NCJ Number
58242
Date Published
1979
Length
37 pages
Annotation
CRITICISMS OF THE LABELING THEORY OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE INCLUDING CONFUSION OVER DEFINITIONS AND VALUES, CHARGES OF BIAS AND LIMITATIONS, AND EMPIRICAL FALSIFICATION ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE PAST DECADE HAS SEEN STRIKING CHANGES IN THE PROMINENCE GIVEN TO SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF DEVIANCE. MOST NOTABLE IS THE CHANGING STATUS THAT HAS BEEN ACCORDED TO LABELING THEORY; FROM TOTAL ACCEPTANCE IN THE LATE 1960S, IT IS NOW SUBJECT TO GROWING CRITICISM. BECAUSE THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE IS SEEN ALTERNATELY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY AS A PERSPECTIVE, A THEORY, AND A PROPOSITION, IT BECOMES AN EASY TARGET FOR ATTACK. LABELING THEORY SHOULD FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING THE CHARACTERISTICS, SOURCES, AND CONDITIONS OF LABELS AS WELL AS THE CONSEQUENCES OF LABELING. HOWEVER, LABELING SHOULD NOT BE EQUATED WITH A THEORY OR A PROPOSITION BUT SHOULD BE SEEN AS A PERSPECTIVE IN DEVIANCY RESEARCH. THE THEORY OF SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM HAS THE CLOSEST AFFINITY WITH LABELING. ITS CENTRAL PROBLEM, CONSTRUCTION OF MEANING, IT CLEARLY ALLIED TO PROBLEMS OF LABELS. ONE MAJOR SET OF PROBLEMS OCCUR OVER THE DEFINITION OF DEVIANCE, AND CONSEQUENTLY, IN PROPERLY APPLYING THE LABELING PERSPECTIVE. A NUMBER OF BIASES AND LIMITATIONS HAVE BEEN DETECTED IN THE LABELING THEORY AND THE MOST FREQUENTLY CITED LIMITATION IS THAT IT FAILS TO PROVIDE ANY ACCOUNT OF THE INITIAL MOTIVATIONS TOWARDS DEVIANCE. HOWEVER, IT IS UNFAIR TO ATTACK THE PERSPECTIVE FOR NOT DOING WHAT IT MANIFESTLY DOES NOT SET OUT TO DO SINCE A THEORY OF LABELS IS NOT A THEORY OF BEHAVIOR. ANOTHER GROUP OF OBJECTIONS SUGGEST THAT LABELING THEORY IS SIMPLY INCORRECT FROM AN EMPIRICAL VIEWPOINT. THIS CHARGE IS DUE LARGELY TO THE NARROW INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION GIVEN TO THE THEORY BY RESEARCHERS. LABELING THEORY IS MOST USEFULLY CONCEIVED AS A PERSPECTIVE WHOSE CORE PROBLEMS ARE THE NATURE, EMERGENCE, APPLICATION, AND CONSEQUENCES OF LABELS. REFERENCE NOTES ARE PROVIDED. SEE NCJ-58238. (LWM)