Sociology: Deviance and Labeling Theory
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Questions and Answers

What is secondary deviance primarily a result of?

  • Social reaction and labeling (correct)
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Economic hardship
  • Personal choice

    • Who is associated with the concept of secondary deviance?

  • Becker
  • Lemert (correct)
  • Durkheim
  • Merton

    • What effect does negative labeling have on offenders according to labeling theory?

  • Pushes offenders towards a deviant career (correct)
  • Makes them seek legal employment
  • Encourages rehabilitation
  • Reduces their desire to commit crimes

    • What is the deviance amplification spiral?

    <p>A cycle where attempts to control deviance lead to more deviance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the Mods and Rockers exemplify the deviance amplification spiral?

    <p>Through media exaggeration and increased public concern</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term describes labeling an individual as a deviant and the subsequent actions confirming this identity?

    <p>Secondary deviance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to labeling theory, what should be avoided to reduce deviance?

    <p>Public shaming</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which process can escalate deviance rather than reduce it?

    <p>Deviance amplification spiral</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term did Lemert use to describe the further deviance from acting out a label?

    <p>Secondary deviance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary concern of labelling theorists when they study rules?

    <p>The process of creating and enforcing the rules</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Becker, which factor is LEAST important in the creation of new laws?

    <p>Perceived harmfulness of behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Cicourel's concept of 'typifications' primarily explain?

    <p>The class bias in law enforcement practices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following factors is NOT a determinant of whether a person gets labelled?

    <p>Personal motivation for the offense</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between primary and secondary deviance according to Lemert?

    <p>Primary deviance has not been publicly labelled, secondary deviance results from labelling</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Cicourel suggest regarding the use of official crime statistics?

    <p>They should be treated as a topic for investigation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best summarizes Becker's argument about deviant behaviour?

    <p>Deviant behaviour is defined by those who create and enforce rules</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Cicourel find about middle-class youths who are arrested?

    <p>They are less likely to be charged due to their backgrounds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do moral entrepreneurs play, according to labelling theory?

    <p>They lead campaigns to change the law for perceived societal benefit</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements best describes Braithwaite's concept of reintegrative shaming?

    <p>It seeks to avoid stigmatising offenders while making them aware of the negative effects of their actions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is labelling theory considered deterministic?

    <p>It suggests that once labelled, a deviant career is inevitable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is a criticism of labelling theory?

    <p>It fails to explain why primary deviance occurs before labelling.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one positive outcome Braithwaite associates with reintegrative shaming?

    <p>A clearer emphasis on the criminal act rather than the offender.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does labelling theory propose to reduce crime?

    <p>By creating a perception that people are not evil outsiders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements contradicts labelling theory?

    <p>Deviance is purely a result of individual choices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which theoretical perspective criticizes labelling theory for ignoring power dynamics?

    <p>Marxism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the criticisms of labelling theory, what does it fail to provide?

    <p>An explanation for primary deviance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which form of shaming attributes the offender with being a bad person?

    <p>Disintegrative shaming</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a policy implication derived from labelling theory?

    <p>To reduce enforcing rules that create unnecessary labels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can the initial attempt to control deviance lead to according to the deviance amplification spiral?

    <p>Increase in deviance levels</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a possible outcome when an individual internalizes the deviant label according to Lemert?

    <p>They act out and embrace the deviant label</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which concept involves societal reaction leading to further deviant behavior by an individual?

    <p>Secondary deviance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does labeling theory propose society should respond to offenders?

    <p>Avoid negative labeling</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What theory is utilized to explain the escalating process where more control attempts lead to increased deviance?

    <p>Deviance amplification spiral</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a described process in the deviance amplification spiral?

    <p>Decreasing control measures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the labeling theory imply about the effect of 'naming and shaming' offenders?

    <p>It pushes them further into deviance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group is used as an example to illustrate the deviance amplification spiral?

    <p>Mods and Rockers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which phenomenon describes the increase in deviant behavior after initial minor acts are controlled by societal reaction?

    <p>Deviance amplification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best explains the concept of reintegrative shaming?

    <p>It aims to avoid stigmatising the offender while making them aware of the negative effects of their actions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which major criticism of labelling theory implies it ignores the proactive choices of individuals?

    <p>It disregards the active choice of individuals to engage in deviance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the criticisms, which key aspect related to the creation of deviance does labelling theory fail to analyze?

    <p>The source of power in creating deviance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an implication of the deterministic nature of labelling theory?

    <p>Once labelled, deviant careers are seen as inevitable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does labelling theory imply would happen if deviant labels did not exist?

    <p>Deviance would not exist.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Braithwaite's concept of reintegrative shaming differs from disintegrative shaming primarily in which way?

    <p>It avoids stigmatizing the offender.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a major drawback of labelling theory's focus on the negative effects of labelling?

    <p>It tends to ignore the actual victims of crime.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements best summarizes a criticism regarding the explanation of primary deviance in labelling theory?

    <p>It fails to explain why primary deviance occurs prior to labelling.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following does ‘disintegrative shaming’ involve?

    <p>Labeling both the crime and the criminal as bad.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    For labelling theorists, what is the most significant consequence of negative labelling?

    <p>An increase in further deviant behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Becker, what is the result of the creation of a new law?

    <p>The creation of 'outsider' groups and expanded social control agencies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor most influences whether a person is arrested and charged?

    <p>Their social interactions and background.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Cicourel mean by 'the negotiation of justice'?

    <p>Justice is influenced by the socio-economic background of the offender.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main implication of Cicourel's study on official crime statistics?

    <p>They should be evaluated critically by sociologists.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Lemert differentiate between primary and secondary deviance?

    <p>Primary deviance is widespread and often unnoticed, while secondary deviance results from societal reaction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do social control agencies play in the social construction of crime, according to Becker?

    <p>They campaign for new laws to increase their power.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Cicourel identify as a primary influence on police officers' law enforcement actions?

    <p>Their typifications of typical delinquents.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the concept of 'moral entrepreneurs' contribute to the creation of new laws?

    <p>By leading moral crusades to change laws for perceived societal benefits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What challenge does Cicourel's finding on justice negotiability pose to legal equality?

    <p>It indicates a bias in the justice system favoring certain social backgrounds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Deviance Amplification

    • Deviance amplification spiral: attempts to control deviance lead to an increase in deviance, resulting in more attempts to control deviance, creating a cycle.

    Labeling Theory

    • Beaumont B. Lemert referred to secondary deviance as the result of social reaction, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
    • Deviant behavior is behavior that people label as such, according to Howard Becker.
    • Labeling theory focuses on how and why rules are made, particularly the role of moral entrepreneurs.
    • Moral entrepreneurs lead a moral crusade to change the law, believing it will benefit those it applies to.

    Social Construction of Crime

    • Labeling theorists argue that it's not the inherent harmfulness of a behavior that leads to new laws, but rather the efforts of powerful individuals and groups to redefine that behavior as unacceptable.
    • Social control agencies may campaign for a change in the law to increase their own power.

    Who Gets Labeled?

    • Factors influencing whether someone is arrested, charged, and convicted include interactions with agencies of social control, appearance, background, and personal biography, and situation and circumstances of the offense.

    Cicourel's Research

    • Cicourel found that police officers' typifications (common sense theories or stereotypes) led them to concentrate on certain 'types', resulting in a class bias in law enforcement.
    • Officers' typifications resulted in working-class areas and people being targeted more frequently.
    • Cicourel argues that justice is not fixed, but negotiable.

    Implications of Cicourel's Study

    • Official crime statistics do not give a valid picture of crime patterns and should be treated as a topic for sociologists to investigate.

    Effects of Labeling

    Primary and Secondary Deviance

    • Primary deviance refers to deviant acts that have not been publicly labeled.
    • Secondary deviance is the result of societal reaction, or labeling, which can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    Evaluating Labelling Theory

    • Criticisms of labeling theory include that it is deterministic, ignores the real victim of the crime, and fails to explain why people commit primary deviance in the first place.
    • It also implies that deviance would not exist without labeling and neglects the source of power in creating deviance.

    Deviance Amplification

    • Deviance amplification spiral: attempts to control deviance lead to an increase in deviance, resulting in more attempts to control deviance, creating a cycle.

    Labeling Theory

    • Beaumont B. Lemert referred to secondary deviance as the result of social reaction, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
    • Deviant behavior is behavior that people label as such, according to Howard Becker.
    • Labeling theory focuses on how and why rules are made, particularly the role of moral entrepreneurs.
    • Moral entrepreneurs lead a moral crusade to change the law, believing it will benefit those it applies to.

    Social Construction of Crime

    • Labeling theorists argue that it's not the inherent harmfulness of a behavior that leads to new laws, but rather the efforts of powerful individuals and groups to redefine that behavior as unacceptable.
    • Social control agencies may campaign for a change in the law to increase their own power.

    Who Gets Labeled?

    • Factors influencing whether someone is arrested, charged, and convicted include interactions with agencies of social control, appearance, background, and personal biography, and situation and circumstances of the offense.

    Cicourel's Research

    • Cicourel found that police officers' typifications (common sense theories or stereotypes) led them to concentrate on certain 'types', resulting in a class bias in law enforcement.
    • Officers' typifications resulted in working-class areas and people being targeted more frequently.
    • Cicourel argues that justice is not fixed, but negotiable.

    Implications of Cicourel's Study

    • Official crime statistics do not give a valid picture of crime patterns and should be treated as a topic for sociologists to investigate.

    Effects of Labeling

    Primary and Secondary Deviance

    • Primary deviance refers to deviant acts that have not been publicly labeled.
    • Secondary deviance is the result of societal reaction, or labeling, which can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    Evaluating Labelling Theory

    • Criticisms of labeling theory include that it is deterministic, ignores the real victim of the crime, and fails to explain why people commit primary deviance in the first place.
    • It also implies that deviance would not exist without labeling and neglects the source of power in creating deviance.

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    Description

    Explore the concepts of deviance amplification and labeling theory, including how social reactions can lead to increased deviance and the role of rules in shaping behavior.

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