The societal-reaction approach is another name for
labelling theory, reminding us that it is the response to an act
and not the behaviour itself that determines deviance. For
example, studies have shown that some school personnel
and therapists expand educational programs designed for
learning-disabled students to include those with behavioural
problems. Consequently, a “troublemaker” can be
improperly labelled as learning-disabled, and vice versa.