Afwijkend gedrag, etikettering door de samenleving en strategieën van de afwijkers

Samenvatting

Deviance can be defined as the violation of societal norms, but concern here is not why certain groups are more inclined towards deviance than others. The process of deviance starts with the individual's violation of a norm, and as a result society gives that individual a new label. This label is often accepted by the so-called deviant himself after he is forced to come into contact with similarly labeled individuals. It should be obvious that the labeling is more important than the violation itself. Negative labels can be roughly divided into those that are "natural," those that are acquired accidentally, and those acquired on the basis of violation. Persons with central, real deviances will have extreme difficulties avoiding stigmatization, although this is somewhat less the case of with who are handicapped. Real peripheral labels--involving handicaps which are not immediately obvious and minor criminality, can more easily be overcome. Unreal central labels can be combated more successfully, although the label itself (eg, race) remains. Unreal peripheral labels differ in that they may eventually disappear. In general, the more real and central the label, the less chance there is of avoiding stigmatization. 2 charts, 4 figures. P. Tiersma