Insulation from Labelling

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Abstract
Deviants have been shown to vary in their reaction to labeling. Some accept societal rejection and proceed to self‐label, while others are seemingly reconciled to their behavior. In this study, 72 heroin addicts in treatment were interviewed to determine their reaction to labeling. It was argued that their acceptance or rejection of labels would be affected by the defense mechanisms that they employed, the degree of formal/informal labelling that they experienced, and their background characteristics. The data were analyzed using multiple regression. Neutralization (externalization of blame) and politicization of the drug problem were found to be effective defenses in minimizing respondent self‐rejection. There was also evidence that formal labelling was less severe in certain treatment environments. Those enrolled in the more medicalized treatment programs (methadone maintenance) were less inclined to self‐rejection. Finally, black users were found to be better able to resist self‐labelling than whites; however, no gender differences emerged.