Analyzing Howard Becker's Labeling Theory
Labeling theory was created by Howard Becker in (1963). Boundless (2016) states “The theory is concerned with how the self-identity and the behavior of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe or classify them”. In other words labelling theory is the vision of deviance. To be labelled as a "deviant” this may lead a person to engage in deviant behavior. Labelling theory mainly focuses on why people's behavior disagrees with social norms.
In relation to health and social care labelling theory’s focuses on crime and deviance, for instance in prison someone who is labelled as a criminal is expected to face the consequences and be punished due to their criminal offence. The label is hard to break as people expect
the criminal to be reckless, the criminal feels pressured to society to meet the expectations that are expected by others. It is through this pressure that they may adapt unhealthy lifestyles such has alcohol abuse, drugs, commit crime. They will find it difficult to re just back into society as they are labelled as a criminal. From this they will be judged by the label. People tend to treat them differently, where as if someone was unaware about their label they would not fear them and interact with them.
Labelling theory also concentrates on HIV/AIDS, in the 1980’s HIV/AIDS it was labelled as a disease of the homosexual as this pushed people into believing homosexuality was deviant. However today some people tend to believe contracting HIV/AIDS is a punishment for their sexuality and sexual behaviors
In relation to health and social care labelling theory’s focuses on crime and deviance, for instance in prison someone who is labelled as a criminal is expected to face the consequences and be punished due to their criminal offence. The label is hard to break as people expect
the criminal to be reckless, the criminal feels pressured to society to meet the expectations that are expected by others. It is through this pressure that they may adapt unhealthy lifestyles such has alcohol abuse, drugs, commit crime. They will find it difficult to re just back into society as they are labelled as a criminal. From this they will be judged by the label. People tend to treat them differently, where as if someone was unaware about their label they would not fear them and interact with them.
Labelling theory also concentrates on HIV/AIDS, in the 1980’s HIV/AIDS it was labelled as a disease of the homosexual as this pushed people into believing homosexuality was deviant. However today some people tend to believe contracting HIV/AIDS is a punishment for their sexuality and sexual behaviors