Thomas Scheff hypothesized that labeling is the most important determinant of people's displaying a chronic mental illness. Summarize Scheff's theory and discuss the implications of this theory. Present your opinion of the merits and shortcomings of this theory

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Thomas Scheff has developed a sociological theory. Scheff's main hypothesis is that labeling is the most important determinant of people's displaying a chronic (long-term) mental illness. Scheff begins by defining how he determines, for research purposes, who is mentally ill. Before giving his definition, he notes:

One source of immediate embarrassment to any social theory of "mental illness" is that the terms used in referring to these phenomena in our society prejudge an issue. The medical metaphor "mental illness" suggests a determinate process which occurs within an individual: the unfolding and development of disease. In order to avoid this assumption, sociological, rather than medical, concepts should be utilized to formulate the problem. He states that the symptoms of mental illness can be viewed as violations of social norms and that he uses the term mental illness only to refer to those assigned such a label by professionals (usually psychiatrists).

Scheff indicates that thousands of studies have been conducted that seek to identify the origins of long-term mental disorders. Practically all of this research has focused on internal causes (for example, metabolic disorders, unconscious conflicts, chemical imbalances, heredity factors). These research efforts have been based on medical and psychological models of human behavior. Yet, amazingly, in spite of this extensive investigation, the determinants of chronic mental disorders (for example, schizophrenia) are largely unknown. Scheff suggests that researchers may be looking in the wrong direction. He asserts that the major determinants are not inside a person but in social processes-that is, in interactions with others.

Everyone, at times, violates social norms and commits acts that could be labeled as symptoms of mental illness. For example, a person may occasionally get in fights with others, experience intense depression or grief, be highly anxious, use drugs or alcohol to excess, display a fetish, or commit a highly unusual or bizarre act. Usually the person who has unwanted emotions or who commits deviant acts is not identified (labeled) as mentally ill. His or her emotions and actions are ignored, unrecognized, or rationalized some other manner. Occasionally, however, such norm violations are perceived by others as "abnormal." The offenders are then labeled mentally ill and consequently are related to as if they were mentally ill. Being highly suggestible to cues from others, they then begin to define and perceive themselves as mentally ill. Traditional stereotypes define the mentally ill role, both for those who are labeled mentally ill and for the people they interact with. Those labeled mentally ill are often rewarded for enacting that social role. They are given sympathy and attention and are excused from holding a job, fulfilling other role requirements, and being held responsible for their wrongdoings. In addition, those labeled mentally ill are punished for attempting to return to conventional roles. They are viewed with suspicion and implicitly considered to still be insane. They may have considerable difficulty obtaining employment or receiving a job promotion.

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