Class Differences: Internal Flashcards
What are interactionist sociologists interested in
How people attach labels to one another and the effects
Becker’s study
-Found T judged P on how closely they matched ‘ideal pupil’
- Work,conduct, appearance were key influences
Hempel- Jorgensens study
-WC school: discipline major problem, Ideal pupil= passive, quiet, obedient, children defined by behaviour not ability
-MC school: Few disciplinary problems, Defined for personality/ academic ability Not behaviour.
Dunne and Gazeley
Labelling in secondary schools
-T normalised WC underachievement, unconcerned, couldn’t help
-But could help MC over come it
-The result of T beliefs abt role of home background- wc uninterested
-Lead to differences in how T dealt with underachievement
-Mc: extensions -Wc: easier exams
Rists
Labelling in primary schools
-T used info about pupils homes/appearance to put them into groups
-‘Fast learners’: often mc, sat closest, greatest encouragement
-‘Clowns’: often wc, sat furthest away, easier books, less opportunity
3 stages of a SFP
-T labels P, on basis of the label makes predictions
-T treats P accordingly, as if predictions true
- Pupils internalise the expectation, becomes part of self-concept
Rosenthal and Jacobson study
Told a primary they had a test of who will spurt ahead
-Was untrue, T believed it, Randomly picked 20% who will be ‘sputters’
-1year later, 47% made significant progress (greatest effect on youngest)
-Demonstrates SFP- importance of interactionist approach. As T believed it, it influenced how they interacted with pupils.
Which pupils likely placed in lower sets?
Wc (Becker- T don’t see them as the ‘ideal student’
Douglas
Children put into lower sets/streams at 8 suffered a decrease in IQ score by 11.
-Opposite for higher sets.
Gillborn and Youdell
Looked at how T used stereotypes to label pupils.
-Leads to an A-C economy. Schools focus time, effort, resources on pupils they see with potential to get 5 GCSEs C+ to boost LT position.
3 categories of the educational triage
-Pupils who will pass, left alone
-Pupils with potential, helped to get a C+
-Hopeless cases, doomed to fail (WC& black stereotypes)
Lacey
Differentiation: T categorise P according to how they perceive their ability, attitudes, behaviour (streaming)
Polarisation: Process of P responding to streaming by moving to one of two extremes (pro/anti school subcultures)
Ball
abolished streaming
-P polarisation into subcultures largely removed- anti-school SC declined
-Differentiation continues, T still likely label MC as cooperative/ able. Reflected in exam results- SFP occurred
-Class inequality can continue without effects of streaming
Woods
4 responses to streaming
-Ingratiation: ‘teachers pet’
-Ritualism: going through, staying out of trouble
-Retreatism: Daydreaming/ mucking about
-Rebellion: rejection of all school values
2 criticism of labelling theory
-Determism, inevitable to fail if labelled (proven wrong eg Fuller)
-Marxist critique for ignoring wider structures of power within which labelling occurs- blames T. Argue not T indivisible prejudice but system they work in- reproduces class divisions.
Bourdieu
-Habitus. Schools have a MC habitus- gives them an advantage. links to CC.
-Symbolic capital -Symbolic violence
Archer (wc view)
-Wc felt they have to change how they talk/ present to succeed
-‘Losing yourself’, ‘not like us’
-Felt unable to access MC, posh spaces eg uni/professional careers
Archer ( higher ed)
-Unrealistic: for rich, posh, smart. Also unaffordable and risky investment
-Undesirable: Wouldn’t fit preferred lifestyle/habitus. eg couldn’t afford street style on student loan
Ingrams study
2 Groups of highly deprived catholic boys
-One passed 11+ and went to gramma school with a strong MC habitus. Boys felt pressure to fit in, tension,ridiculed, felt worthless (symbolic violence)
-WC identity is inseparable from MC. Like locality, street style, conformity
Evans
WC reluctant to apply to elite unis for fear of not fitting in, attachment to locality, most reluctant to move away
(self exclusion)
What choice do WC pupils have to make if they wish to achieve in education
Forced to either abandon WC identity to confirm ti MC habitus to succeed or maintain it.
Discuss some relationships between internal and external factors
-WC pupil habitus formed outside = may lead to conflict w schls habitus (SV)
-Wc use restricted code, may be labelled
-Poverty may = bullying/stigmatising by peer groups= failure
-Streaming/ league tables that allocate funding drives A-C economy= labelling
- Teachers beliefs abt WC home produced underachievement (Dunne & Gazeley)
