Labelling- interactionist Flashcards
P1: What is Becker’s main argument about deviance?
Deviance is not an inherent quality but is socially constructed through reactions from society. Deviance only exists when society labels an act as such.
Who has the power to label others, according to Becker?
Moral entrepreneurs – individuals or groups with the power to define and enforce norms, such as lawmakers, police, and media.
How does labelling lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Once labelled, the deviant identity becomes a master status, overriding other aspects of a person’s identity.
The individual internalises the label and continues deviant behaviour, fulfilling the prophecy.
What is an example of labelling leading to further deviance?
A student caught smoking cannabis at school may be labelled a ‘drug user’, leading to exclusion, limited opportunities, and further deviance.
How does labelling theory explain crime and deviance?
Explains why certain groups (e.g., working-class and ethnic minorities) appear more criminal in official statistics—they are more likely to be labelled.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Becker’s labelling theory?
Strength: Highlights how law enforcement and media amplify deviance.
Weakness: Deterministic – assumes once labelled, individuals will inevitably continue deviant behaviour.
P2:What is Cicourel’s main argument about justice?
Justice is negotiable and subjective, rather than applied equally to all.
How do police and judges use stereotypes in law enforcement?
Typifications: Police and judges use stereotypes (e.g., ‘typical delinquent’) when dealing with suspects.
Middle-class offenders are more likely to be seen as having ‘potential’ and let off with warnings, while working-class offenders face harsher punishments.
What is an example of negotiated justice in Cicourel’s study?
Middle-class juveniles were often defined as ‘ill’ rather than ‘criminal’ due to parental intervention, while working-class juveniles were labelled as delinquents.
How does Cicourel’s study explain crime statistics?
Crime statistics reflect policing practices and biases rather than actual differences in offending, showing how social class shapes legal outcomes.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Cicourel’s study?
Criticism from Marxists: Fails to acknowledge how capitalism influences laws and policing.
P3: How does labelling theory explain deviance amplification?
Societal reactions (e.g., media exaggeration) can increase deviance through the deviance amplification spiral, where labelling leads to harsher policing and further stigmatisation.
What are folk devils, and how do they relate to moral panics?
Folk devils: Groups labelled as deviant (e.g., Mods and Rockers) who become the focus of public concern.
Moral panics: Media exaggeration creates public fear, leading to harsher policing and reinforcing the deviant identity.
What is an example of deviance amplification?
Mods and Rockers (Cohen, 1972): Media exaggerated minor conflicts, increasing police presence and arrests, which confirmed public fears and amplified deviance.
How does labelling theory explain moral panics?
Media and law enforcement create cycles of increasing deviance, shaping public perceptions of crime and reinforcing deviant identities.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the deviance amplification concept?
Strength: Explains how moral panics influence public perception and policy.
Weakness: Overemphasises media influence; some deviant acts occur independently of labelling.
p4: What is Braithwaite’s concept of reintegrative shaming?
Disintegrative shaming: Labels both the act and the individual as bad, pushing them further into crime.
Reintegrative shaming: Labels the act but not the person, encouraging rehabilitation and reintegration.
What is an example of reintegrative shaming in practice?
Restorative justice: Focuses on repairing harm and reintegrating offenders rather than punishing them.
How does reintegrative shaming differ from traditional labelling?
It suggests that not all labelling leads to deviance; societal reactions can be positive if handled constructively.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of reintegrative shaming?
Weakness: Does not fully explain violent or organised crime, which may require stricter measures.
