INTERACTIONISM

Question 1

TYPIFICATIONS
(CICOUREL)

Answer 1

sees that OFFICER’S TYPIFICATION and LABELLING is what leads to SELECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT and NEGOTIATIONS of JUSTICE eg when a group is labelled as deviant then the police are likely to focus on them and reinforce stereotypes.

Question 2

CONSEQUENCES of LABELLING:

1. SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY
2. DEVIANCY AMPLIFICATION
3. MASTER STATUS

Answer 2

SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY:
once a person is labelled a deviant they internalise the label and begin to act in the way that they have been labelled.

DEVIANCY AMPLIFICATION:
An attempt to CONTROL deviance leads to greater amounts of that deviance. TWO eg: Cohen’s MODS and ROCKERS and YOUNG’S study of cannabis smokers in Notting Hill.

MASTER STATUS:
where the individual is identified by a particular aspect of themselves such as being a criminal and this impacts how they are treated within society. With criminals this can lead to a deviant or criminal career as their label prevents them from accessing legitimate means of achieving social goals

Question 3

MORAL ENTREPENEURS

Answer 3

people who decide what is morally acceptable within society.
e.g:
* Ruling class
* Governments
* Law Makers

Question 4

Interactionists focus on the social construction of crime, whereby an act only becomes deviant when labelled as such, through societal reaction. However, not every deviant act or criminal is labelled, and labelling theory is selectively enforced against some groups. Some sociologists believe labelling may cause an individual to be defined a master status.

Question 5

LEMERT distinguishes TWO TYPES OF DEVIANCE

Answer 5

LEMERT:
PRIMARY DEVIANCE:
a person commits a crime but is NOT WITNESSED so NO LABEL is attached

SECONDARY DEVIANCE:
deviant act is WITNESSED and a LABEL is ATTACHED to the person committing the act