Labeling theory refers to the theories in sociology and criminology of deviant behaviors that are internalized in an individual, and can be applied to such behavior as crime and abuse.
The theory is based on deviation, which is not a characteristic one of an individual or group, but occurs in the interaction between deviants and non-deviants. Deviant behavior is behavior that is defined and labeled as deviant by the environment. This approach may be implemented in different social contexts, which are studied by criminology and Interdisciplinarity.
A good research paper on Labeling theory will teach you that Ted Goldberg describes labeling as a process of repeated negative reactions from other people, that together may impact the individual’s self-image so that it is transformed and becomes more negative than it was previously. A person with a negative self-image has been taught that there is a low degree of agreement between the self and society’s ideals about how you should be.
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All people are doing deviant acts at any given time, especially children, who are not familiar with all standards and regulations. The type of abnormality is primary referred to as deviation. Depending on how the environment reacts to this behavior, the deviation can become part of the person’s self-image or not. In most cases, there remains a marginal significance of the deviation, and the person can be considered as normal. If not, and the person becomes stigmatized and labeled as deviant by the environment self-image will be affected. When the deviation has become part of the self-image, there is a secondary deviation and deviant behavior continues, intensified and strengthened. The individual in this development path are at high risk of developing a criminal identity and begin a lengthy criminal career.
Classical crime and deviant sociology goes on the circumstances of social norms and the principle so detection of deviation can be clearly possible. In their standards are social facts which, in comparison with social action permit unambiguous classification of such an act as criminal or deviant. Based on this assumption, classical approaches ask why this act was completed; they ask for the causes why a person has become a criminal or deviant. Therefore, this position is also called etiological that cause exploratory perspective. The labeling theory is no longer such of a uniqueness of deviation from.
Early representatives of the theory in the United States were from the school of symbolic interactionism. It is based on the premise that social phenomena of any kind not already bring any meanings with them, but are occupied in social negotiation processes with meaning. In terms of the deviation, this means that actions are not already a criminal or deviant for themselves, but have to be defined in a social negotiation process as such.
If you need more information on the topic, you may want to look through some research papers on labeling theory , which can be an excellent source of relevant data.
