Labeling Theory and Social Learning

Labeling Theory and Social Learning

This theory area focuses on how identity, behavior, and patterns of action are shaped in relation to other people. Crime is explained not only through individual choices, but also through social reactions, relationships, and learned ways of thinking and acting.

The area is divided into two separate child pages. One deals with labeling theory and self-fulfilling expectations, focusing on how negative labels and other people's expectations can shape self-image and continued norm-breaking behavior.

The other deals with social learning, where the focus is on how crime can be learned through family, friends, groups, rewards, peer pressure, and other social settings.

The main point is that crime in these theories is understood as something that develops through the interaction between the individual and the social environment.