Labelist relationship12/24/2023 ![]() These sociologists define stigma as a series of specific, negative perceptions and stereotypes attached to a label (Link and Pelan, 2001), which can be evident in and transmitted by mass-media or the everyday interactions people have between themselves.Īccording to Becker (1963), “To be labeled a criminal carries a number of connotations specifying auxiliary traits characteristic of anyone bearing the label.” Sociologists generally agree that deviant labels are also stigmatizing labels (Bernburg, 2009). ![]() Stigma and Discrimination: The Roots of Labeling Theory Labeling theory stems from the school of symbolic interactionism, which believes that an individual’s sense of self is formed by their interactions with and the labels ascribed to them by other people. The premise of Labeling Theory is that, once individuals have been labeled as deviants, they face new problems stemming from their reactions to themselves and others to the stereotypes of someone with the deviant label (Becker, 1963 Bernburg, 2009). David Rosenhan’s study “ On Being Sane in Insane Places” (1973) providesĪ striking demonstration of the power of labeling and the Labeling theory recognizes that labels will vary depending on the culture, time period, and situation.It has been criticized for ignoring the capacity of the individual to resist the labeling and assuming that it is an automatic process.The central feature of labeling theory is the self-fulfilling prophecy, in which the labeled correspond to the label in terms of delinquent behavior.Labeling theory is associated with the work of Becker and is a reaction to sociological theories which examined only the characteristics of the deviants, rather than the agencies which controlled them.Labeling theory is an approach in the sociology of deviance that focuses on the ways in which the agents of social control attach stigmatizing stereotypes to particular groups, and the ways in which the stigmatized change their behavior once labeled.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |