Labeling Theory

LABELING THEORY
- Labelling theory flourished in American sociology during the 1960s, to sociologist Howard
Becker. However, its core ideas can be traced back to the work of founding French sociologist
Emile Durkheim, American sociologist George Herbert Mead’s theory framing social
construction of the self as a process involving interactions with others also influenced its
development. Scholars Frank Tannenbaum, Edwin Lemert, Albert Memmi, Erving Goffman, and
David Matza played roles in the development and research of labelling theory as well.
- Labelling theory states that people come to identify and behave in ways that reflect how others
label them.
- This theory is most commonly associated with the sociology of crime since labelling someone
unlawfully deviant can lead to poor conduct. Describing someone as criminal, for example, can
cause others to treat the person more negatively, and, in turn, the individual acts out.
- Labelling theory is one of the most important approaches to understanding deviant and criminal
behaviour. It begins with the assumption that no act is intrinsically criminal. Definitions of
criminality are established by those in power through the formulation of laws and the
interpretation of those laws by police, courts, and correctional institutions.
- Labelling theory proposes deviance is socially constructed through reaction instead of action. In
other words, according to this theory, no behaviour is inherently deviant on its own. Instead, it’s
the reaction to the behaviour that makes it deviant or not.
- Labelling theory also help to explain why behaviour is considered negatively deviant to some
people, groups, and cultures but positively deviant to others.
DEVIANCE
- Is any behaviour that violates social norms, and is usually of sufficient severity to warrant disapproval
from the majority of society?
- Deviance can be criminal or non-criminal. The sociological discipline that deals with crime (behaviour
that violates laws) is criminology (also known as criminal justice).
- According to Howard Becker, deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a
consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an “offender”. The deviant is one to
whom the label has successfully been applied; deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label.
* In other words, “behaviour only becomes deviant or criminal if defined and interfered as such by
specific people in specific situation. It is important to note the salient fact that society is not always
correct in its labelling, often falsely identifying and misrepresenting people as deviants, or attributing to
them characteristics which they do not have.
TYPES OF DEVIANCE; PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DEVIANCE
Primary Deviance is seen to consist of deviant acts (with any amount of causes) before they are publicly
labelled, and has only marginal implications for the status and psychics structure of the person
concerned.
 In the case of sickness, primary deviance represents the illness experience.
Secondary Deviance is much more significance because it alters a person’s self-regard and social roles.
This follows the public identification of a person as deviant, and the individual’s response to this
negative societal reaction (a judgement of social normality). It is a direct response to this labelling that
the person changes their behaviour in accordance with the label; the label constituting a self-fulfilling
prophecy.
DIFFERENT EXAMPLE OF LABELLING
Stigma is a negative social label that people acquire, that of an outsider, that profoundly affects their
idea of themselves and their worldview.
Retrospective Labelling many interpretations start to emerge because outside observers look at the
persons past and interpret that past action in light of the deviant behaviour.
- Labelling back into the past in response to deviant behaviour in the present.
Projective Labelling is the opposite, where observers look into the future and theorize the persons
behaviour in relation to deviance, saying, “they acted like now so they’re always going to act like
negatively.’ Even though nothing has happened yet, these people are labelled beforehand.
- Labelling into the future in response to deviant behaviour in the present.
MEDICALIZATION OF DEVIANCE
- The transformation of deviance from labels of good and bad to labels of sick and well.
- This occurs when behaviours that used to be labelled as sickness. In short, you’re either sick or
well, and there’s an entirely different institutional fabric designed to treat you- hospitals rather
than prisons. Somebody who’s deviant might go to prison or jail, but somebody whose sick
needs treatment, and they’ll go to a hospital to be treated by doctors and psychiatrists. With
medicalization, the labels are shifting-so the treatment is shifting.
CRITIQUES OF LABELING THEORY
- Critics of labelling theory argue that it ignores factors – such as differences in socialization,
attitudes, and opportunities – that lead to deviant acts. They also assert that it’s not entirely
certain whether labelling increases deficiency. Ex-cons might end up back in prison because they
have formed connections to other offenders; these ties raise the odds that they will be exposed
to additional opportunities to commit crimes. In all likelihood, both labelling and increased
contact with the criminal population contribute to recidivism.

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LABELING THEORY

 In the case of sickness, primary deviance represents the illness experience.

DIFFERENT EXAMPLE OF LABELLING

- Labelling into the future in response to deviant behaviour in the present.

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