LABELING THEORY - A CRITICAL EXAMINATION

• NCJ Number: 47664
• Author(s): J KNUTSSON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 117 pages
• Corporate Author: Brottsforebyggande Radet
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Liber Distribution Foerlagsorder
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Sweden

Annotation

AN EXTENSIVE CRITICAL REVIEW OF LABELING THEORY IS PRESENTED TOGETHER WITH A REVEIW AND BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LABELING RESEARCH. WEAKNESSES IN THEORY AND EMPIRICAL FOUNDATION SUGGEST THE NEED FOR CAUTION IN APPLICATION.

Abstract

LABELING IS NOT AN INTEGRATED THEORY; IT IS A PERSPECTIVE BASED ON A NUMBER OF COMMON ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL DEFINITIONS AND BEHAVIOR. ACCORDING TO LABELING THEORISTS, ALTHOUGH ALL INDIVIDUALS OCCASIONALLY EXHIBIT BEHAVIORS WHICH COULD BE TERMED DEVIANT, NOT ALL SUCH BEHAVIORS ARE SO LABELED. HOWEVER, WHEN CERTAIN QUALITIES OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR ARE ATTRIBUTED TO INDIVIDUALS, THEIR SOCIAL SITUATION BEGINS TO CHANGE IN THAT OTHERS IDENTIFY THEM AS DEVIANT AND THEY BEGIN TO CONCEIVE OF THEMSELVES IN TERMS OF THE ATTRIBUTED DEVIANT IDENTITY. CHANGES IN THE LABELED INDIVIDUAL'S SOCIAL SITUATION AND THEIR SELF-CONCEPT LEAD TO A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY OF INCREASED INVOLVEMENT IN DEVIANT BEHAVIORS AND EVENTUALLY A DEVIANT CAREER. A NUMBER OF THEORETICAL WEAKNESSES INVOLVING ETIOLOGICAL AND CAUSAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE EXPLORED. THE POPULARITY OF LABELING PERSPECTIVES MAY BE IN THE ANTISOLUTION THEY PROPOSE FOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS: FIRST, SOCIETY RATHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVIANCE, AND SECOND, NO STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PREVENT DEVIANCE SINCE THESE WOULD SERVE ONLY TO AGGRAVATE IT. AN EXAMINATION OF EMPIRICAL TESTS OF CENTRAL HYPOTHESES OF LABELING THEORY, UNDERTAKEN IN SWEDEN AND AMERICA, PROVIDES ONLY LITTLE OR MIXED SUPPORT. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. ALSO INCLUDED IS A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SELECTED ARTICLES PUBLISHED BETWEEN 1953 AND 1975 IN MAJOR SOCIOLOGICAL AND CRIMINOLOGICAL JOURNALS: 'AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW' 'AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY,' 'SOCIOMETRY,' 'SOCIAL PROBLEMS,' 'JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL LAW AND CRIMINOLOGY'/'JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL LAW, CRIMINOLOGY AND POLICE SCIENCE,' 'LAW AND SOCIETY REVIEW,' AND 'BRITISH JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY.' OF THESE, 54 ARTICLES DEAL PRIMARILY WITH THEORY, AND 74 ARE LARGELY EMPIRICAL IN NATURE. (JAP)