What Is Howard Becker Labeling Theory

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Howard Becker “Labeling Theory” Howard Becker is an American sociology which was born on April, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois .Howard is an American sociologist known for his studies of occupations, education, deviance and art. He is now retired, but continuous teaching and typing in San Francisco. In 1998 was given the award for distinguished career by the American Sociological Association, Becker was assigned as President of the Society for the Study of Social Problems from 1965-66 and is a jazz pianist. He has a Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees in sociology at the University of Chicago, his studies are considered part of the School of Sociology in Chicago. His most notable books are Outsiders (1963), Art Worlds (1982), What About Mozart? What about Murder? (2015).About sociology of art made …show more content…

His career in the study of the deviation began thanks to the exposure to marijuana smoking at Chicago’s jazz bars where he played the piano. His research was based of his book Outsiders which is considered one of the first texts to develop the theory of labeled. This theory explains how a bad behavior can lead to the deviation and consequently leads us to be labeled. What is deviance? Deviance is when an individual interferes with the social standards due their behavior and attitudes. This means that break the social norms and (or) goes against them. This theory in the 60’s explains how the human behavior and the environment in which we live does not fit with the social rules. A bad behavior is more likely to appear in people with person of lower social status due to their shortcomings, tend to be more labeled by other people. For example, when a young man is friend of people who steals the other people thinks that he is equal and unconsciously the person will adapt the same image that the robbers by coexistence that have with them. The theory is divided into two key concepts: Primary deviance and Second