Howard Becker

What is symbolic interactionism?

The idea that people act based on meanings created through social interaction

What does labeling theory focus on?

How society reacts to deviance and labels certain people as deviant

Who is the father of labeling theory?

Howard Becker

What did Howard Becker study in jazz clubs?

Marijuana use and other deviant behavior among musicians

What is The Outsiders?

Becker’s book explaining how society creates deviance by enforcing rules against people

What are outsiders?

People placed outside normal society because they have been labeled deviant

What did Becker say about rules?

The ability to create and enforce rules depends on power

What are moral entrepreneurs?

People or groups with an interest in creating or enforcing rules

What are rule creators?

Moral crusaders who campaign for new rules against behavior they consider harmful

How do rule creators gain support?

They exaggerate problems and use sensational events or selected experts

What are rule enforcers?

Agencies that apply rules and seek more authority and resources

What is a falsely accused deviant?

Someone who follows the rules but is perceived as deviant

What is a pure deviant?

Someone who breaks the rules and is recognized as deviant

What is a conformist?

Someone who follows the rules and is not seen as deviant

What is a secret deviant?

Someone who breaks the rules without being detected or labeled

What is a master status?

A dominant label that overrides all other characteristics of a person

How can a criminal label affect identity?

It can replace a person’s previous reputation and become how others mainly view them

What did Schwartz and Skolnick test?

Whether criminal justice involvement reduces employment opportunities

What happened to the convicted applicant?

Only one out of twenty-five employers considered hiring him

What did the employment experiment conclude?

Any criminal justice involvement can create stigma even without a conviction

What does labeling theory not explain?

Why the original deviant act occurred

What is deviance amplification?

The process where labeling and stigma lead to further deviant behavior

How can increased surveillance amplify deviance?

A labeled person is watched more closely and is more likely to be caught again

How can internalizing a label amplify deviance?

The person accepts the deviant identity and begins acting according to it

What is secondary deviance?

Further deviance caused by accepting and responding to a deviant label

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