Interactionist explanations]

• Becker


  Labelling theory - individuals are labelled by people higher up than them in society. They then act accordingly to the label, making it a master status
• Cicourel study:

  1. Stop and search - stereotype who looks suspicious, often consists of w.c. ethnic minority youth
  2. arrest - if young person/family were polite, police are less likely to arrest them. middle class youth are seen as having promising futures, so were let off
  3. probation officer - decisions influenced by individuals background. middle class kids were seen as troubled, not trouble makers
• Evaluation


  Assumes that the label comes first, not explaining why some youth commit deviant acts before the label
• Young

  • Studied hippie drug users in Notting Hill.
  • Initially, drug use wasn’t central to their identity.
  • But police attention and labelling made them see themselves as deviant, and drug use became a key part of their subculture.
• Lemert

  • Primary deviance: Minor deviant acts that are not publicly labelled (e.g., skipping school, petty theft).
  • These acts may go unnoticed and don’t affect the individual’s self-concept.
  • Secondary deviance: Results from societal reaction (e.g., being caught and labelled as a criminal).
  • The label becomes part of the individual’s identity, leading to further deviance.
  • Self-fulfilling prophecy: The person lives up to the label due to rejection and limited opportunities.