In one prime mechanism the labeling theory has to offer is that a delinquent label alters a youth’s self- conception or personal identity toward a more deviant self-concept, which is then self-fulfilling (Matsueda 1992). Thus indicating two different mechanisms by which a “label” can lead to increased deviancy through the labeling theory (Paternoster and Iovanni 937). Generally predicting the labeling theories “official” response to delinquency nurtures future delinquency (Lemert 1951). One concept that this study on labeling with juveniles did not account for was the possibility that the juveniles self-concept may be the result of their incarceration, although the study did take multiple steps towards clarifying the relationships among an individual’s identity, peer group and behavior (Liberman 5). Since juveniles have no yet fully developed internally and externally, the relationships with the individual’s personal identity, peer group, and behavior is extremely detrimental to that individuals life-course. These results were gladly recored due to their significance statistically speaking, for controlling the self-reported levels of antagonism throughout the incarcerated youths. What the outcome of this social identity list was that the study found that the majority of participants who identified themselves as “gang members” were more than 50% to have consumed alcohol heavily in the 30 days prior to their incarceration, as opposed to 30% among those who did not self-identify as gang members (Mouttapa 6). The list included labels or identities such as, “skaters”, “stoners”, “jocks”, “taggers”, “heavy metalers”, “loners”, and “actors”. The social identity list was constructed by the researchers and detention camp staff. The youth participants were asked also to pick from a list of 16 diverse social identities that they personally felt best represented their peer group. The participants were asked in a survey that was self reported about their behaviors before they were brought into detention, also their experiences prior to and during detention with feelings of acrimony. These incarcerated youths were linked to serious alcohol abuse along with a shared social identity with the “gang member” appearance. Although, it is not impossible that the relationship between identity and behavior is interwoven in and by social influences (Mouttapa 5).Ī study from four different youth detention camps in Southern California examines the labeling theory and the behaviors and the attitudes of 91 incarcerated youths. Certainly, the connection between self-identification as deviant and actual deviant behavior cannot be ignored. Associate delinquency and other controls can possibly account for delinquent behavior, although it is possible that a developed self- concept independently affects recidivism (Bernburg, Krohn, and Rivera 67). In the theories most superficial form, the labeling theory purely suggests that human beings most likely will feel obligated to act out roles dictated by their new status as criminals by their peers. ![]() Others affected in the development of the labeling theory and the conduct of research related to it include other sociologists like Frank Tannenbaum, Edwin Lemert, Albert Memmi, Erving Goffman, and David Matza (Crossman 2). The focal point of American sociologist George Herbert Mead’s theory on the social construction of the individual is a process that involves social interactions with others, which is influential in its own development. However, sociology of deviance core ideas were established by the founding French sociologist Emile Durkheim. The topic of sociology and deviance blossomed within American sociology during the 1960s, in appreciation to the large part of sociologists like Howard Becker. The symbolic interactionism is a theory that looks at society as a product of people and their social interactions. The social construction of reality is the center of sociology and is associated to the perspective of symbolic interactionist. The labeling theory is essential to the idea of the social construction of reality. For example, labeling a person as a criminal causes other poeple to consider them with more negativity than positivity and the feedback to being treated very negatively in turn can create for that individual to operate more negatively from there on out (Crossman 1). Labeling and considering someone as criminally deviant can promote and support deviant behavior. ![]() The theory is the most commonly categorized with sociology for crime along with deviance. ![]() The labeling theory says that people become classified and alter their behaviors in courses that echo how others seem to label them.
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