An Overview of Labeling Theory

An Overview of Labeling Theory Labeling theory states that people come to identify and behave in ways that reflect how others label them. It is most commonly associated with the sociology of crime and deviance: labeling and treating someone as criminally deviant can foster deviant behavior. Labeling someone as a criminal, for example, can cause others to treat them more negatively- and the response to being treated more negatively can be in turn for that person to act more negatively. ï » ¿The Origins of Labeling Theory Labeling theory is rooted in the idea of the social construction of reality, which is central to the field of sociology and is linked to the symbolic interactionist perspective. As an area of focus, it flourished within American sociology during the 1960s, thanks in large part to sociologist  Howard Becker. However, its core ideas can be traced back to the work of founding French sociologist  Emile Durkheim. The theory of American sociologist  George Herbert Mead, which focused on the social construction of the self as a process involving interactions with others, was also influential in its development. Others involved in the development of labeling theory and the conduct of research related to it include Frank Tannenbaum, Edwin Lemert, Albert Memmi, Erving Goffman, and David Matza. Overview Labeling theory is one of the most important approaches to understanding deviant and criminal behavior. It  begins with the assumption that no act is intrinsically criminal. Definitions of criminality are established by those in power through the formulation of laws and the interpretation of those laws by police, courts, and correctional institutions. Deviance is therefore not a set of characteristics of individuals or groups, but rather it is a process of interaction between deviants and non-deviants and the context in which criminality is being interpreted. To understand the nature of deviance itself, we must first understand why some people are tagged with a deviant label, and others are not. Those who represent forces of law and order and those who enforce the boundaries of what is considered normal behavior, such as the police, court officials, experts, and school authorities, provide the main source of labeling. By applying labels to people, and in the process creating categories of deviance, these people reinforce the power structure of society. Many of the rules that define deviance and the contexts in which deviant behavior is labeled as deviant are framed by the wealthy for the poor, by men for women, by older people for younger people, and by ethnic and racial majorities for minority groups. In other words, the more powerful and dominant groups in society create and apply deviant labels to the subordinate groups. For example, many children engage in activities such as breaking windows, stealing fruit from other people’s trees, climbing into other people’s yards, or playing hooky from school. In affluent neighborhoods, these acts may be regarded by parents, teachers, and police as innocent aspects of the process of growing up. In poor areas, on the other hand, these same activities might be seen as tendencies towards juvenile delinquency, which suggests that differences of class and race play an important role in the process of assigning labels of deviance. Research has shown that Black girls and boys are disciplined more frequently and more harshly by teachers and school administrators than  are their peers of other races, though there is no evidence to suggest that they misbehave more frequently. Similarly, and with much more severe consequences, statistics that show that police kill Black people at a far higher rate than whites, even when they are unarmed and have committed no crime, suggests that the misapplication of deviant labels as a result of racial stereotypes is at play. Once a person is labeled as deviant, it is extremely difficult to remove that label. The deviant person becomes stigmatized as a criminal or deviant and is likely to be considered, and treated, as untrustworthy by others. The deviant individual is then likely to accept the label that has been attached, seeing himself or herself as deviant, and act in a way that fulfills the expectations of that label. Even if the labeled individual does not commit any further deviant acts than the one that caused them to be labeled, getting rid of that label can be very hard and time-consuming. For example, it is usually very difficult for a convicted criminal to find employment after release from prison because of their label as ex-criminal. They have been formally and publicly labeled a wrongdoer and are treated with suspicion likely for the remainder of their lives. Critiques of Labeling Theory One critique of labeling theory is that it emphasizes the interactive process of labeling and ignores the processes and structures that lead to deviant acts. Such processes might include differences in socialization, attitudes, and opportunities, and how social and economic structures impact these. The second critique of labeling theory is that it is still not clear whether or not labeling has the effect of increasing deviant behavior. Delinquent behavior tends to increase following conviction, but is this the result of labeling itself as the theory suggests? It is very difficult to say, since many other factors may be involved, including increased interaction with other delinquents and learning new criminal opportunities. Further Reading Crime and Community  by Frank Tannenbaum (1938)Outsiders  by Howard Becker (1963)The Colonizer and the Colonized  by Albert Memmi (1965)Human Deviance, Social Problems and Social Control  by Edwin Lemert (1967)Learning to Labour: How Working Class Kids Get Working Class Jobs  by Paul Willis (1977)Punished: Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys  by Victor Rios (2011) Identity  andWomen Without Class: Girls, Race by Julie Bettie (2014)

10 Popular Types Free Printable Graph Paper

10 Popular Types Free Printable Graph Paper SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you need to print out some graph paper for an assignment, a project, or just for fun? Are you curious about the different types and what they're used for? Then you've come to the right place to browse and print out whatever graph paper you need! What Is Graph Paper? In the most basic sense, graph paper is paper that comes pre-printed with faint lines that make up a grid. There are all different ways to accomplish this, but the most common is a grid made of squares composed of parallel horizontal and vertical lines. You’re probably already familiar with ruled paper- paper that comes pre-printed with horizontal lines that you can use to write on neatly. Graph paper provides assistance in a similar way, but with a grid that anchors your work to two dimensions rather than just one. You’ll most likely need graph paper for math and math-based work. For example, as a beginning student, you can use it for visual representations of numbers when learning multiplication or addition. Later in school, you’ll find it’s much easier to use grid paper to graph geometric figures on a XY-plane than blank or ruled paper. Finally, of course, any schematic, drawing, or design that needs to be to-scale and precise is easier to do on grid paper. However, you can also use graph paper for fun. It's perfect for creating complex designs for interior design, quilting, beading, embroidery, and knitting. It's also an excellent tool for games that feature maps or strategic divisions of space: for instance, most role-playing games use graph paper to show where characters are in relation to terrain, each other, and enemies. This complex textile design uses graph paper to figure out how to create a repeating pattern. Download Free Graph Paper Depending on your project, you’ll need a different kind of grid on your graph paper. I've created 10 printable graph paper PDFs (with alternate JPG versions) to meet your needs. Quad-Ruled Graph Paper Here are several versions of the most standard kind of graph paper- the kind that is made up of squares. Use this paper for math projects like graphing lines or functions, for science projects like creating charts of experiment results, or for developing creative symmetrical or repeating designs. â…› inch squares: JPG Version | PDF Version  ¼ inch squares (most common size): JPG version | PDF version  ½ inch squares: JPG version | PDF version Quad-Ruled Graph Paper with XY-Coordinates If you’re doing a lot of coordinate geometry, save yourself some time with graph paper that already has an XY-axis on it! Full-page coordinate grid: JPG version | PDF version Half-page coordinate grids: JPG version | PDF version Multi-Line Graph Paper This graph paper features a standard  ¼ inch quad grid overlaid with slightly heavier lines in intervals of 4 or 5 squares. Use it to learn skip-counting when first discovering numbers, or use it to easily create bar graphs and other kinds of visual data representation  ¼ inch minor lines, with major lines every 4 squares: JPG version | PDF version  ¼ inch minor lines, with major lines every 5 squares: JPG version | PDF version Dot Paper Dot paper is graph paper that only marks the corners of the grid squares and leaves out their sides. Use it for charts and designs, particularly if you’d like a less visually cluttered result. Because the paper only has dots, any lines you draw won't have to compete with the pre-printed lines that standard quad paper has.  ¼ inch spaced dots: JPG version | PDF version  ½ inch spaced dots: JPG version | PDF version Isometric (Triangle Grid) Paper In this kind of graph paper, instead of squares, the grid is made up out of equilateral triangles. Use it to create 3-dimensional drawings for designs like woodworking plans, interior space planning, or graphing on an XYZ-axis. Draw your vertical lines normally, and then draw any horizontal lines using the sides of the triangles. Because the grid creates angled cubes, your drawings are instantly in 3D.  ¼ inch isometric graph paper: JPG version | PDF version Here's a cool example of what you can do with isometric paper.(Image: tygerbaer2013 via Deviant Art) Expert Tips for Using Graph Paper in Math If you're using graph paper to learn math, let me share a few ideas for how to get the most productive use out of this tool. For Beginner Students For younger students, you can use graph paper to help with concepts like: The number line. Drawing a number line on graph paper automatically correctly spaces each segment. You can use the cross-lines to represent units, fives, tens, or hundreds. Addition and subtraction. Use different color pencils to add or remove squares from a whole. Alternatively, you can use a number line to show that addition and subtraction are ways or moving up or down on it. Multiplication and division. Use rectangular shapes to demonstrate how 3x8 yields the same result as 4x6 by graphing 3 rows of 8, then graphing 4 rows of six, and then counting the resulting squares. Fractions. Divide a rectangle into a variety of equal parts with colored pencils to show how many equal parts can make up a whole. Mapping an environment. Connect our 3D world to 2D space by making a map of the room you’re in, or of your street. For More Advanced Learning As you continue in school, graph paper should become one of the many tools in your problem-solving arsenal. Automatically use graph paper. Remember that you may find it easier to solve problems with graph paper even if they don’t explicitly say to use it. For example, many geometry problems are easier to figure out when you see them represented visually. Graph paper makes the best scratch paper. Use grid paper as your math scratch paper- it will force you to be neater and more precise when organizing proofs, reducing formulas, and so on. What's Next? Learning coordinate geometry and struggling with some of the concepts? Use our guides to the four graph quadrants and completing the square to help fill in some of the gaps. What graph-related math do you need to know for the SAT/ACT? Find out with our articles about coordinate geometry in the SAT and ACT.