Deck 10: Control Theories

Question 1

Self-control is obtained mainly through socialization/child rearing occurring within the family.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

According to self-control theory, people with low self-control will definitely commit crime or deviant behaviors at some point in their lives.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Self-control theory assumes that there is an underlying propensity to engage in crime if people have low self-control.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Control theories began with Travis Hirschi's social bond theory.

Question 5

Hirschi found that social bond theory only applies to Whites.

Question 6

Deviant peers increase delinquent behavior when social bonds are weakened.

Question 7

There is a lot of empirical support for involvement in conventional activities component of social bond theory.

Question 8

Drift can occur when youth are free from social controls.

Question 9

Persons with low self-control tend to be impulsive, insensitive, physical, and risk-takers.

Question 10

Self-control is developed by learning.

Question 11

The most important social bond in Hirschi's theory is:

A) Attachment
B) Commitment
C) Involvement
D) Belief

Question 12

Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) developed self-control theory. This theory supports the notion that people with:

A) Fewer social bonds will be more likely to engage in crime
B) Low self-control will be more likely to engage in crime
C) High self-control will be more likely to engage in crime
D) A lot of social bonds will be more likely to engage in crime

Question 13

Control theories ask the following question:

A) Who implements the laws that determine what is/is not a crime?
B) Why don't people engage in crime?
C) Why do people engage in crime?
D) Why are criminals sanctioned?

Question 14

Hirschi's social bond theory has four components. They are:

A) Attachment, involvement, peer influence, and parental monitoring
B) Commitment, involvement, peer influence, and self-efficacy
C) Attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief
D) Involvement, containment, conflict, and belief

Question 15

Control theories (i.e., social control and self-control) have the following assumption about human nature:

A) Humans are innately self-interested
B) Humans are innately good
C) Humans are a blank slate
D) Humans have free will

Question 16

Jackson Toby (1957) coined the term "stakes in conformity" which are related to attachments to conventional society (e.g., legitimate jobs, prosocial people). This concept pertains to which theory?

A) Labeling
B) Control
C) Feminist
D) Integrated

Question 17

In their self-control theory, Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) differentiate between crime and criminality. Criminality is:

A) None of the above
B) The act of force or fraud
C) The propensity to use force or fraud
D) The tendency to avoid force or fraud

Question 18

Control theory has its roots in which discipline?

A) Biology
B) Psychology
C) Ecology
D) Sociology

Question 19

Matza believes delinquents are mostly law-abiding. When they engage in criminal behaviors, they are engaging in:

A) Drift
B) Differentiation
C) Compulsive behavior
D) Commitment

Question 20

Which of the following social bonds is necessary for internal control to develop?

A) Attachment
B) Commitment
C) Belief
D) Involvement

Question 21

Parental training is one policy implication of self-control theory. Describe a parenting program that would support the development of self-control among children.

Question 22

Describe the evolution of control theory. How has the theory changed over time? What components have remained the same? Has the theory improved, or are the changes insignificant?

Question 23

Why are delinquents and criminals not committing crime all the time? What prevents such behavior?

Question 24

What are Matza's five techniques of neutralization? How do these rationalizations of criminal and delinquent behavior justify the behavior to the offender?

Question 25

Much support has been found for Hirschi's constructs attachment and commitment. Define and provide an example of attachment and commitment. Why are these two constructs stronger predictors of social control than involvement and belief?

Question 26

Later in his career Hirschi moved away from social control and embraced self-control. How are these two theories different? How are they alike? Which one has stronger empirical support? Describe the research findings for this theory.

Question 27

What is a general theory of crime? What types of crimes does this theory attempt to explain? How is it different from other theories of crime, such as strain and learning theories?

Question 28

What are "stakes in conformity"? Name four stakes in conformity you experience in your daily life. Do these stakes keep you from engaging in delinquent or criminal behavior? Why or why not? If these stakes were not present, would your answer change?

Question 29

What was Nye's main contribution to control theory? How did this move forward the development of control theory?

Question 30

Is social control theory a good explanation of violent crimes? Describe a situation in which a violent crime would be committed or prevented using the tenets of social control theory.