Make your work easier by using a label. However, there are already inherent drawbacks with the drawbacks given by various individual sociologists. Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that features positive (not as in good, but a change or increase) and negative symptoms, ranging from hallucinations to social withdrawal. They then accept themselves as being criminal as use it to counter (either by moving with similar peer groups or by other means) society’s reaction to the initial act. Thirdly, labelling theory is supposed to cover all criminal activity and has an effect on everyone irrespective of their race, social class, sex and age (Becker, 1963). Labeling theory is a theory to understand deviance in the society, this theory is focused more on trying to understand how people react to behavior that happens around them and label it as ‘deviant’ or ‘nondeviant’. He noticed that in some tribes, stuttering occurred among their members and their language mentioned stuttering. These youths then go on to reject those that have labelled them and tend to set up their own criminal lifestyles consisting of criminal behaviour. Other criminologists have been doubtful of this part of the theory and hold that a person’s race, social class and so on do have an effect. Academic year. The study concluded, “It is clear that we cannot distinguish the sane from the insane in psychiatric hospitals” and also illustrated the dangers of depersonalization and labelling in psychiatric institutions. This effect is so profound that Becker states that individuals with this label begin to be associated with the word criminal. Youths are especially vulnerable to labelling theory. Labelling theory however has many inherent drawbacks. As Labeling theory clearly illustrates, both the social and academic deviant, once labeled as such, are forced to carry these labels with them, performing the very behavior society expects of them, inevitably leading to confirmation bias. This essay will discuss three theories, the differential association theory, the labelling theory and the rationale choice theory. What is a weakness of labelling theory? Labeling theory posits that self-identity and the behavior of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe or classify them. University. 11 terms. This is the most debated part of the labelling theory brought about by him. Labelling theory underpins the role of society in defining behaviour. Unlike Labelling Theory, other theories of deviance make the assumption that criminals are different to the normal population and so is possible to identify these features that lead to deviance. Wide collections of all kinds of labels pictures online. The biggest drawback one may say that affects labelling theory is that it has not yet been ’empirically validated’. Grove argued the opposite point. Ignores the fact that people may actively choose deviance. 14 terms . Labeling Theory The theory of labeling is defined as a view of deviance. According to being labeled a deviant person, is one that engages in deviant behaviors. For example, the theory fails to explain why the nature and extent of crime and deviance is socially constructed. David Rosenhan explored this theory and criticised psychiatric diagnoses in his famous study ‘Being  sane in insane places’. Youths are especially vulnerable to labelling theory. The texts that receive this title are taken to have some basic common element that makes each an example of labelling theory. This essay will go on to show the origins of labelling theory, the theory itself and will show its strengths and weaknesses using various case-studies and examples. Rather than taking the definition of crime for granted, labelling theorists are interested in how certain acts come to be defined or labelled as criminal in the first place. Academic year. had bad storytelling and oratory skills were mocked. Labeling theory is a theory to understand deviance in the society, this theory is focused more on trying to understand how people react to behavior that happens around them and label it as ‘deviant’ or ‘nondeviant’. History has shown that society has and will change to accept criminal behaviour or to make legal behaviour illegal. Fourthly, it matters on who the audience is comprised of, as the level of denouncement an individual feels depends on the audience’s reaction to the act. University. Ramsey, R.F. 17 terms. One of the other drawbacks also mentions the aspect of self-labelling. Labeling Theory The theory of labeling is defined as a view of deviance. Labelling theory was acknowledged and more commonly known during 1960’s yet towards the 1980’s it was seen as less supportive and was being critiqued by other scholars and theorists. He questioned fifty of those users and found that they did not have any pre-dispositional behaviour towards it. Happy Labeling! This part of the labelling theory has many policy implications. Strengths of thelabelling theory could be that: Operant conditioning is a fundamental part of psychological explanations. Labelling also involves both a wrong or ‘deviant’ act and a ‘deviant’ person. Other tribes however had no mention of stuttering in their language and had no members of their tribes stuttering. In-text: (Becker, 1963) Your Bibliography: Becker, H., 1963. Labelling Theory's Perspective on Crime and Deviance. Crime statistics are more a record of the activities of … The theories will discussed and how they can explain crime will also be discussed, and then a comparison of the theories will be given in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses in explaining youth crime. All were admitted and diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. Labeling theory refers to the idea that individuals become deviant when a deviant label is applied to them; they adopt the label by exhibiting the behaviors, actions, and attitudes associated with the label. This study showed odd behaviour was labelled as schizophrenic and these individuals would be admitted if their symptoms were known. By clicking “Proceed”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. This paper compares the relative strengths and weaknesses of Differential Association theory and Labelling theory and I argue that Labelling Theory offers the most compelling theoretical perspective to help account for how these factors influence youth to join gangs. 2017/2018 Sheridan College. There is however no scientific study on the effects of the above factors. For example, Rist (1970) has shown how negative teacher expectations placed on the working class leads to underachievement and anti-school subcultures.This suggests that interactionist ideas have made a major contribution to the study of … Blog. The primary weakness of labeling theory is a. that if overemphasizes social attachment. Labeling theory is an explanatory framework that accounts for these effects. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. He goes on to say that the murderer may have a conscience which will cause him to label himself or herself as a murderer. Erwin Lamert (1951) founded the “societal Reaction” theory. (Institutionalised patients are given tokens as secondary reinforces, to promote socially desirable behaviour, the tokens are then exchanged for primary reinforces like food.) 9 terms. Therefore, if society sees mentally ill individuals as unpredictable, dangerous and reliant on others, then a person, who may not actually be mentally ill but has been labelled as such, could become mentally ill. The primary weakness of the labeling theory is a. that it overemphasizes social attachment. Learn How to Order Essay Online. This is due to the fact that people with low self esteem or a different/weak personality trait takes these drugs to show that they can ‘handle’ it and want to rebel against society. Labeling theory view deviance from symbolic interaction and conflict perspective. When an individual in the society is labelled as criminal, it compels him to commit more crimes. Introduction to Sociology (SOCI16039G) Uploaded by. What is a weakness of labelling theory? New York: Free Press of … This goes against the labelling theory, which states that labelling must come from a third party. As such, behaviours become deviant when those that are conforming to the norms attach labels to those that are not conforming. Change ). Becker (1953) wrote in his book, the Marijuana user, that the drug does not produce any addiction and that it has no withdraw sickness or any sort of substance that makes the user crave for the drug. Thus as shown in the above essay, labelling theory has many strengths and weaknesses. It merely states what society currently thinks. It has occurred only when both the society and individual consider him or her to be a criminal or a deviant. (constantly changing), http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Schizophrenia/Pages/Symptoms.aspx. (Stimulus and response links that build up to produce more complex behaviour) there’s an absence of conscious thoughts. Ignores conscious thoughts/motivation and significant life events which may have been a factor in developing schizophrenia. The texts Labelling Theory and the Self Fulfilling Prophecy . Broadbent (1961) believed behaviourism is the best method for rational advance in psychology. These are the sources and citations used to research Strengths and weaknesses of labelling theory. Labeling theory states that people come to identify and behave in ways that reflect how others label them. This becomes difficult though with the diverse range of acts that are deemed criminal like industrial sabotage and football hooliganism. Marijuana for example is tolerated in Amsterdam and is legal in other parts of the world (Mexico allows four grams for personal use). Some studies found that being officially labeled a criminal (e.g. Labeling theory was first developed by the Austrian-American criminologist, Frank Tennenbaum, in his 1938 work, Crime and Community. Becker pays particular attention to how people and society react and operate with others who have the ‘criminal’ label. Thomas, Charles Horton Cooley, and Herbert Blumer, among others. Self Fulling Prophecy Theory argues that predictions made by teachers about the future success or failure of a student will tend to come true because that prediction has been made. He would not label himself as a criminal as it was a necessary for him to do so. Although there are many studies that validate it, there are none that can offer significant data in its support. Once they start to believe in their negative labels, self rejection occurs which plays a major role in the social rejection theory. Labeling theory was quite popular in the 1960s and early 1970s, but then fell into decline-partly as a result of the mixed results of empirical research. Values and Objectivity. Labeling theory argues that people become deviant as a result of others forcing that identity upon them. He found that crime is not so much a violation of a penal code as it is an act that outrages society. In the future the mindset of society may change and acts that were previously considered to be criminal may be legalised. Make your work easier by using a label. Lemert states that there are exceptions and people continue to stay in the primary phase, an example would be someone who rationalizes that the so called ‘criminal’ act is legal as it is necessary for them to survive and earn money (an exotic dancer would be an example). In other societies however, soft drugs are illegal and the people who use them are labelled as deviant. William Chambliss identified this bias when he They would be able to smoke it at one time and at others, they won’t be able to. He mentions that once a person has the label of ‘criminal’ associated with him or her; it becomes stuck with them and acts as a constant label. Rosenhan’s work into sane people in insane places has always been a favourite of mine. 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