LABELING AND IDENTITY

This article is both a response to criticism of some of the aurhor's work on Abstract the relevance of labeling to adolescent self-conceptions and an attempt to reconcile divergent findings. Through a reanalysis of the data under question, it was found that both official labeling and self-reporred delinquency are related to delinquent self-images but that self-reported delinquency is more closely associated with such images than official labels. In an effort to reconcile divergent findings, there was some indication in the data that the impact of official labeling may vary depending on the extent of involvement in delinquency. The most pressing task regarding this issue is further study of the variable meaning of labels and sanctions in different sociocultural and group contexts.