CRI 205 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Juvenile Court, Symbolic Interactionism, Labeling Theory
Document Summary
Labeling as a process of symbolic social interaction. In symbolic interactionism, an individual"s identity and self concept, cognitive processes, values, and attitudes are seen as existing only in the context of society acting, reacting, and changing in social interaction with others. Emphasized the exchange of meanings communicated in face-to-face interaction through language, verbal utterances, and gestures and the interplay of this interaction with an individual"s self identity. The looking glass self our own self concepts are reflections of others" concepts of us. Our self concept and actions can be shaped by societal labeling. The label as an independent variable in crime/deviance (has been called independent and dependent) the formation of the individual"s identity is a reflection of others" definition of them. Individuals who are labeled or dramatically stigmatized as deviant are likely to take on a deviant self-identity and become more deviant than if they weren"t labeled.
