Deviant career

A process through which a person becomes increasingly involved in deviance and develops a deviant identity over time.

A process in which an individual develops an increasingly established deviant identity and pattern of behaviour.

Becker described the development of a deviant career. Further deviance may follow exclusion, and the individual may eventually join an organised deviant group. Its subculture supplies beliefs and values that justify and support deviant identities and behaviour.

A process through which someone develops a deviant identity and may become involved in a deviant subculture.

For Becker, explain the links between labelling, master status, exclusion and possible further deviance. Labelling does not inevitably produce a deviant career.

Use ‘may’ or ‘can’: being labelled does not inevitably lead to a deviant career.

Link Becker to labelling and deviant careers, and Cohen to moral panics and the mods and rockers.

A process through which deviance becomes an increasingly established part of a person's identity and way of life.

Becker described how this could lead to a deviant career. Here, ‘career’ means a developing pattern of identity and behaviour, not necessarily a paid occupation. A labelled person may associate increasingly with others who accept their deviance.

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AQA GCSE Sociology · 8192

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Eduqas GCSE Sociology · C200