1. Labelling theorists use interactionist concepts in the study of many areas, including education, health and
crime and deviance. Here,we examine three key interactionist concepts that underpin labelling theory- the
definition of the situation, the looking glass self, and career.
The definition of the situation-A definition of something is a label for that thing. W.I.
Thomas argued that if people define a situation as real, then it will have real consequences and shape how
we behave. E.g. if a teacher labels a boy as ‘troublesome’, the teacher may act differently towards him, such
as scolding him more harshly. This is regardless of his actual behaviour.
The looking glass self- Charles Cooley uses this idea to describe how we develop our self-
concept- our idea of who we are. We see ourselves through the eyes of others and the way they respond to
us, which leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy. Extending the example above, the boy that is labelled
‘troublesome’ will believe that he is what the teacher believes. He will either reject this opinion and work
hard to prove the teacher wrong, or he will accept the opinion and us it as his identity, which will affect his
following actions.
Career-in normal usage, a career is a process in which an individual progresses through developing
status. However, labelling theorists such as Howard S. Becker and Edward Lemert have extended it to
groups such as marijuana smokers and those suffering from paranoia.
Mental illnesses, for example, can see the individual have a career running from ‘pre-patient’ with certain
symptoms, through labelling by a psychiatrist, to a hospital in-patient, to discharge. Each stage has its own
status and problems. For example, on discharge the ex-patient may find it difficult to integrate into society.
And just as a ‘normal’ career may give us status, so ‘mental patient’ may become our master status in the
eyes of society.
Interactionism is generally regarded as voluntaristic theory that emphasises free will and choice in how to
act. However, labelling theory has been accused of determinism- of seeing how our actions and identities as
shaped by the way others label them.