NCJ Number
69352
Date Published
1980
Length
18 pages
Annotation
BASIS TENETS OF THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE ON DEVIANCE ARE REVIEWED, TOGETHER WITH QUESTIONS ADDRESSED BY EVALUATIVE RESEARCH ON LABELING.
Abstract
THE REVIEW IS THE INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER IN THE SECOND EDITION OF A BOOK PRESENTING EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENTS OF THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE AS IT APPLIES IN VARIOUS FORMS OF DEVIANCE. THEORETICAL STATEMENTS OF PROPONENTS OF THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE ARE QUOTED AND DISCUSSED. SUCH THEORISTS, IT IS NOTED, ARGUE THAT THE PERSON WHO IS LABELED DEVIANT EXPERIENCES A PROFOUND, FREQUENTLY IRREVERSIBLE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS, ACQUIRING NOT ONLY AN INFERIOR STATUS, BUT ALSO A DEVIANT VIEW OF THE WORLD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND SELF-IMAGE THAT GO WITH SUCH A VIEW. TWO BASIC QUESTIONS ADDRESSED BY LABELING RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED: WHY CERTAIN PEOPLE COME TO BE LABELED DEVIANT AND OTHERS DO NOT (LABELING AS A DEPENDENT VARIABLE), AND WHETHER SOCIETAL REACTION INCREASES OR DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF THE LABELED PERSON'S DEVIANT BEHAVIOR LABELING AS AN INDEPENDENT VARIABLE. SUBSIDIARY QUESTIONS ARE ALSO NOTED: WHEN AND HOW DEVIANT LABELS BECOME AFFIXED, AND WHETHER THEY CAN BE CHANGED; THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE INDIVIDUAL IN ACQUIRING A DEVIANT IDENTITY; WHETHER DEVIANCE ACTS AS A 'MASTER STATUS' THAT ACTIVATES A GENERAL EXCLUSIONARY REACTION; THE INTENT OF SOCIETAL REACTION; AND HOW A PERSON CAN LEAVE DEVIANT STATUS AND RETURN TO NORMAL STATUS. ONE TABLE AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. A LIST OF APPROXIMATELY 75 REFERENCES IS PROVIDED. FOR ABSTRACTS OF OTHER RELATED CHAPTERS, SEE NCJ-69353 AND 69354.