Deviance labelling experience

Most people have had an experienced where they have been labelled as deviant at some point in their life.  Some of these labels attached can become dominant status for the individual thereby overshadowing all other personal aspects. My own experience happened when I was about 11 years of age. Together with a few friends from our neighbourhood who used very mischievous especially at school, we would play soccer together. At that time there was a big store at the neighbourhood where people would do most of their shopping. It started raining heavily and we took cover in inside the store with other people from around, since it was the nearest building around. It rained for a long time and we became very hungry. While none was watching we sneaked inside and stole some food staffs and started eating while hiding. I was unlucky to be caught alone while others managed to sneak out of the stores. I was showed up in front of all the other people which was very embarrassing. From that moment I was labelled the stealing boy and my parents punished me for it.

The above case can be termed as primary defiance. Primary defiance consist of occasionally breaking what is believed to be the norm by the society but does not involve a self –concept or part of an individual lifestyle. Secondary deviance involves the life of an individual and their identity which revolve around breaking the norms of the society. Retrospective labelling results from the deviance which someone is associated with and leads to stigma which makes the deviant to be socially unacceptable (Krieken, 368). By being labelled a stealing boy after the minor crime may have resulted to secondary deviance due to stigma I was exposed to in our neighbourhood.

Works cited

Krieken, R, Daphne, Habibis, Smith, Philip, Hutchins, Brett, Greg Martin, Karl Maton. Sociology.2013.368