howard becker labelling theory

A question became popular with criminologists during the mid-1960s: What makes some acts and some people deviant or criminal? The effect of arrest and justice system sanctions on subsequent behavior: Findings from longitudinal and other studies. Explains that once we identify a behavior or group of people as deviant or criminal we seek to control them, segregate them, and ostracize them. Consistent with labeling theory, children whose parents see them as someone who gets into trouble or breaks rules and children who feel as if their friends, parents, and teachers see them as someone who gets into trouble or breaks rules tend to have higher levels of subsequent delinquency. BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester. But in poor areas, similar conduct might be viewed as signs of juvenile delinquency. IvyPanda. From a student at the University of Chicago to one of the most well-respected sociology professors in the world, Howard Becker has made an enormous contribution to the symbolic interactionist tradition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. We utilize security vendors that protect and He explains that the interactionist perspective sees crime as an infraction of the rules created by society. Howard Becker: Sociology, Biography & Theory | StudySmarter An Individual who engages in deviance might do this for various reasons that do not include his self-identity. [2] In his 1982 book Art Worlds, Becker describes how a work of art is formed through the coordination of many individuals. Here it was argued that there are no inherently deviant individuals or acts but rather that social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitutes deviance. Plummer, K 2000, Labelling theory, Historical, Conceptual, and Theoretical Issues, 1(1): 191-194. IvyPanda. Criticism in the 1970s undermined the popularity of labeling theory. [8] He also spends three to four months out of the year in Europe, mostly in Paris. This original research found that arresting suspected perpetrators of domestic violence had a deterrent effect. There is too much reliance on ideas that are deemed common sense and also on anecdotal evidence. Bernburg, J. G., Krohn, M. D., & Rivera, C. J. Becker has made contributions to the sociology of deviance, sociology of art, and sociology of music. 220-254): Springer. (2016). Bernburg, J. G., & Krohn, M. D. (2003). Labelling theory was developed by Howard Becker and is most associated with the sociology of deviance. It is not in the quality of a persons action the deviant act or, as it were, a deviant person but rather in the imposition of the label of deviance by society. Howard Becker's Labeling Theory Deviance is a consequence of external judgments, or labels, which modify the individual's self-concept and change the way others respond to the labeled person. This essay looks first at labelling theory and then moves on to examine the theory more critically and assess its reach in explaining crime and deviance. In: BECKER, Howard. Critics of labeling theory argue that it ignores factorssuch as differences in socialization, attitudes, and opportunitiesthat lead to deviant acts. They also assert that it's not entirely certain whether labeling increases deviancy. This makes them more likely to internalize the deviant label and, again, engage in misconduct. Because these labeled youth are not necessarily rejecting other labeled youths, it thus makes sense that deviant groups can form where deviants provide social support to other deviants. The Labelling Theory suggests that the criminal justice system would benefit greatly if sensitivity to crime and deviant behaviour increased. In the early 1990s, the Chinese government frequently had political and social drives to deter crime and deviance through mobilizing the masses to punish deviants (Zhang, 1994b). Sociologists generally agree that deviant labels are also stigmatizing labels (Bernburg, 2009). American Sociological Review, 609-627. Crossman, Ashley. Due to this, the individual is more likely to engage in criminal activity either to make a living or as a way of lashing out at the society. Theoretically, there is limited linkage between the processes that occur at an everyday level and how these translate into the societal reaction. Outsiders | work by Becker | Britannica Labeling can encourage deviant behavior in three ways: a deviant self-concept, a process of social exclusion, and increased involvement in deviant groups. David Rosenhans study. You could not be signed in, please check and try again. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UKEssays.com. The effect of police and mentalhealth intervention on juvenile deviance: Specifying contingencies in the impact of formal reaction. Labeling theory, influenced by symbolic interactionism, dramatically transformed the field by redefining what constituted deviance and what was significant to understand about deviance. . However, once the person is labelled as a deviant, his perception of himself changes from normal to deviant. [4][14] The first of the articles, "Becoming a Marihuana User", outlines how social interaction plays a role in learning to use and enjoy the effects of the drug. [2] According to Becker, his academic lineage is Georg Simmel, Robert E. Park, and Everett Hughes. College of William and Mary - Arts & Sciences, 1976. Labeling Theory: Labeling Theory, Sociology, Howard S. Becker Kaplan & Johnson (2001) argue that, in the research carried out by Foster et al. In The long view of crime: A synthesis of longitudinal research (pp. . However, certain peers, as another study from Zhang (1994b) shows, are more likely to reject those labeled as deviant than others. Labeling Theory of Deviance: Definition & Examples "K-12 Education: Discipline Disparities for Black Students, Boys, and Students with Disabilities." "An Overview of Labeling Theory." Other evidence, however, has supported the contentions of labelling theory. They found that those who had been arrested did, in fact, show a reduced level of violence compared to those who had not. IvyPanda, 15 Dec. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/howard-beckers-labelling-theory-essay/. The premise of Labeling Theory is that, once individuals have been labeled as deviants, they face new problems stemming from their reactions to themselves and others to the stereotypes of someone with the deviant label (Becker, 1963; Bernburg, 2009). Current Sociology, 64(6), 931-961. [1] Becker also wrote extensively on sociological writing styles and methodologies. Labeling theory is one of the most important approaches to understanding deviant and criminal behavior. However, its core ideas can be traced back to the work of founding French sociologist Emile Durkheim. References. Primary deviancy refers to the situation where a person commits a criminal offence because of sociocultural and psychological circumstances. Bernburg, J. G., Krohn, M. D., & Rivera, C. J. From: Ex-cons might end up back in prison because they have formed connections to other offenders; these ties raise the odds that they will be exposed to additional opportunities to commit crimes. Outsiders-Defining Deviance. The stigma attached to the label also has implications on the social behaviour of the individual. December 15, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/howard-beckers-labelling-theory-essay/. New York: Free Press. Need a custom essay sample written from scratch by He argues that being "deviant" is not inherent in a person, but rather, it's built-in to society. In Deviance & Liberty (pp. Gove (1975), for example, found no evidence of the influence of negative sanctions on sustained criminal careers. Itbegins with the assumption that no act is intrinsically criminal. This essay "Howard Beckers Labelling Theory" was written and submitted by your fellow *You can also browse our support articles here >. Deterrence theory states that whether or not someone commits an act of deviance is determined largely by the costs and benefits of committing a crime versus the threat of punishment. Beckers theory builds on the works of the criminologist and sociologist, Frank Tannenbaum who declared that tagging, identifying, and segregating are the processes through which criminals are made. Serial Killers. [1] Becker's 1963 book Outsiders provided the foundations for labeling theory. Justice Quarterly, 6(3), 359-394. Becker wrote the book "Outsiders". Oxford: Martin Robertson. Criminology, 28(2), 183-206. The social authorities such as police officers, teachers, judges, and religious teachers, give the label deviance on certain behaviour (Walklate 2007). Matsueda looked at adolescent delinquency through the lens of how parents and authorities labeled children and how these labels influenced the perception of self these adolescents have symbolic interactionism. Foster, J. D., Dinitz, S., Reckless, W. C. (1972) Perceptions of stigma followingpublic intervention for delinquent behavior. It then seeks to find the reasons that a person infringed those rules within both their personality and in the their social and economic environment. Since the beginning of human civilization, criminal activity has plagued human society. Gove (1975) argues that part of the problem with testing labelling theory is that it is simply untestable in many of the ways that researchers have applied. The past 20 years have brought significant attempts to improve the methodology of labeling theory research. Gove, W. R. (1975). Originating in sociology and criminology, labeling theory (also known as social reaction theory) was developed by sociologist Howard Becker. Howard Becker is hailed as the founder of modern labeling theory. Social control: An introduction: Polity. Noting this discrepancy, Sherman and Smith (1992) aimed to examine the effect of arrest for domestic violence on subsequent violence and found that arrest for domestic violence increased the likelihood for subsequent arrest for domestic violence, but only in cases where the perpetrator was unemployed. [11] According to Becker, the book is composed of information he learned from students while teaching a seminar at Northwestern University on sociological writing style. The database is updated daily, so anyone can easily find a relevant essay example. As deviant labeling is stigmatizing, those with deviant labels can be excluded from relationships with non-deviant people and from legitimate opportunities. 1. [5] Even though he has not written anything on drug culture since the 1970s, Becker is still widely recognized as an influential researcher in the field. [11], Although Becker does not claim to be a deviancy specialist, his work on the subject is often cited by sociologists and criminologists studying deviance. Labeling theory, Becker writes, is, first of all, not a theory in the strict sense of the word as it is generally understood. The link was not copied. One of the most groundbreaking sociology texts of the mid-20th century, Howard S. Becker's Outsiders is a thorough exploration of social deviance and how it can be addressed in an. This focus on the way identities are formed in interaction is also reflected in his studies of Art Worlds (1982) and student culture (Making the Grade, with Blanche Geer and Everett C. Hughes, 1968, reprinted with a new introduction 1995). Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 43(1), 67-88. Sutherland, E. H., Cressey, D. R., & Luckenbill, D. F. (1992). Chiricos, T., Barrick, K., Bales, W., & Bontrager, S. (2007). In Downes, D. & Rock, P. Crossman, Ashley. Similarly, recidivism was also higher among partners in unmarried couples than those in married couples, unrestricted by the conventional bond of marriage. Lilly, J., Cullen, F., Ball, R. (2002) Criminological theory: Context and consequences (3rd ed.). Kaplan & Johnson (2001) describe some of this evidence. Briar, S., & Piliavin, I. At another time there may be much more leniency. The severity of official punishment for delinquency and change in interpersonal relations in Chinese society. in As such, those who have been categorized by the society as deviant, or those who view themselves as deviant, most likely end up acting in the way that society expects them to (McGrath, 2009). However, the attitude and treatment they get from the society leads them to transform their identities to fit the deviant label (Slattery 2003). Retrieved from https://ivypanda.com/essays/howard-beckers-labelling-theory-essay/. 1128 in, "Professionalism in Sociology: The Case of. And secondly, labeling can cause a withdrawal from interactions with non-deviant peers, which can result in a deviant self-concept. As Howard Becker* (1963) puts it - "Deviancy is not a quality of the act a person commits, but rather a consequences of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an 'offender'. Labelling theory emerged as a dominant theory on crime during the 1960s and it challenged the traditional view of positivist criminology that regarded crime to be caused of factors such as moral development and personality. A study by McCarney (2002) found that the status of being an ex-criminal has a negative influence a persons future employability and causes a loss of social status. This can replace the role that the conventional groups who have rejected these youths would have otherwise served (Bernburg, 2009). "[2] Thus, Becker advises scholars to write in a direct style, avoiding the passive voice and abstract nouns. Walklate, S 2007, Understanding Criminology, McGraw-Hill International, NY. "Howard Becker's Labelling Theory." Whatever controversies surround the efficacy of deterrence and they are myriad it seemed hard for many early theorists to believe that punishing criminal behaviour does any actual harm to society. Annual review of Sociology, 27(1), 363-385. This theory was given by Howard Becker who tried to understand, not in the causes behind the deviant behavior but rather which behavior was considered 'deviant' and . Howard Becker, an important labeling theorist, called these people, so the ones who create the rules and the ones who enforce the rules " moral entrepreneurs ". Becker, Howard S. 1963. The delinquent adolescent misbehaves, the authority responds by treating the adolescent like someone who misbehaves, and the adolescent responds in turn by misbehaving again. Clausmeier, D 2007, Child criminal justice, Journal of Quantitative Criminology 18(1): 171-173. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. Such a person is likely to engage in crime since he already views himself as a criminal. [4] Chapters three and four of Outsiders, which were originally published in the American Journal of Sociology in 1953, examine how marijuana users come to be labeled as social deviants. "A Critique of the Labeling Approach: Toward a Social Theory of Deviance. This is IvyPanda's free database of academic paper samples. [5] These include a Guggenheim Fellowship in 19781979, the Charles Horton Cooley Award, awarded by the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction, in 1980, the Common Wealth Award in 1981, the Cooley/Mead Award in the Section on Social Psychology, awarded by the American Sociological Association in 1985, the George Herbert Mead Award given by the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction in 1987, and the Award for a Career of Distinguished Scholarship, American Sociological Association, 1998. Philipson, M., Roche, M. R. (1971) Phenomenology, Sociology and the Study of Deviance. Lilly, Cullen & Ball (2002) explain that labelling theorists used the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy (developed by Merton, 1968) to explain the effect of labelling. Judith, B & Tina, M 2003, Child and Adolescent, Social Work Journal, 20(2): 85-98. [2] As a musician, Becker had first hand experience with drug culture and was able to obtain interview participants through his connections to the music scene. He first began describing the process of how a person adopts a deviant role in a study of dance musicians, with whom he once worked. Paternoster, R., & Iovanni, L. (1989). Some sociologists, such as Matsueda (1992) have argued that the concept of self is formed on the basis of their interactions with other people. "[13], After writing his dissertation, Becker grew an interest in the sociological study of art. Similarly, crimes committed by individuals tend to be prosecuted by the criminal law, while crimes committed by corporations prosecuted by the civil law. [5] Becker also holds honorary degrees from Universit de Paris VIII, Universit Pierre Mends-France, Grenoble, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, and cole Normale Suprieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Lyon. [16] Becker also references how the division of labor plays a role in the creation of artwork, in that the work of many individuals goes into the production of the tools and routines of the artist. Stigma and social identity. "Drugs: What Are They?" With this newly formed identity, the person begins to define and think of himself in terms of the deviant label he has been given. [2], In addition to Becker's contributions to sociological theory, he has also written extensively on the practice of sociology. On the meaning and measurement of suspects demeanor toward the police: A comment on Demeanor and Arrest. "Howard Becker's Labelling Theory." Labeling theory. What labelling theorists introduced was the idea that, ironically, the singling out of those who had transgressed societys laws actually perpetuated the behaviours it was intended to curb (Lilly, Cullen & Ball, 2002). The theory reveals that the application of labels increases the level of crime since it turns certain people into outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by other of rules and sanctions to an "offender." The definition of labeling theory presented in his book became the generally accepted . [1] His great-grandfather, Gershon Movsha Becker, immigrated to the United States from Lithuania. Sherman, L. W., Berk, R. A. "[11], Becker is widely known for his work on drug culture, particularly his studies on marijuana use. (2001) Social Deviance: Testing a General Theory. December 15, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/howard-beckers-labelling-theory-essay/. Howard Becker outlines how teachers tend to evaluate and label students in terms of their image of an "ideal pupil". This is the reason why the juvenile system attempts to hide the criminal records of young offenders since if the record is public, it will have a negative impact on the future of the individual. Firstly, labeling theory research tended to use samples of individuals from biased sources, such as police records. What is labelled a crime varies from one time to another; at one time there is crackdown on, for example, drug offences, and the investigation and penalties are stepped up. [13] Becker's work on deviant careers is greatly influenced by the work of his mentor Everett Hughes.[2]. Social Deviance In Howard Becker's Labeling Theory | ipl.org Police Brutality and Black Health: Setting the Agenda for Public Health Scholars. Crime & Delinquency, 62(10), 1313-1336. This manifests both on the societal and individual level. The way that society reacts to the labelling of criminals is mostly assumed by the original researchers, and hardly investigated. 1727 in Andy Bennett and Richard A. Peterson, eds.. "Studying Something You Are Part of: The View From the Bandstand", This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 15:19. The Chinese government implicitly encouraged the masses to widely revile criminals and deviants, while officially stating that they aimed to reform delinquent behavior, particularly in adolescents. In Outsiders, Becker examined the formation of deviant cultures through his observations of musicians. The rise and fall of labelling theory - JSTOR It is this constant pressure from people around them that encourages those who have committed a criminal offence to accept the label of criminal themselves along with all that it entails. These labels are informal (Kavish, Mullins, and Soto, 2016). Deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label." What did Becker mean? . Sampson, R. J., & Laub, J. H. (1997). Other theorists, such as Sampson and Laub (1990) have examined labeling theory in the context of social bonding theory. Quick Reference. The effect is that, perversely, that crime is perpetuated because of the effectiveness of the systems of criminal justice: the label of criminal becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy (Williams, 2004). For example, Short and Strodtbeck (1965) note that the decision for adolescent boys to join a gang fight often originates around the possibility of losing status within the gang. See all related overviews in Oxford Reference A person is socially isolated from their non-criminal friends and probably incarcerated with others who have been labelled criminals this all serves to reinforce the label. [13] Rather, labeling theory was meant to "focus attention on the way labeling places the actor in circumstances which make it harder for him to continue the normal routines of everyday life and thus provoke him to "abnormal" actions. The first as well as one of the most prominent labeling theorists was Howard Becker, who published his groundbreaking work Outsiders in 1963. Labelling theory has been criticised on a number of grounds. [15] Labeling theory is based on the idea that a social deviant is not an inherently deviant individual, rather they become deviant because they are labeled as such. Regoli, R 2009, Delinquency in Society, Jones & Bartlett Learning, NY. (1982). The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. This is because economic or political power has to be possessed in order for ones views to be heard or enforced (Regoli 2009). Many other studies and analyses have supported these findings (Bernburg, 2009). Formal and Informal Labeling However, when those who were arrested were employed, the arrest had a deterrent effect (Bernburg, 2009). In peoples minds, the fact that a person has committed a criminal offence leads to them being thought of as a criminal, which again leads to them being seen exclusively in this context, above any other. If your specific country is not listed, please select the UK version of the site, as this is best suited to international visitors. [11] As in earlier works, he stresses the importance of studying the activities and processes which have created these artifacts, as opposed to just studying the objects themselves.[21]. The labeling of deviance: Evaluating a perspective. To demonstrate this point, Becker illustrated how juvenile delinquents from a middle-class background were less likely to be processed through the legal process compared to similar offenders from the slum areas. Tannenbaum suggested that because of this labelling, an individual is compelled to become the very thing he/she is perceived to be (Plummer 2000). In addition, Gove (1975) criticises labelling theory on the grounds that it is has difficulty explaining all the different types of deviant behaviour. However, this can create rationalization, attitudes, and opportunities that make involvement in these groups a risk factor for further deviant behavior (Bernburg, Krohn, and Rivera, 2006). [18], In Tricks of the Trade, Becker outlines his ideas on sociological methods. They point out that labelling theory makes many perhaps unwarranted assumptions. Simply Scholar Ltd. 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU, 2023 Simply Scholar, Ltd. All rights reserved, Stigma and Discrimination The Roots of Labeling Theory. Outsiders: Studies In The Sociology of Deviance. American Sociological Review, 680-690. [11] Also, in 2006, Becker edited and contributed to Art from Start to Finish, a compilation of sociological essays addressing the question of how an artists decides when a work is finished. [13] In 1973, Becker rereleased Outsiders with a final chapter titled "Labeling Theory Reconsidered. Official labeling, criminal embeddedness, and subsequent delinquency: A longitudinal test of labeling theory. Delinquency, situational inducements, and commitment to conformity. Sociologist Howard Becker developed his theory of labeling (also known as social reaction theory) in the 1963 book Outsider: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. Police Brutality and Black Health: Setting the Agenda for Public Health Scholars.American Journal of Public Health, vol. Developmental theories of crime and delinquency, 7, 133-161. "Howard Becker's Labelling Theory." Reflected appraisals, parental labeling, and delinquency: Specifying a symbolic interactionist theory. ensure the integrity of our platform while keeping your private information safe. Palamara, Cullen & Gersten (1986) found that juvenile delinquency was affected both directly and through other interactions by contact with the police, as well as mental health services. Oxford: Oxford University Press. The police, seeing that person as more likely to transgress in the future, will be more likely to visit them to investigate further crimes. The central feature of labeling theory is the self-fulfilling prophecy, in which the label corresponds to the label in terms of delinquent behavior. 662665., doi:10.2105/AJPH.2017.303691. 111): Chicago University of Chicago Press. . Becker, H. (1963). How Psychology Defines and Explains Deviant Behavior, 5 Common Misconceptions About Black Lives Matter, How to Tell If You've Been Unintentionally Racist, police kill Black people at far higher rates than whites, "K-12 Education: Discipline Disparities for Black Students, Boys, and Students with Disabilities.". Becker began playing piano at an early age and by age 15 worked as a pianist in bars and strip joints and, later, with a campus band at Northwestern University. The labelling theory also recognizes how the society groups together those who have broken some agreed-upon rules. Some people may not have transgressed societys laws and yet are, through the failure of the appropriate systems, still labelled deviant. Kavish, D. R., Mullins, C. W., & Soto, D. A. Mind, self and society (Vol. However, labels can also be ascribed to someone by groups of people who do not have the official authority to label someone as deviant. One of the theories developed to explain crime and criminality is the Labelling Theory by Howard Becker. Chriss, J. J. In 1981 and 1982, the Minneapolis Police Department conducted an experiment to determine the effect of arresting domestic violence suspects on subsequent behavior (Sherman and Berk, 1984). Becker's 1963 book Outsiders provided the foundations for labeling theory. (2006). Labeling theory is also connected to other fields besides crime. Becker (1973) clearly lays out labelling theory in his book Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. Before Matsueda (1992), researchers saw delinquency in adolescents as a factor of self-esteem, with mixed results. Labeling Theory. Looking for a flexible role? The new sociology of deviance, variously called labelling theory (Becker 1974, Cohen 1974) social reaction theory, transactionalism and interactionism sought a new approach to criminological . American Sociological Review, 202-215. [4] According to Becker, he was able to work semi-professionally because of World War II and the fact that most musicians over the age of 18 were drafted. 179-196): Springer. A more general criticism is its compatibility with social determinism, the idea that people may have no choice, or at least little choice, in their behaviour. The role of arrest in domestic assault: The Omaha police experiment. These labels are informal (Kavish, Mullins, and Soto, 2016). This approach to delinquency from the perspective of role-taking stems from Briar and Piliavin (1965), who found that boys who are uncommitted to conventional structures for action can be incited into delinquency by other boys. Labeling Theory of Deviance in Sociology: Definitions & Examples The most significant step in combating crime has been in the establishment of a criminal justice system that deals with criminals by imposing relevant punishments. [2] At the University of Chicago, Becker was taught in the tradition of the original Chicago School of Sociology. [17] In Writing for Social Scientists (1986), Becker offers advice to individuals interested in social science writing. [16] In other words, Becker believes without a common understanding of a work's value, it is difficult for it to have any social resonance. Conversely, however, social control agencies made the punishment of delinquents severe and public, with the idea that such punishments created deterrence. Howard Becker is an American sociologist who produced "Outsiders" in 1963 that talks about the Sociology of Deviance. Zhang, L. (1994b). McCarney, W 2002, Restorative justice: International approaches, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 3 (1): 2-13. Journal of research in crime and delinquency, 31(4), 416-433. Criminology, 41(4), 1287-1318. In all likelihood, both labeling and increased contact with the criminal population contribute to recidivism. Plummer (1979) states that labelling theory tends to minimise, or not to address, the question of power and the effects this has on the criminal justice system.
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