INTERACTIONALISM
- Created by: LaurenKSmith
- Created on: 24-04-16 20:14
View mindmap
- INTERACTIONALISM
- Howard S Becker - American Sociologist
- Becker argued that we stereotype people
- we apply 'labels' to people such as chav, scrounger, geek etc.
- this is when labels gain 'master status' - they become so important to an individual, they can end up shaping their entire life
- Becker argued that the 'ideal' pupil had the following characters
- did homework on time, neat, tidy, obedient, work hard and gain good grades
- people attach meanings to the behaviours of those around them
- Becker believed that teachers label pupils and then treat them differently according to this label
- Rosenthall & Jacobson (1968)
- told teachers certain pupils were 'intellectual bloomers' & teachers then taught those students differently - by the end of the year those students performed better
- Self - Fulfilling Prophecy
- labels often have negative connotations & a pupil will live up to the label and behave accordingly
- labelling is often linked to social class where those from the working class are labelled as less likely to suceed
- Mac An Ghaill (1994) - labelling and peer groups
- studied working class students in a Midlands comprehensive school
- 1) 'Macho lads' - academic failures, hostile to school, from less skilled working class backgrounds
- 2) 'achademic achievers' - sucesses, more skilled working class backgrounds, tried hard at school
- 3) 'new enterprisers' - positive attitude, vocational curriculum as a route to career sucess
- Evaluation
- Strengths
- evidence e.g. Mac An Ghaill show how labels can be attached to individuals e.g. Archer et al 'I'm a Nike Person'
- this process can clearly be seen in education, showing this can happen
- Shows how powerful labels can be
- Weaknesses
- can question what caused the label in the first place, negative label may root from a behaviour
- deterministic - assumes that a negative label will always end up in SFP
- ignores the fact that labelling can have a bad effect & lead to bullying
- the study by Rosenthall & Jacobson is unethical
- Strengths
- Howard S Becker - American Sociologist
Comments
No comments have yet been made