Child Observation Deviant Behavior

Child Observation (Deviant Behavior)

Labeling Theory and Deviant Behavior

In his book "Studies in the Sociology of Deviance," Howard Becker takes an unconventional approach to the concept of social deviance. Becker discusses the labeling theory in detail, giving examples of people whose behavior is deviant simply because it is labeled as deviant, such as marijuana users that are only deviant because of the label given to them. Becker discusses that once the "deviant" is so labeled, it will affect that person and to some degree he or she will accept this label, and the original behavior will be amplified. An observation of children at a day care center between the ages of four and five years old reveals an occurrence of labeling theory affecting social deviance.

The day care facility observed had twelve children under the supervision of two adults. The location of the facility was in an average middle-class neighborhood. Seven of the children were male and five of the children were female. Both child care workers were female and over forty years old.

The deviant behavior most noticeable in the facility was centered around a boy named Timmy. According to the child care workers, the situation with Timmy had started months earlier and has been escalating since then. Timmy began showing subtle signs of gender identity issues within days of coming to the facility, showing interest in the more female-oriented activities such as dolls and playing house. Other children took note of this, and under the lead of a particularly harsh five-year-old boy began to call him derogatory names based on this behavior. Once the name-calling started, Timmy's gender dysphoric behaviors increased, and he began to not only want to play with dolls, but to also refer to himself as the doll's "Mommy." Soon, Timmy's peers found a new label for him, and Timmy very much accepted this label into his identity. Timmy began signing his drawings "Fagg" instead of writing his name. By the time I observed the facility, Timmy introduced himself as such, and was actively cross-dressing and wearing play make-up. I asked Timmy why he was wearing lipstick, and his response was, "I have to be the best Fag I can be!" Timmy now chants along with the other children when they taunt his behavior, and he seems to be striving for more and more extreme ways to express his identity as "Fagg." Later, I showed one of Timmy's drawings to him and asked him to point to his name on the piece of paper. He pointed to the letters FAGG he had written on the page, not to the name "Timmy" that the teacher had written. One child care worker told me that when they attempted to explain to him that this was not his name, his response was, "It's what everyone calls me. So it is my name."