Instead of focusing on the offender, social reaction theories concentrate on those people or institutions who label offenders, react to offenders, and want to control offenders. Grounded in symbolic interaction, social reaction theories
emphasize how meanings are constructed
. Words carry power and meaning.
Quick Reference. In the labelling theory of deviance, the societal reaction refers to
the range of formal and informal agencies of social control
—including the law, media, police, and family—which, through their responses towards the deviant, greatly affect deviance outcomes.
Answer and Explanation: Social reaction theory, also known as Labeling theory,
postulates that the labels that people are given throughout their lives might influence their behaviors and life outcomes
. As an example, let’s say a child is labeled a criminal due to stereotypes about the child’s ethnicity.
Robbing a store and driving faster than the speed limit are examples of deviant behavior. However,
labeling theory
proposes deviance is socially constructed through reaction instead of action. In other words, according to this theory, no behavior is inherently deviant on its own.
Social reaction theory or labeling theory focuses on the linguistic tendency of majority group to negatively label minority group or those seen as deviant from norms.
Charles Lemert
, a social reaction theorist, was the founder of the societal reaction theory approach.
Social control theory suggests that
the strength and durability of an individual’s bonds or commitments to conventional society inhibit social deviance
(Hirschi 1969; Simpson 1976). The need for belonging and attachment to others is fundamental, influencing many behavioral, emotional, and cognitive processes.
Examples of formal social control include
the government
. The government uses laws and courts to exercise social control. The government tries to protect those following the rules and capture and punish those who do not. Governmental social control goes beyond the legal system.
The social process theories include
differential association, social learning theory, social control theory, and labeling theory
. Each of these theories has a specific explanation for why individuals engage in criminal acts, but they all hold that socialization is the key to understanding crime.
Social interaction usually takes place in the forms of
cooperation’s, competition, conflict, accommodation and assimilation
. These forms of social interaction are called “social processes”.
Social disorganization theory specifies that several variables—
residential instability, ethnic diversity, family disruption, economic status, population size or density, and proximity to urban areas
—influence a community’s capacity to develop and maintain strong systems of social relationships.
How does labeling affect society?
Throughout our lives, people attach labels to us, and those labels reflect and affect how others think about our identities as well as how we think about ourselves. Labels are not always negative; they can
reflect positive characteristics, set useful expectations
, and provide meaningful goals in our lives.
Updated: January 22, 2019 22:42 IST. This refers to a theory of social behaviour which
states that the behaviour of human beings is influenced significantly by the way other members in
society label them. It has been used to explain a variety of social behaviour among groups, including deviant criminal behaviour.
Why is Labelling theory bad?
Critics of labeling theory argue
that it ignores factors
—such as differences in socialization, attitudes, and opportunities—that lead to deviant acts. … In all likelihood, both labeling and increased contact with the criminal population contribute to recidivism.
What was Beccaria’s theory?
According to Beccaria — and most classical theorists — free will enables people to make choices. Beccaria believed that
people have a rational manner and apply it toward making choices that will help them achieve their own personal gratification
.
What are the effects of Labelling theory?
The effect of labelling theory on juvenile behaviour is a
bit more pronounced and clear
. Youths are especially vulnerable to labelling theory. Once they start to believe in their negative labels, self rejection occurs which plays a major role in the social rejection theory.
What are two criticisms of labeling theory?
The major criticisms of labeling theory include the following:
the various propositions to be tested are not adequately specified; due to the lack of satisfactory data and empirical research, evaluating the adequacy of labeling theory has been difficult
; labeling theory focuses on the reaction to criminal and/or …
