ac 2.3 + 3.2 - labelling theory (sociological)

Question 1

what comes under labelling theory?

Answer 1

interactionism

Question 2

what is interactionism?

Answer 2

this is the belief that criminality is a social construct and that people only become criminals because they are labelled as one

Question 3

Howard Becker

Answer 3

developed labelling theory. said that agents of social control, e.g. police and judges, label certain acts and behaviours as criminal and deviant. he also said that deviance is not a quality of the act a person commits but rather a consequence of application by others

Question 4

self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 4

this is the idea that, if individuals are continuously labelled as criminals then they are more likely to commit a crime in the future as they believe if it futile to try to overcome the label given to them. being a criminal may become an individuals ‘master status’ which is when that label overrides any other labels the person has

Question 5

deviance amplification

Answer 5

when a social reaction to deviance can invertedly increase the levels or intensity of the deviance, often through the media sensationalising it. the public then calls for a crackdown which encourages labelling

Question 6

Jock Young

Answer 6

labelled hippies as ‘drug addicts’ which led to an increase in raids and arrets. deviant subcultures were formed with weed as the central activity

Question 7

strengths of interactionism

Answer 7

• there is supporting evidence. government arrest rates show that black people are 3x more likely to be arrested than white people. therefore, this supports how police enforce laws more harshly on certain groups labelled as criminals.
• application. highlights medias role in criminality. attempt to stop them sensationalising and overreporting stories. therefore, can reduce criminality and improve society.

Question 8

weaknesses of interactionism

Answer 8

• reductionist. overlooks biological factors and focuses on the environmental factors. therefore, this is a limited explanation of criminality.
• descriptive explanation. focuses on societal reactions to crime rather than the initial reasons behind criminal behaviour. therefore, lacks credibility as an explanation of criminality.