6.1.2 Labelling & SFP Flashcards
Define ‘labelling’.
A way of society classifying someone- a word/phrase- usually negative
Define ‘self-identity’.
How someone views themselves
Define ‘retrospective labelling’.
Interpreting someone’s past in light of their present deviances, labelling them after such
Give an example of retrospective labelling.
People are likely to discuss the past of someone labelled ‘murderer’ saying they were a violent kid.
Define ‘prospective labelling’.
Predicting someone’s future actions based off of how they’re labelled now
Give an example of projective labelling.
If someone thinks someone is aggressive they may say ‘one day he will really hurt someone’.
What impact can labels have on a person?
It can impact their self-identity due to shaping how they are seen by society and so anything that is outside the norms will set someone apart from the rest of society, out-casting them.
How can a stereotype/stigma arise from labelling?
A label reduces someone to one characteristic due to an attribute they may possess which can lead to other people viewing them in the same light and so a stereotype of that particular person starts to form.
How does labelling link to criminality?
If someone’s parolled, they may be able to turn their lives around. But if they’re given the label ‘offender’ upon reentering society, they’ll be deemed aggressive and judged prematurely. This stigma will reduce the person down to label ‘offender’, creating stereotypes aggressive, dangerous etc. May lead to recidivism bc person’s self concept may be influenced by the ‘offender’ stereotype, making them believe that they’re just a criminal; falling back into committing crimes.
Define ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.
Someone’s expectations about another becoming reality by that person eliciting behaviours that confirm the expectations due to a false label given.
List the 4 stages of self-fulfilling prophecy.
- Other’s beliefs about us
- Cause other’s to act in a certain way around us
- Reinforces our belief’s abt ourselves based off of other’s beliefs + actions
- Influences our actions towards others
Give an example of self-fulfilling prophecy in crime.
1.Someone falsely accused of theft
2.Ppls avoid/ cautious around this person
3.Person questions self identity, believes label of ‘thief’
4.Internalises label ‘thief’, begins stealing due to everyone believing they were already that way
How does gender link to labelling and SFP when used to explain criminality?
Boys and girls experience different socialisation with boys being allowed to play rougher than girls and so leading to them getting labelled as aggressive and troublemakers whereas girls may be passive.
EACH-Evidence
P- Jahoda (2004) supports
E- Looked at African tribe, found 22% of violent criminals were boys named a Wednesday name(wed labelled as aggressive) and 6.9& being boys named a Monday name(mon labelled as placid)
E- S,Showed that prospective labelling of wed as aggressive was credible asw as SFP being credible bc of this as they internalised the aggressive label and committed violent crimes.
P-Rosenthal + Jacobsen (1968)/Pygmalion effect supports
E- Labelled a group of children ‘academic bloomers’ even if they initially weren’t.Found that after a test all 6 grades in cntrl + exp groups improved, but 1st-2nd graders w exp label showed significant IQ gain compared to non labelled/cntrl.
E- S, demonstrates a false label in is accurate, can explain criminality in terms of labels ; due to teachers changing their attitudes towards students to help them improve, can apply to ____(use from above revision)
EACH-Application
P- Yes
E-Labelling theory suggest that we become criminals due to being outcasted and SFP suggests we become criminals by being treated as one due to false labels leading to question self-identity
E- Therefore highlighting the problems with labelling people as criminals with the example of ASBO (anti-social behaviour order) being demolished as the label made their behaviour worse
