labelling

Question 1

what is it?

Answer 1

describing someone using one or more particular term and is often used to refer to criminal behaviour. a label can be applied by someone to another person and does not necessarily reflect the nature of the individual being referred tp.

Question 2

when does it happen?

Answer 2

• when a group of people who are grouped together by a shared interest/ characteristic see another group as inferior..
• this creates a superior group and an inferior group
• once label has been ascribed, may be treated according to that label.

Question 3

process of labelling

Answer 3

• majority group considering minority group as inferior
• a negative label is given; stigma created
• a persons self identity is affected - qualities they use to define themselves
• this impacts their self concept; belief about themselves

Question 4

how could this be linked

Answer 4

• a behaviour is only deviant if society says it is
• once a person has been labeled as deviant because of something that person becomes stigmatised
• label affects how others treat them, as they will be seen as untrustworthy
• those with neg labels are more likely to have a lower self image
• go onto act in ways that fulfil label

Question 5

types

Answer 5

retrospective= going back to someone past and reinterpreting it in way someone has been labelled.
projective= using label to say what will happen to them in the future.

Question 6

evidence

Answer 6

:) Bessemer looked at the extent to which children of convicted parents had a higher risk of conviction themselves because of the focus on certain criminal families. this is called official bias. labelling a child of such a family as a criminal is likely to happen and could influence their future and development.

besemr points out the findings which show children of criminal families are likely to be convicted, do not show that such families transmit behaviour. therefore such families are paid more attention to and so children are more likely to be caught and prosecuted and found guilty than children from other families.

Question 7

S/W

Answer 7

reductionist explanation. it focuses purely on expectations, stereotypes and labels given from others - nurture approach.
it fails to account for the fact that people may be bio predisposed to violence. for example research has shown that a reduction in the volume of the amygdala may make a person more aggressive.
this makes labelling highly reductionist as it does not account for all influences on criminal behaviour so lacks validity.

:) can explain gender differences in the number of male prisoners because they are more likely to be labelled as criminals in contrast.

Question 8

alternative

Answer 8

bio exp or slt