Symbolic Interactionism/ Labeling theory.

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  • Created by: AliceEva
  • Created on: 14-03-15 17:40

Howard Becker

  • Society decides what it and what is not a deviant act, For exmaple the difference of a man being ******* in public and a woman, 
  • "Deviant behavoir is behavoir which people so label"
  • Thus deviance is a social construction
  • A crime is only a crime when it has been labelled as one.
  • Thus, the same act might have a different social response
  • Comiting an act of deviance leads to being labelled, There are 3 effects.

1) Master status is acheived - a status which derives any others that you have.

2) Self Fulfilling prophecy - turning into what your label expects of you 

3) Join a subculture or people labelled with a similar master status.

This leads to more crime > DEVIANCE AMPLIFICATION

  • However Becker dosent explain why this person committed the crime in the first place.
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