Discuss the four quadrants of Howard Becker's table of deviance and reaction. Do you agree or disagree with Becker's theory, why or why not?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• Those kids who engage in delinquency and also get caught and labeled are called pure deviants. Conformists, are both rule-abiding and free of negative labels
• Some kids are falsely accused or blamed for something they did not do, while some who continually break rules are able to avoid labeling; these are called secret deviants.
• Pure deviants are the kids most likely to repeat their antisocial activities, while conformists are the ones most likely to stay straight and never engage in antisocial behaviors.
• While this outcome is a key to the validity of social reaction theory, what happens to the kids who fall in the other two categories is even more critical. If labeling theory is valid, then the falsely accused will be more likely to become secondary deviants (i.e., chronic offenders) than the secret deviants.
• While the latter may be more troubled, because they have escaped the labeling process they are not affected by negative stigma.
• According to social reaction theory, negative labels, even false ones, are the critical element that create secondary deviance and result in a delinquent career.
• Student views will vary.