Practice In American Psychiatry

Running head: SOCIOLOGY 1
Sociology
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SOCIOLOGY 2
Introduction
The social theory refers to the arguments, ideas, hypothesis, and thoughts explain the
meaning of various speculations, especially about human and societies. Social theories discuss
how structures such as societies were formed and developed. Besides, it focuses on various
norms existing in society and they affect the living state of the community and people. In this
theory paper, I will focus on labeling theory as one of the social theories in my discussion. I will
use this theory to discuss how the theory is important in understanding the deviance. In the
sociology perspective, deviance refers to the action or the behavior codes that violate the social
norms (Chan, 2010). This involves formal deviance and informal deviance. In the case of the
formal deviance, this describes the deviance that violates the rules set in the society regarding
crime. The informal deviance is the violation of the unwritten society laws required in society. In
my discussion, I will focus on single social theory, labeling theory. Labeling theory is the social
theory that describes the self-identity and behavior of the people. According to this theory, the
behavior of people is influenced by their class level. This theory is associated with the concept of
stereotyping and self-fulfilling prophecy.
How this theory changed over time
The theory was very prominent during the 1960s and 1970s. The theory was developed
from those years through modification stages up to the current state. It is very closely related to
the symbolic interaction and social construction frameworks. It was developed by sociologists
from the years the 1960s (Creese, 2013). The book of Haward Saul Becker was one of the key
influential for the development of this theory. It led to an increase in the book's popularity. The
theory involved the analysis of the false accusations and the witch hunts. It majorly involved the

SOCIOLOGY 3
identification of the deviants in the social setting. It is based on the foundation of primary and
secondary labels. The theory also discusses more the overt and converts characteristics of the
deviance since the 1960s to date.
From the beginning, the Alfred Kinsey advocated fro the labeling theory that
corresponded to homosexuality. This separated this theory from the role of homosexuals and
such acts done by people. It brought a clear understanding of the scenario whereby the male
doing the feminine things are gay. It also dealt with the mentally ill as well as supported by
Thomas J. Scheff (Creese, 2013). The theory does not concern with the criminal but the acts that
are not accepted in the social setting because they are mental disorders. The theory was
originated from suicide from the french book by Emile Durkheim. His speculations according to
this theory found that crime is not much violation of the pedal code but an act of outranging
society (Khmelevsky, Govorov & Burge, 2009). This sociologist was the first one to bring the
idea that deviant labeling helps in satisfying the function of social and controlling behavior.
People are judged based on their behaviors and tendencies within the society. They are also
judged according to how they obey the rulles of the society. This means that people have an idea
of how other people judge them. This is determined by different roles played by the same
individual in social interactions. The theory builds the theoretical subjective about people
(Creese, 2013).
Today the theory is applied to deviance through understanding today’s context of society.
It has been found that in modern society, the Labeling theory concerns more about itself but not
the normal roles that define the lives of people in society. But in today's setting, the theory has
very special roles in deviant behavior (Khmelevsky, Govorov & Burge, 2009). It takes part in the