Deck 4: Theories of Causation

Question 1

______ is based on the idea that criminal behavior is only partially explained by social issues and that physiological factors, particularly neurological factors, play a more important role in determining criminality.

A) Psychology
B) Neurocriminology
C) Biosociology
D) Positivism

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The ______ approach to explaining crime and delinquency developed during the 1930s and 1940s focuses on the geographical distribution of delinquency.

A) ecological/social disorganization
B) concentric-zone
C) sociological
D) differential association

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Sutherland developed what is known as the theory of ______; this theory combines some of the principles of behaviorism with the notion that learning takes place in interaction with social groups.

A) differential assimilation
B) differential association
C) sociological association
D) biosocial association

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Cloward and Ohlin extended strain theory by focusing on the ______ that exist among juveniles.

A) focal concerns
B) innovations of the lower class
C) differential opportunities
D) differential associations

Question 5

From the labeling theorist's point of view, then, society's reaction to deviant behavior is crucially important in understanding who becomes labeled as ______.

A) criminal
B) delinquent
C) slow
D) deviant

Question 6

The ______ is viewed as the moral branch of the personality and may be equated roughly with the concept of conscience.

A) id
B) superego
C) ego
D) preconscious

Question 7

Policies stressing neighborhood improvement, better education, and job opportunities are based on ______ theories.

A) classical
B) biological
C) psychological
D) sociological

Question 8

Early varieties of ______ theories of delinquency and crime focused on lack of intelligence and/or personality disturbances as major causal factors.

A) biological
B) sociological
C) classical
D) psychological

Question 9

______ theories assume that all of us must be held in check if we are to resist the temptation to commit criminal or delinquent acts.

A) Positivist
B) Feminist
C) Control
D) Routine activities

Question 10

All policy and practice in juvenile justice is shaped, intentionally or not, by ______.

A) theory
B) practice
C) hypothesis
D) educated guesswork

Question 11

Under ______ theory, the threat of punishment is considered to be a deterrent to criminals who rationally calculate the consequences of the illegal actions.

A) positivist
B) psychological
C) sociological
D) classical

Question 12

Cesare Lombroso is recognized as the founder of the ______ school and also as the father of modern ______.

A) classical, sociology
B) classical, criminology
C) positivist, sociology
D) positivist, criminology

Question 13

If a trend with respect to theories of juvenile delinquency can be identified, it would appear to be an emphasis on ______ theories based on the recognition that one-dimensional theories are unlikely to provide explanations for a wide range of delinquent behaviors observed.

A) single-dimensional, multidisciplinary
B) multidimensional, multidisciplinary
C) multidimensional, single disciplinary
D) single-dimensional, single disciplinary

Question 14

Braithwaite's concept of ______ (negative stigmatization) noted that it is destructive of social identities because it morally condemns and isolates people.

A) reintegrative shaming
B) reintegration
C) disintegration
D) disintegrative shaming

Question 15

According to ______ theory, crime is a function of people's everyday behavior; present in certain types of places, frequented by motivated offenders, and makes him or her a suitable target.

A) strain
B) deterrence
C) routine activities
D) rational choice

Question 16

______ results from competition for power among many groups.

A) Conflict
B) Illumination
C) Deviancy
D) Delinquency

Question 17

The ______ theory involves the notion that before people commit crimes, they rationally consider the risks and rewards.

A) rational choice
B) routine activities
C) deterrence
D) demonology

Question 18

A ______ may be defined as a set of two or more related, empirically testable assertions.

A) hypothesis
B) result
C) scientific theory
D) variable

Question 19

Early attempts to explain various forms of deviant behavior (e.g., crime, delinquency, mental illness) focused on:

A) biological explanations.
B) demonology.
C) psychological explanations.
D) responsibility.

Question 20

______ theories of delinquency were initially based on the assumption that delinquency (criminality) is inherited.

A) Psychological
B) Biological
C) Sociological
D) Demonological

Question 21

Behaviorists believe that many of the principles learned in the study of animal behavior can be applied to humans.

Question 22

According to differential association theory, delinquency and crime follow the pattern of social and physical structures of the city, with concentration occurring in deteriorated areas.

Question 23

In an acceptable theory, these assertions or propositions are related in a logical manner so that some other assertions or propositions can be derived (deduced) from others.

Question 24

Containment theory emphasizes the importance of both inner controls and external pressures on self-concept.

Question 25

A theory must be logically correct and must accurately describe events in the real world.

Question 26

Labeling and stigma processes are not particularly important for understanding the consequences of parental incarceration for children.

Question 27

Cohen argued that lower class juveniles experience the strain of being unsuccessful in middle-class terms, especially in the school setting.

Question 28

The belief that deviance is caused by possession by an evil spirit has been entirely replaced by scientific explanations.

Question 29

A testable assertion or proposition is simply a statement of a relationship between two or more variables.

Question 30

Assessing the state of criminological theory toward the end of the 20th century, Bernard (1990) concluded that much progress had been made during the prior 20 years in weeding out theories that cannot be supported or in verifying other theories.

Question 31

Anomie theory refers to a breakdown of social norms or the dissociation of the individual from a general sense of morality of the times.

Question 32

In the textbook definition of a theory, there exists a requirement that at least some of the propositions need to be ______.

A) empirically testable
B) generally accepted
C) worked in theory only
D) hypothesized

Question 33

Chambliss posited that the focus of conflict theories was on the whole political and economic systems as well as class relations within those systems.

Question 34

Low intelligence quotient (IQ) and/or learning disability are inherent determinants of delinquency.

Question 35

______ theories represent the combining of two or more theories in an attempt to get the theory closer to practice.

A) Interrelated
B) Integrated
C) Interconnected
D) Internal

Question 36

Using data from the National Youth Survey, Hayes found that the new model showed that weakened social controls increase opportunities for associating with delinquent peers, learning delinquent behaviors, and committing initial delinquent acts.

Question 37

Boisvert, Wright, Knopik, and Vaske (2012, p. 477) noted that low ______ has emerged as a consistent and strong predictor of antisocial and delinquent behaviors.

A) self-efficacy
B) self-control
C) self-esteem
D) self-worth

Question 38

Scientific theory requires only empirical evidence based upon conceptual schemes.

Question 39

Chesney-Lind argued that analysis of the data indicated that changes in arrests of girls for certain violent offences reflected changes in the policing of girls' aggression (including the arrest of girls for minor forms of family violence) rather than actual changes in their ______.

A) offending
B) delinquency
C) status
D) behavior

Question 40

Although dozens of ______ have been proposed in attempts to specify the causes of crime and delinquency, only a few of the more prominent attempts are discussed in the text.

A) theories
B) hypotheses
C) conceptual schemes
D) practices

Question 41

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of theories under the positivist school.

Question 42

Briefly describe and discuss what is necessary for a good theory.

Question 43

Recognize and discuss the importance of the relationship between theory and practice.

Question 44

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of theories under the classical school.

Question 45

Pick any of the theories in this chapter and evaluate them with research either proving or disproving them.