Deck 9: Deviance and Social Control

Question 1

Which of the theories of deviance discussed in Chapter 9 do you find to be the most useful or insightful? Explain.

Answer 1

No Answer

Question 2

Rituals designed to transform the identity of an individual who has done something viewed as immoral and to set him or her apart from nondeviant society are called:

A)degradation ceremonies
B)guiltification routines
C)moral repertoires
D)righteousness festivals
E)stigma-induction strategies

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Why might someone opt to disclose a stigmatized identity?

A)The identity is difficult or impossible to conceal.
B)They think that people may respond more favorably to the revelation if it comes from them.
C)They want to alleviate the burden of living with a secret.
D)They want to cast the identity in a positive light.
E)all of the above

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Deviance disavowal involves:

A)avoiding individuals who have a stigmatized identity
B)denying that stigma is a problem
C)emphasizing that one has multiple identities, many of which are not stigmatized
D)minimizing or keeping a stigmatized characteristic from being the focal point of interactions, even when others are aware of its existence
E)openly acknowledging one's stigma and presenting oneself in a favorable manner

Question 5

Which of the following terms is not a strategy for managing stigma discussed within the social-psychological literature?

A)covering
B)deviance disavowal
C)disclosure
D)passing
E)projection

Question 6

Within sociological social psychology, a stigma is:

A)a physical mark given spiritual significance
B)a physical characteristic that makes an individual appear different from others
C)a trait or characteristic that causes one to lose prestige and social status in the eyes of others
D)an indicator of membership in group whose members have chosen to withdraw from society
E)the status conferred upon people who willfully engage in harmful acts of deviance

Question 7

What variable, in addition to religiosity, has an especially strong effect on attitudes toward homosexuality?

A)education
B)gender
C)income
D)marital status
E)region of the country

Question 8

Symbolic interactionists argue that the labeling process is a self-fulfilling prophecy because:

A)being labeled as deviant leads to more deviant behavior
B)being labeled as deviant makes people prone to labeling others
C)the labeling process itself is relatively objective
D)the labeling process itself overlooks individuals' social characteristics
E)the people who do the labeling often end up being labeled themselves at some point

Question 9

After being labeled an alcoholic, Loren begins interacting with other people who have been similarly labeled. As a result of this, he begins to drink more heavily and starts using drugs. These latter behaviors can be classified as acts of:

A)reactionary deviance
B)retrospective deviance
C)secondary deviance
D)socially induced deviance
E)victimless deviance

Question 10

What, according to labeling theorists, facilitates the formation of deviant subcultures among individuals who have been labeled as deviant?

A)an orientation toward collective action and resistance
B)common interests and goals
C)practical concerns, like the need to have someone to buy drugs from
D)self-hatred and a lack of motivation
E)rejection by nonlabeled individuals

Question 11

In a deviant subculture, membership in the group is based mainly on:

A)a history of common experiences prior to the application of the deviant label
B)the type of primary deviance individuals have previously engaged in
C)shared deviance
D)status characteristic, including age and gender
E)both a and b

Question 12

Suppose that Bobbie gets caught cheating on a test and is put on probation. Now that Bobbie, who is an "A" student and has always been considered smart by her friends, has been formally labeled as a "cheater," her friends start questioning her intellectual abilities. Moreover, they talk among themselves and agree that Bobbie's high GPA is probably the result of chronic cheating. Bobbie's friends have engaged in:

A)character projection
B)formal rejection
C)identity reconstruction
D)retrospective labeling
E)secondary attribution

Question 13

If a student who has never been labeled as deviant cheats on an exam and doesn't get caught, the cheating can be considered:

A)effective deviance
B)primary deviance
C)secondary deviance
D)tertiary deviance
E)unmotivated deviance

Question 14

Primary deviance is:

A)deviance that becomes stable over time
B)deviance that is unnoticed by agents of social control and is thus never labeled
C)deviant behavior that is either violent or causes emotional harm
D)deviant behavior that is unprovoked
E)deviant behavior that most people would recognize as a violation of a societal norm

Question 15

Which theory of deviance focuses on what happens to people after they are labeled as deviant?

A)differential association theory
B)differential reinforcement theory
C)labeling theory
D)social control theory
E)structural strain theory

Question 16

Which theory of deviance views delinquency as a response to weak bonds to conventional society?

A)differential association theory
B)differential reinforcement theory
C)labeling theory
D)social control theory
E)structural strain theory

Question 17

Which theory of deviance views crime a response to blocked opportunities for economic success?

A)differential association theory
B)differential reinforcement theory
C)labeling theory
D)social control theory
E)structural strain theory

Question 18

In their study of stalking, discussed in Chapter 9, Fox, Noble, and Akers found that:

A)peer reinforcement was not associated with college students' likelihoods of being the victim of a stalker
B)rates of stalking varied across schools, due to differences in campus climate
C)students who were victims of stalking tended to have friends who were the victims of stalking
D)stalking was not related to gender among underclassmen
E)subscribing to traditional gender roles was associated with stalking among males but not females

Question 19

How people manage stigmatized identities is of particular interest to social psychologists working within:

A)social identity theory
B)social exchange theory
C)status characteristics theory
D)social structure and personality
E)the dramaturgical framework

Question 20

Sykes and Matza's techniques of neutralization include all of the following except:

A)appeal to higher loyalties
B)condemnation of the condemners
C)denial of action
D)denial of injury
E)denial of responsibility

Question 21

Techniques of neutralization:

A)are behavior specific and which technique is used varies with the action committed
B)enable individuals who have engaged in deviant behavior to maintain a positive self-concept
C)help deviants to avoid being scorned by others
D)sometimes backfire and increase the frequency with which people experience guilt
E)vary in their nature and function across different age groups

Question 22

Describe the central tenets of status violation theory. How is the status characteristic "deviant" likely to compare to other status characteristics (e.g., male or female, White or racial/ethnic minority, high or low education)?

Question 23

How might a college student use an appeal to higher loyalties to justify cheating on an exam?

Question 24

List and describe the five techniques of neutralization identified by Sykes and Matza. Give an example of a situation in which you, someone you know, or someone you read about or heard about on the news used at least one of these rationalizations. Indicate which technique was used and the purpose it served. Why are techniques of neutralization so commonly used by individuals who engage in deviant behavior?

Question 25

What is a degradation ceremony and what functions do these rituals serve? Give an example of a public degradation ceremony covered by the media.

Question 26

Discuss the different ways that individuals manage stigma. How might the nature of one's stigmatized identity influence his or her selection of an impression management strategy?

Question 27

Would a labeling theorist be surprised to hear that someone scored high on a measure of deviance but was never labeled as deviant? Why or why not?

Question 28

Outline the labeling process with reference to the following key concepts: primary deviance, retrospective labeling, secondary deviance, deviant subculture, and self-fulfilling prophecy. Use this model to illustrate how labeling people as deviant alters their relationships with others and impacts their self-concepts and future behaviors.

Question 29

How does labeling theory differ in focus from theories of the cause of deviance within sociological social psychology? Use labeling theory to illustrate the central tenets of the symbolic interactionist framework.

Question 30

Compare and contrast symbolic interactionist approaches to the study of deviance and theories of deviance within social structure and personality.

Question 31

Compare and contrast two of the theories of deviance within social structure and personality discussed in Chapter 9. Apply these two theories to college student cheating or to underage drinking.

Question 32

Give an example of a situation in which formal, informal, and self-control are all likely to influence people's behaviors. Discuss how each form of social control would influence behavior within this context.

Question 33

Compare the three forms of social control and the emotions through which they operate. Which form of social control is the most effective, and which form of social control is the least effective, in regulating people's behaviors? Explain.

Question 34

What makes deviance a topic of interest to sociological social psychologists?

Question 35

What do sociological social psychologists mean when they say deviance is socially constructed? What evidence do they have to support this assertion?

Question 36

Status violation theory focuses on what happens in task groups when:

A)a deviant identity is revealed
B)a group member has a stigmatized identity
C)group members subscribe to different definitions of deviance
D)it is unclear whether an aggressive behavior was appropriate or inappropriate
E)someone violates group norms and is labeled a deviant

Question 37

Status violation theory predicts that individuals who violate norms in task groups will:

A)be expelled from the group
B)be labeled as deviant
C)be viewed as a potential leader
D)experience increases in status
E)both c and d

Question 38

A student who justifies cheating by saying that the tests, readings, and professors at his or her school are so bad that there's no other choice is using which technique of neutralization?

A)appeal to higher loyalties
B)condemnation of the condemners
C)denial of injury
D)denial of responsibility
E)denial of victim

Question 39

Sociological social psychologists have used _________________________ to explain college students' likelihoods of engaging in stalking and their reactions to being stalked.

A)differential associations theory
B)differential reinforcement theory
C)labeling theory
D)social control theory
E)structural strain theory

Question 40

Measures of differential associations are usually based on survey questions that ask adolescents about:

A)how they get support for their salient identities
B)the emotions they associate with various events and activities
C)the various roles they play
D)their peer relationships
E)their values and norms

Question 41

Within sociological social psychology, a stigma is:

A)a physical mark given spiritual significance
B)a physical characteristic that makes an individual appear different from others
C)a trait or characteristic that is defined negatively and causes one to lose prestige and social status in the eyes of others
D)an indicator of membership in group whose members have chosen to withdraw from society
E)the status conferred upon people who willfully engage in harmful acts of deviance

Question 42

People often condemn the individuals who have condemned them for their deviance (e.g., lawyers or judges) Condemning the condemners is a technique of neutralization.

Question 43

Techniques of neutralization are accounts.

Question 44

The criminal justice system has elements of a degradation ritual.

Question 45

Results from the General Social Survey suggest that here is little agreement among the U.S. adult population as to whether homosexuality is deviant.

Question 46

Whether a behavior is considered an act of secondary deviance depends on whether it occurs before or after a person is labeled as deviant.

Question 47

Research suggests that adolescents' levels of deviance have at least some effect on their selection and maintenance of friendships.

Question 48

In 2010, about one quarter of U.S. adults supported the legalization of marijuana.

Question 49

Hirschi's control theory, in its original form, is considered the most macro theory of crime within social structure and personality.

Question 50

Merton's structural strain theory cannot explain white-collar crime.

Question 51

Race/ethnicity has little effect on deviance or crime among individuals who are of the same social class.

Question 52

Most studies of youths focus on deviance versus crime.

Question 53

Laws are a type of formal control.

Question 54

Symbolic interactionists typically study unmotivated deviance, whereas SSP researchers study motivated deviance.

Question 55

Whether a behavior is considered deviant often varies with the status characteristics of the actor.

Question 56

Within the United States, killing someone is always considered a deviant behavior.

Question 57

The terms "deviance" and "crime" are used interchangeably to refer to the same kind of behavior.

Question 58

Deviant behavior is behavior that:

A)causes distress in others
B)disrupts the interaction order
C)is harmful to others
D)is inconsistent with societal values
E)violates a social norm

Question 59

A student who wears a swimming suit to a college class is violating a:

A)display rule
B)folkway
C)more
D)primary norm
E)secondary norm

Question 60

Someone who robs and kills another individual has violated a(n):

A)interactional code
B)folkway
C)more
D)primary norm
E)secondary norm

Question 61

Sutherland's theory of differential association is rooted in the assumption that deviant as well as nondeviant behaviors are:

A)equally distributed throughout the population
B)learned through a process of socialization
C)mediated by the process of role taking
D)responses to social situations that are shaped by the "I"
E)shaped by emotion norms

Question 62

Symbolic interactionist theories of deviance focus on:

A)how deviance is learned
B)how social structure affects the risk for deviance
C)how patterns of reinforcement can be used to alter deviant selves
D)the consequences of being considered a deviant
E)both a and d

Question 63

Hirschi's social control theory has been extended by social structure and personality researchers to the address the link between:

A)nature and nurture
B)status characteristics and bonds to society
C)roles and behavior
D)self-esteem and behavior
E)structure and biology

Question 64

According to Hirschi's social control theory, the _________________________________, the lower their likelihoods of engaging in delinquent behavior.

A)more academically inclined adolescents are
B)more parents invest in their children
C)stricter the parental discipline adolescents experience
D)stronger adolescents bonds to conventional society
E)weaker adolescents ties to peers

Question 65

According to Hirschi's social control theory, commitment is high when:

A)adolescents are involved in a lot of activities that support nondeviant behavior
B)adolescents demonstrate an emotional attachment to their parents
C)adolescents have a lot to lose if they engage in deviant behavior and get caught
D)adolescents have law-abiding parents and friends
E)adolescents show a strong allegiance to their school

Question 66

Hirschi's (social control theory) bonds to society include: attachment, commitment, belief, and:

A)investment
B)involvement
C)loyalty
D)reciprocity
E)remuneration

Question 67

Hirschi's social control theory is not itself a structural theory because the cause of deviant behavior is presumed to be:

A)biologically based
B)similar across cultures
C)the result of personal role choices
D)within the individual
E)all of the above

Question 68

How does Agnew's general strain theory extend Merton's structural strain theory?

A)General strain theory can be used to explain variations in levels of deviance and crime among women as well as among men.
B)General strain theory considers other sources of strain in addition to blocked economic opportunities.
C)General strain theory focuses on crimes that are not financially motivated, as well as financially motivated offenses.
D)General strain theory leads researchers to use qualitative accounts of people's socialization experiences, as well as crime statistics, as sources of data.
E)both b and c

Question 69

Which of the following concepts explains the relationship between anomie, strain, and crime among middle- and upper-class individuals?

A)display rule
B)identity standard
C)reference group
D)role strain
E)status strain

Question 70

Merton's structural strain theory focuses on the relationship between _______________ and crime.

A)age
B)gender
C)race/ethnicity
D)region of the country
E)social class

Question 71

In Merton's structural strain theory, strain results from:

A)a lack of access to the legitimate means for obtaining economic success
B)conflict between family members, colleagues, or friends
C)cultural changes resulting in losses in status among individuals with money and power
D)role conflicts pertaining to work and family
E)poor socialization practices

Question 72

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Among adolescents, males have higher rates of deviance than females.
B)In recent years, the rate of violent crime among men and women has been similar.
C)Racial/ethnic differences in crime are minimal among individuals who are in the same social class.
D)The gender gap in nonviolent crimes is closing.
E)There is no class difference in overall crime rates.

Question 73

Why is guilt such a powerful regulator of behavior?

A)It activates a unique, and highly unpleasant, form of physiological arousal.
B)It can occur in any situation because it isn't directly tied to others' reactions.
C)It gives individuals power over others.
D)It is often shared among group members.
E)It is rooted in a fear of punishment

Question 74

Informal control operates mainly through:

A)embarrassment
B)fear
C)guilt
D)humiliation
E)shame

Question 75

Internal control operates mainly through:

A)embarrassment
B)fear
C)guilt
D)humiliation
E)shame

Question 76

Laws:

A)are written norms enforced by the state
B)exert a stronger effect on behavior than norms
C)make society possible because they keep us in line
D)operate through informal control
E)typically cause guilt when they are violated

Question 77

Deviance is a social construct. This means that:

A)behaviors are deviant only when people define them as such
B)definitions of deviance vary little across cultures because all people have a need for social order
C)deviance serves a number of positive functions for society
D)there are some behaviors that are inherently deviant (e.g., murder) because they are damaging to people's social relationships
E)all of the above

Question 78

The social psychological literature on deviance is interdisciplinary and includes studies by psychologists as well as sociologists.