Social Class Differences - Internal Factors - Labelling

Question 1

What is labelling?

Answer 1

Labelling is when you attach a meaning or definition to a group or individual.
Eg, teachers may label a pupil as bright or thick, troublemaker or hardworking.

• Many teachers will label students on the basis of the stereotyped assumptions of their home background.
• They label middle class students positively and label working class students negatively.
• labeling links to interactionism.

Question 2

What does Howard Becker say about labelling?

Answer 2

Howard Becker (1971) carried out an interactionist study of labeling. He carried out interviews with 60 Chicago high school teachers.

• He found that teachers judged pupils according to how closely they fitted an image of the ‘ideal pupil’.
• Pupils’ work, conduct and appearance were key factors influencing teachers judgements.
• middle class pupils - ideal pupils.
• working class pupils - non-ideal pupils (badly behaved).

Question 3

What does Hempel-Jorgensen say about the ideal pupil?

Answer 3

Hempel-Jorgensen (2009) found that in a working class primary school (Aspen Primary School) the ideal pupil was defined as quiet, passive and obedient. They ideal pupils was defined in terms of behaviour, not their ability. Also the staff had a major discipline problem.

• However, in a middle class primary school (Rowan Primary School) the ideal pupil was defined by their personality and academic ability, rather than being a ‘non-misbehaving’ pupil. They also had few discipline problems.

Question 4

What does Dunne and Gazeley say about labelling in secondary schools?

Answer 4

Dunne and Gazeley argue that schools persistently produce working class underachievement because or the labels and assumptions of teachers.

• They interviewed 9 English state secondary schools - they found that teachers ‘normalised’ the underachievement of working class pupils, they were unconcerned by it and felt there was little/nothing they could do about it. Whereas, they could overcome the underachievement of middle class pupils.
• They found that pupils were labelled die to their home backgrounds.
• Labelled w/c parents as uninterested in their child’s education.
• Labelled m/c parents as supportive in their child’s eduction.
• Teachers would set extension work for underachieving m/c students, but entered underachieving w/c for easier exams.
• Teachers underestimated w/c pupils’ potential and saw those who were doing well as ‘overachieving’.

Question 5

What dies Rist say about labelling in primary schools?

Answer 5

Rist (1970) carried out a study in an American kindergarten. He found that teachers would use information about children’s home background and appearance to place them in different groups, seating them in different parts of the classroom.

• Fast learners were labelled as ‘tigers’ (middle class) they had a neat and clean appearance and were seated closer to the teacher and showed them great encouragement.
• Slow learners were labelled as ‘cardinals’ and ‘clowns’ (working class) they were sat furthest away from the teacher. They were given lower level books to read and had fewer chances to show their abilities. They did more group work than individual.

Question 6

What are the criticisms of the labeling theory?
(Including Fuller’s theory).

Answer 6

• It shows that schools are not neutral/far institutions.
• It shows that interactions within schools can create class inequities.
• Too deterministic - pupils have no choice but to fulfill the prophecy and will inevitably fail. (Fuller (1984) shows that this is not always true).
• Marxists argue that it ignores the wider structures of power when labelling takes place. It blames teachers but doesn’t explain why they do.
• Marxists don’t fully blame teachers as they are just working in a system that reproduces class divisions.