Labeling theory suggests that individuals are labeled by society based on their behaviors, and these labels influence their self-identity and future behavior. Once labeled, individuals may internalize these labels, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy where they conform to the expectations associated with the label.
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The word "theory" is a singular, common, abstract noun.
An idea is simply a notion, a thought, an explanation that pops into the head. Ideas can be good or bad. In the realm of science, an idea (hopefully good and hopefully logical) is called an hypothesis. Hypotheses are possible explanations for phenomena that need to be tested with experiments (or the gathering of more evidence and data) and need to be 'fitted' with the rest of science fact and theory to see if such a new entry into science makes science a more coherent whole. A hypothesis that is not contradicted by evidence, meets the predictions of an experiment and is useful as a predictor and explainer is promoted to a theory. Darwin's idea of evolution has become a theory by the gathering of fossils and the comparing of anatomy and genomes of many species. Darwin was probably one of the few capable of single-handedly promoting an idea to a theory, given the mountains of evidence he collected. Copernicus' idea of heliocentrism has been confirmed and is now the theory of the structure of the solar system. Rutherford's idea of the structure of atoms has been confirmed and is certainly a theory now - certainly modern atomic sciences would not have advanced this far without it. The Watson-Crick idea of the structure of DNA is a theory these days and was made so by the very experiments of Watson and Crick and Franklin.
A theory is a well-supported explanation for phenomena based on observation, experimentation, and analysis. Data refers to the facts, figures, or information collected from experiments, surveys, or observations, which are used to support or refute a theory. In summary, a theory is an overarching explanation, while data are the specific observations that inform and test that theory.
The literary theory that believes in the idea of a collective unconsciousness and is the foundation of psychoanalytic criticism is Jungian theory, developed by Carl Jung. Jung proposed that there are archetypal symbols and themes that are shared across different cultures and time periods due to a universal collective unconscious that all humans inherit.
The opposite of theory is typically practice. While theory refers to a set of principles or ideas used to explain something, practice involves the actual application or implementation of those principles.