labelling

• Becker:

  • carried out an interactionist study of labelling
  • 60 Chicago highschool teachers - judged pupils according to how closely they fit into the image of the 'ideal pupil'
  • work, conduct and appearance were key factors
  • m/c were ideal, w/c were not
• Hempel-Jorgensen:

  • this varies according to the social class make-up of the school
• Dunne and Gazeley:

  • 'schools persistently produce w/c underachievement' because of the labels and assumptions of teachers
  • teachers 'normalised' w/c underachievement and seemed unconcerned about it.
  • the way teachers explained and dealt with underachievement itself constructed class differences in attainment.
• Rist:

  • study of American kindergarten shows.
  • the teacher used information about the children's home background and appearance to place them in separate groups, seating each group at a different table