Lecture 8: Social Reactions

Symbolic Interactionism

People act based on meanings rather than automatic responses and behaviour follows stimulus interpretation and response

Blumer's Premise 1 Meaning

People act toward things based on the meaning those things have

Blumer's Premise 2 Interaction

Meanings arise from social interaction

Blumer's Premise 3 Interpretation

Meanings change as people interpret situations in context

Social Construction of Deviance

Deviance depends on how others react and how individuals interpret those reactions

Micro Level Focus

Examines everyday interactions labels identities and definitions of situations

Critique of Interactionism

Underplays structural power inequality and broad social forces

Labelling Theory

Being labelled deviant or criminal can push people into further deviance

Primary Deviance

Minor occasional rule breaking with low stigma and little impact on identity

Secondary Deviance

Deviance that occurs after labelling when the label alters opportunities relationships and self concept

Master Status

A dominant label that overrides other characteristics

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

Label leads to exclusion deviant peer groups fewer opportunities and more deviance

Stigma

A deeply discrediting attribute that marks someone as less than

Discreditable Stigma

Hidden and not yet known such as a criminal record

Discredited Stigma

Visible and known such as disability or race

Courtesy Stigma

Stigma that transfers to people associated with the deviant individual

Information Management

Strategies people use to hide or control information to avoid stigma

Deviant Career

Pathway where deviance deepens from first acts to labelling to adopting a deviant role and increased commitment

Why Hard to Leave Deviance

Stigma lack of legitimate options debt shame and ties to deviant networks

Drift Theory

Youth drift between conformity and deviance and are not fully committed to either

Conditions Enabling Drift

Weak social controls or tempting situations

Modern Relevance

Norm confusion and ambiguous rules make drifting more common today

Agents of Social Control

Police courts teachers and parents who apply or withhold deviant labels

What Influences Labelling

Discretion demeanour race class connections and power differences making less powerful people more likely to be labelled

Moral Entrepreneur

Individuals or groups who create or enforce moral rules

Rule Creators

Push for new laws or moral standards

Rule Enforcers

Implement and uphold rules such as police or regulators

Claims Making

Asserting a problem exists defining it as harmful or immoral and mobilizing support for social control

External Labelling

Community and institutions define someone as deviant

Internalization

Person adopts the deviant label and sees themselves accordingly

Consequences of Criminal Identity

Exclusion from conventional groups and increased association with deviant peers

Ban the Box

Removes criminal record questions from job applications to support reintegration

Stigma Reduction Strategies

Public awareness inclusion policies and normalization of mental health

Avoiding Unnecessary Labelling

Diversion programs decriminalization of minor offences and restorative justice

Reintegration Support

Education employment mentorship and identity building programs for offenders

Neo Marxist Critique

Says interactionism ignores power class capitalism and how the wealthy avoid labels

Empiricist Critique

Hard to test because concepts are vague and rely heavily on qualitative data

Ethnomethodological Critique

Argues interactionism should focus more on everyday sense making and how people categorize behaviour