Labeling, Social Learning, and Positive Deviance: A Look at High Achieving Students

High achievers are an intriguing case in that they are often stigmatized by peers as rate-busters and concurrently adulated as positive deviants by their parents and teachers. Theories developed to explain negative deviants have potential to also illuminate positive deviance. High achievers were interviewed and both labeling theory and social learning theory were applied to explain aspects of their experiences.