labeling theory

A detailed Summary of labeling theory

Tannenbaum originally came up with this theory in 1938, in 1951 Lemert elaborated on it, and Becker took it on in 1963.

Deviant behavior is not violating a norm it's having people believe you're violating a norm.

The focus of the Labeling Theory is mainly on the reaction to deviance rather than the deviance itself. "Why do we care?" It is the process of labeling someone deviant, why people think something is okay for one person and not another. It mainly focuses on soft deviance. Rule-breaking is behavior that breaks a rule, but isn't considered deviant unless someone else says it is. The behavior could be considered deviant depending on who catches it.

Primary deviance is the point where a person is actually labeled. It doesn't matter if they are deviant or not, they are labeled deviant because certain people believe it to be so. Secondary deviance is when the person actually accepts the label and continues the behavior, which can lead to what may be called a deviant career. However if the behavior stops it is not secondary deviance.

If someone is continually accused of being deviant when they are not, they may become that way. Someone who doesn't get caught when they keep exhibiting rule-breaking beh

ity figures. Unfortunatly for those who are labeled drug abusers the label may stick for life because when the drug abuse leads to the disease of addiction they are truly stuck with that for life.

In an interview with one drug user, they stated that their drug use started at the age of 14 as experimental, giving in to peer pressure. He states that as a rebellious teen the thought of really aggravating the "powers that be" was extremely inviting. There was a group of kids in school that were referred to as the "stoners" and these kids were given the label of being the "bad" kids the "druggies" these labels were also given to anyone associated with them. So even if a kid who didn't use drugs were to hang with the "stoners" they may as well have used them because they were considered to be exactly the same. So according to the labeling theory, their behavior was deviant because they were caught. They accept the labrel and continue the behavior as it goes with Secondary deviance and then the others who hang out with them are accused of being "stoners" as well, so they become that to satisfy the label. The ones who label the kids are the teachers and other adult author!

The labeling theory works well to explain alcohol and drug use and abuse.

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1. Goode, Erich. 1997. Deviant Behavior. Upper Saddle Ri

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 935
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous