placed on the individual or group, then there behaviors tend to steer them towards making the labels fit. They label such processes deviant or identify them as symptoms of social. At the age of twelve becker started to play the piano, teaching. Student selfesteem and the stigma of a label a research paper submitted to the special education faculty of the marshall university graduate college in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts by amanda kay sowards april 30, 2015.
A reconsideration of the lemert becker and, recently, quinney formulations redirects attention to an organizationcentered sociology, a neglected component in most labeling research. The theory claims that for a criminal to be successfully labeled, an audience must be present to provide a reaction to the crimes committed labeling theory concerns itself not with the normal roles that define our lives, but with those very special roles that society provides for. The earliest critiques of labeling objected to the theory s disregard for the actual behavior of the deviant and the image of the deviant being coerced by the labeling process into a deviant identity role. Labelling theory labelling theorists take a different approach to structural, macro theories like functionalism as rather than searching for the causes of criminality they investigate how and why certain people and certain acts come to be labelled or defined as criminal in the first place and the effects this has on those who are labelled becker 1963. Becker 1973 argues that labelling theory was not intended to explain why people commit crimes, but the focus of it is on the interactional elements. He interviewed 60 high school teachers in chicago, and as a result found out that they all shared the same idea of an ideal student and they judged pupils according to how closely they fitted that image. An overview of howard beckers labeling theory of 1963 kibin. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page. Labelling theory underpins the role of society in defining behaviour. The theory assumes that although deviant behavior can initially stem from various causes and conditions, once individuals have been labeled. To label or not to label identified disability categories, so it behooves school systems to classify students accordingly. Sociologist howard becker is credited with the most influential design of labeling theory.
Howard becker 1 963 proposed that deviance was created by nile enforcers. Labeling theory posits that selfidentity and the behavior of individuals may be determined or. Pdf labeling theory emerged as the dominant perspective in the study of deviance in the 1960s, though its origins can be traced to durkheim. In fact, we can treat the article as in some respects an application of labelling theory to the case of sociological work itself. Labelling devices rules on deviance are made by society, however the rules created and maintained by such labelling are not universally agreed to becker labelling deviants. Critics of labelling theory have attacked with both theoretical arguments and empirical evidence. Acts and individuals are not inherently deviant until some social groups can successfully define them that way.
Sociologist howard becker is credited with the most influential formulation of labeling theory, which appears in his book outsiders 1973. Labelling theorist seek to provide a voice for those who are labelled as deviant or outsiders. Deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label. Howard saul beckers book outsiders was extremely influential in the development. The essay concludes with a discussion of the status of lemerts ideas in contemporary criminological theory and practice. Social groups create deviance through the establishment of social rules, the breaking of these rules results in the perpetrator being labeled as a deviant. For instance there is the labeling theory that corresponds to homosexuality. Thus if a student is labelled a success, they will succeed, if they are labelled a failure, the will fail. Labelling is the process by which others usually those in powerful positions come to impose an identity upon us obyrne, 2011.
According to labeling theory becker, 1963, deviance is not an intrinsic feature of behavior. A pioneer of labeling theory, becker 1963 stated that deviant behaviour does not exist until it is defined as such by members of society. Again, this must be viewed as a weakness of labelling. Labeling theory highlights social responses to crime american sociologists howard s. The first section provides an explication of becker s statement within the broader context of. In 1966, labeling theory was first applied to the term mentally ill when thomas scheff published being mentally ill. Howard becker 1928 labelling is the process by which others usually those in powerful positions come to impose an identity upon us obyrne, 2011. Founder of labeling theory howard becker distinguished between rule breaking and deviance. Howie becker is an american sociologist renowned for his qualitative research into the lives of those otherwise classified as deviant, and for revolutionizing how deviant behavior is studied and theorized within the discipline. Labelling theory sociology bibliographies cite this for me. Labelling is an active social process of how particular acts become. Nov 01, 2017 labelling theory and the self fulfilling prophecy. Individuals are not naturally deviant in their actions and behaviors until a social group defines them that way.
Juvenile delinquency social labeling theory research paper. They add weight to the argument that negative labelling pushes offenders towards a deviant career. The idea of labeling theory flourished in american sociology during the 1960s, thanks in large part to sociologist howard becker. The labeling approach cannot be regarded as constitu ting a wellintegrated theory. Apr 12, 2011 beckers idea of labelling came to the fore in the early 1960s and it was a very new approach. Scheff challenged common perceptions of mental illness by claiming that mental illness is evident as a result of societal influence.
The second half of this chapter deals with three concems of the labeling. Howard becker theory of labelling social class and. Outsiders, a sandwich book comprised of two previouslypublished articles on marijuana use and two on dance musicians, a twochapter introduction, and a threechapter conclusion and, in the 1973 edition, the authors reappraisal of labeling theory, has been, by far, howard s. The first as well as one of the most prominent labeling theorists was howard becker, who published his groundbreaking work. In his article becker defines deviance as being created by society. Labeling theory was quite popular in the 1960s and early 1970s, but then fell into declinepartly as a result of the mixed results of empirical research. This second part is probably more accessible to readers i and it can be read separately. This theory was given by howard becker who tried to understand, not in the causes behind the deviant behavior but rather which behavior was considered deviant and what impact it had on the individual engaging in that behavior. Labeling theory criminality is an unfortunate but inevitable component of human society. Thomas, charles horton cooley, and herbert blumer, among others.
Becker s outsiders is a thorough exploration of social deviance and how it can be addressed in an understanding and helpful manner. Although there had been prior research into deviant labels, howard becker is hailed as the found of the modern labelling theory. Howard becker theory of labelling social class and attainment. Howard becker, drug use and the sociology of deviance. Becker, labeling theory reconsidered in the outsiders 2d ed. The labeling theory has been critiqued at a very critical level. Labeling theory proposes that it is not the actor alone, but the reactors, or agents of social.
Through the studies reported in the book becker became the principal developer of labelling theory, but he was quite clear that his studies were about societys response to. In 1938, frank tannenbaum presented his own approach to labeling theory in response to his studies of juvenile participation in street gangs. It represented a major turning point in the sociology of deviance. This article examines the depiction of drug users in. He grew up in a jewish family with a father arrived from europe in his youth and who rose from a bluecollar industrial job to a small advertisement business. Labeling theory emerged as the dominant perspective in the study of deviance in the 1960s, though its origins can be traced to. Howard saul becker s book outsiders was extremely influential in the development of this theory and its rise to popularity. Labelling perspective is regarded as one of the main theories developed by the interactionists, with howard becker being instrumental in its.
Home browse authors sources documents years theories subjects find sources. As much as people would like to believe that there is a way to create a type of community that has no crime, psychologists and other experts in the field of criminology have done research and created various hypotheses which show that. The sociological hypothesis that defines an individual in terms of the behavioral characteristics. One of the most groundbreaking sociology texts of the mid20th century, howard s. Labeling theory is based on the notion that certain members in society have the ability to construct and apply attributes to other members of the same society becker, 1963. Howard becker 1971 carried out an important interactionist. In sweden, lunden and nasman have published contributions. American sociologist george herbert meads theory framing social construction of the self as a process involving interactions with others also influenced its development. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext.