The Characteristics Of The Labeling Theory

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Labeling Theory The labeling theory is the concept of how to self-identity and behavior of individuals that may determine or influence the terms used to describe or classify them. Labeling theory can be related to high school when cliques or different categories of students such as the jocks, nerds, outcast, and popular girls. All of these groups are classified by specific traits each of them have. The labeling theory is situated in the larger framework of social psychology and symbolic interactionism in sociology. This is a mirco-level, relativist perspective that is focused on how individuals and the meaning they attach to objects, people, and interactions around them. Symbolic interactionists advocate direct observation of the social world …show more content…

In 1989, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, a group of popular high school athletes gang raped a mentally impaired 17-year-old girl with a baseball bat and a broom. If this story isn’t disturbing enough, the community of this small close-knit upper class town stated their boys are innocent and the blame was put on the mentally impaired girl. There were even reports that a number of other boys had tried to entice a young woman into the basement a second time to repeat the experience. The news of this tragic indecent was reported 3 months before any arrests were made, the boys had not come forth with any information and kept quiet about the indecent. When interviewed some teenagers stated that the girl “teased them into it” and “she was promiscuous and asked for it.” When the adults of the community were interviewed they stated that “she was always flirting” and “this is Leslie just getting into more trouble” they even said that the girl was to blame for all that happened to her. Why were students protecting these boys? Why were parents not worried about the way they raised their children? Labeling theory and the self-fulfilling prophecy explains that these parents and teenagers were so caught up in the fact that their kids were perfect that they couldn’t believe they would do such a thing without being asked to. Just because these boys were labeled “good guys” the community stood up for them even though the evidence was clear as day. Grave moral transgression had taken place in their town, why were parents concerned about their daughters or the behavior of their children? The town was squeaky clean, high school students dressed in dinner jackets and gowns, the streets, lawns, and houses were almost perfect. Since these parents and students believed their town was full of goodness and that their children were

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