LABELING THEORY - A CRITICAL EXAMINATION

• NCJ Number: 49448
• Author(s): J NUTSSON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 104 pages
• Corporate Author: Brottsforebyggande Radet
• Sale Source: Brottsforebyggande Radet
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Country: Sweden

Annotation

THE BACKGROUND AND THEORY FOR LABELING ARE DISCUSSED AS WELL AS EMPIRICAL SUPPORT FOR THE CONCEPT. IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE THEORY ITSELF IS WEAK, AND EMPIRICAL SUPPORT FOR LABELING IS INSUFFICIENT.

Abstract

THE POPULARITY OF LABELING THEORY BEGAN IN THE 1960'S, BUT THE PREDECESSORS OF THE THEORY WERE TANNEBUAM AND MEAD. TANNEBAUM IS KNOWN FOR THE CONCEPT 'DRAMATIZATION OF EVIL,' A PROCESS IN WHICH THE DEFINITION OF A CERTAIN NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR IS TRANSFERRED TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO SHOWS SUCH BEHAVIOR SO THAT THE PERSON IS CHARACTERIZED AS 'BAD.' MEAD CREATED THE IDEA OF SYMBOLIC INTERACTION; MEAD DIVIDES THE EGO INTO THE 'ME' AND THE 'I,' THE 'ME' BEING A SOCIAL PRODUCT AND THE 'I' BEING THE SELF-CONCEPT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPS DUE TO SOCIAL INFLUENCES. IT IS NOTED THAT THE LABELING THEORY IS NOT CONCISE. ACCORDING TO THE LABELING THEORY, ALL HUMAN BEINGS OCCASIONALLY BEHAVE IN A MANNER WHICH COULD BE DESCRIBED AS DEVIANT, BUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS, CERTAIN PERSONS ARE LABELED FOR THIS BEHAVIOR. THE IDENTITY ASSIGNED TO THAT INDIVIDUAL TAKES ON NEGATIVE ASPECTS, AND CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS ARE CONNECTED WITH THE PERSON. THE BEHAVIOR THAT INITIATED THE PROCESS IS CALLED THE PRIMARY DEVIANCY. THE PROCESS OF LABELING CHANGES BOTH THE INDIVIDUALS' SOCIAL SITUATION AND SELF-IMAGE SO THAT THEY COME TO CONSIDER THEMSELVES DEVIANTS. THE BEHAVIOR THAT RESULTS FROM THIS NEGATIVE LABELING IS CALLED THE SECONDARY DEVIANCY. DEFINITIONS FOR THE TERMS DEVIANT BEHAVIOR, PRIMARY DEVIANCY, AND SECONDARY DEVIANCY ARE CONSIDERED, AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE POPULARITY OF THE LABELING THEORY ARE DISCUSSED. THE SECOND SECTION OF THE REPORT EXAMINES EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON THE LABELING THEORY. IN RESEARCHING EMPIRICAL STUDIES, 427 JOURNAL ARTICLES WERE LOCATED ON THE SUBJECT OF LABELING, BUT ONLY 70 OF THESE WERE JUDGED TO HAVE EMPIRICAL FINDINGS. IT IS STATED THAT, ON THE WHOLE, THE STUDIES HAVE TAKEN MANY CONCEPTS FOR GRANTED; E.G., THE MYTH THAT AN INDIVIDUAL'S SOCIAL STATUS ALONE DETERMINES THE LABEL ASSIGNED TO THE PERSON, AND ONCE A LABEL IS ASSIGNED, THAT PERSON IS CAUGHT IN THE DEVIANT ROLE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE CONCEPTS OF LABELING BE MORE SPECIFICALLY DEFINED AND THAT MORE EMPIRICAL STUDIES BE DONE IN THE AREA. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG) -- IN SWEDISH