Final answer:
Labeling theory focuses on how society's reaction to individuals, by labeling them as deviants, leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy where individuals begin to act in accordance with the deviant label, potentially moving from primary to secondary deviance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Labeling theory suggests that the primary thing that deviants have in common is that they have been labeled by society as such. This theory, which is an aspect of symbolic interactionism, posits that deviance is not inherent in any act but is instead the result of the labels applied by society. When someone is labeled a deviant, society's reaction to them can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where the labeled individual begins to act in accordance with the label given to them. This can be a transition from primary deviance, which does not affect the individual's self-image or interactions, to secondary deviance, which is when a person's self-concept and behavior begin to change in response to society's labeling.