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Labelling theory The idea that a man defined in a certain way by authority comes to change both his Self-percept and his behaviour to conform to this definition as a result of social pressure was first developed by Erikson and Erikson (N.Y., 1962) in ‘The confirmation of the delinquent’, in H.M. Ruitenbeek, ed., Psychoanalysis and Social Science. An influential description of the process was T.J. Scheff’s (1966) Being Mentally Ill, who argued that someone who is categorised as mentally ill must ultimately display ‘illness’, and then be caught in a trap; i.e. how can he from this position prove his normality once and if it is regained? The same process was seen to apply to captured criminals undergoing a confirmation ritual in a law court, in which they are formally labelled as criminals and as a result of which they are expected to behave as such.