Understanding the Process of Labeling

Social distance and low tolerance level are key factors in the process of labeling. As a result, law-breaking individuals are more likely to be branded with a criminal label than those with high social or economic status. Furthermore, a criminal label is easier to defend than one that denies its application. Labels are applied both formally and informally. Consequently, the process of labeling can be described as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Social control

According to Becker’s Social Control and Labeling Theory, deviant behavior is defined as a behavior that people choose to label as deviant. The initial act of breaking a rule is called primary deviance, and individuals who accept a negative label are more likely to engage in similar behaviors in the future. Although Becker’s theory is controversial, it has greatly influenced the study of crime and deviance over the last few decades. While biological and psychological explanations tend to assume that deviance results from individual problems, sociological explanations attribute it to the social environment.

In the case of criminals, the first step is to label them as such. The labeling process is effective because the stigma associated with the deviant behavior makes it easy for society to attach the deviant identity to the labeled individual. This persuasion method also works because the person receiving the label is informed of his or her personality traits and values. The social label is also the most common tool for persuasion, and many social control and labeling theories are compatible.

Symbolic interaction

The term “labeling theory” refers to a criminology concept that comes from the school of social psychology known as symbolic interactionism. This perspective was developed by George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley, and grew out of the ideas of Herbert Blumer and George Herbert Mead. Howard Becker, a pioneer in this theory, published Outsiders in 1963. It has since evolved into a complex theory of human behavior based on symbolic interaction.

Labeling theory asserts that deviance is socially constructed. In other words, certain people are deemed deviant by social control agencies. Once these individuals are designated deviants, they accept their label and act accordingly. The theory draws its inspiration from symbolic interaction theory, which looks at how different groups assign symbolic labels to people to label them. According to labeling theory, certain acts are only deviant when they are defined as such by social groups. In other words, the social group projects its own rules onto the otherwise neutral individual.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Labelling theory is an interactionist theory that asserts that attainment levels are the direct result of the interactions between the teacher and pupil. The Rosenthal and Jacobson study reveals that students who are labelled positively and negatively develop positive attitudes toward studying. They also develop a positive attitude toward their peers and are more likely to identify with a peer group. The study’s findings have been interpreted by sociologists as powerful evidence of the power of beliefs and stereotypes in shaping societies.

Although self-fulfilling prophecies are small in any given study, they can add up over time to cause significant social inequalities. For example, students who are expected to be high achievers may raise their IQ scores three points a year compared to low-achieving students. Over time, this can result in a 36-IQ-point difference between two students.

Social reaction

The Social Reaction Theory was first discussed during the late 1960s in the United States. It focuses on the role of government agencies and social processes in deviance. Although there are many flaws to this theory, it can provide insight into the negative consequences of both formal and informal audiences. The theory has the potential to inform and improve existing theories in criminology. Here is a description of its main concepts:

According to the theory, social labels influence behavior. If they are labeled as deviant, they encourage deviant behaviour. Labels become self-fulfilling prophecies; those who are stigmatized must conform to the judgment they are given. This theory postulates that social deviance can be avoided by reducing social shaming. A person who engages in inappropriate behavior may be labeled a deviant or a drifter. This stigmatization becomes an internalized version of the deviant or alienation label.