Question

What is a theory? Can a theory be proven true? Why or why not?

(Classical criminology.
Labeling thoery Differential association) What does the above theory state? Where do you see an example of this theory "at work" in the real world?What is a weakness of the theory? Be specific on all parts

Answer 1

The labeling theory asserts that the self-perception and behavior of individuals is determined or largely influenced by the terms used by others to describe or classify them. When individuals constantly receive a set of labels from others, they tend to incorporate it into their self-concept. This phenomenon can be observed from childhood. A child who may have engaged in some acts that caused distress to the parents would be labelled as “difficult”. When this label is continuously applied, the child would grow up considering himself or herself to be difficult and would subsequently behave in that fashion. The weakness of this theory is that tends to be deterministic, implying that once someone is labeled, a deviant career is inevitable. Furthermore, it emphasises the negative effects of labeling and gives the offender a kind of victim status.