Conflict theory is based upon the belief that the society is in constant conflict stemming from the competition for the scarce resources. Karl Marx is an essential proponent of the theory, and according to him; the society comprises of different classes individuals. These social classes must compete for political, material as well as social resources. During the competition for the control of the resources, some individuals are in a position to keep more resources than others and in this case, they become “winners”
According to Bernburg (2009), labeling theory gives a distinct sociological tactic focusing on the role plaid by social tagging in both deviance and crime development. Labeling theory is based on the assumption that even though deviant behavior can result from different conditions or causes after one is labeled deviant, he/she is always exposed to new problems stemming from reactions of self or the surrounding people’s stigma attached to the deviant label. The problems experienced, in turn, make the deviant as well as criminal behavior to become chronic.
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According to Wickert (2019), through the labeling process, a person is compelled to be deviant. An example is when we make a person believe he/she is a criminal; the labeled person becomes accustomed to the new label or the role assigned to him. The result is that the person admits to being a criminal. Initially, the person commits primary deviance, but because of labeling his or her as a criminal, he or she develops secondary deviance behavior. People can establish primary deviance from an array of psychological as well as socio-cultural reasons. Although primary deviance is undesirable, it does not ruin the self-image of the deviant. The social reaction to the primary deviance, such as labeling the person criminal in most cases, results in the stigmatization of the deviant. Since the new label contradicts the status of the defiant, the labeled person adopts the label ultimately to achieve role-conformity.
References
Bernburg, J. (2009). Labeling Theory. Handbooks Of Sociology And Social Research , 187-207. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-0245-0_10
Wickert, C. (2019). Labelling - primary and secondary deviance (Lemert) | SozTheo. Retrieved 17 November 2019, from https://soztheo.de/theories-of-crime/conflict-oriented- theories-of-crime/labelling-primary-and-secondary-deviance-lemert/?lang=en
