Interpretivist devaint labelling theory

• People are deviant because they are labelled that by others in society
• Same behaviour gets different reactions depending on the social situation. Eg. nudity, acceptable in own home. Criminal/deviant on the street. Relative.
• The reaction of peole (according to interactionists) is what makes the behaviour deviant.
• Becker "deviance is not a quality that lies in the behaviour itself but in the interaction between the person who commits an act and those who respond to it." We form our self concept through interpreting how people respond to us.
• Self concept of being deviant can increase deviant behaviour. Criminal may join a criminal group or society to escape the feeling of rejection. Reinforces their label of being a criminal and becomes a bigger part of their identity(master status), & harder to remove (deviant career-Becker)

Support for this theory- Jock Young (1971) Notting Hill

Marijuana users develop deviant self concept (illegal) > deviant element master status > negative response made drug taking more significant > drug taking increased.