Deck 8: Control Theories of Crime

Question 1

The assumption of human nature behind control theory is that people are selfish, pleasure seekers and dates back to which social philosopher?

A) Hobbes
B) Bentham
C) Freud
D) Durkheim

Answer 1

Hobbes

Question 2

What else do control theories assume besides the idea of innate human selfishness?

A) The right of each and every person to their own destiny
B) That biological states are the cause of psychological states
C) That societies are in general agreement over right and wrong behavior
D) The idea that people always need to be in control over others

Answer 2

That societies are in general agreement over right and wrong behavior

Question 3

What year did Hirschi publish the book containing the definitive social control model in criminology?

A) 1957
B) 1969
C) 1975
D) 1981

Answer 3

1969

Question 4

According to the early control theorist, Nye, which type of control usually "takes the fun out" of giving into criminal temptations.

A) Social
B) Direct
C) Indirect
D) Internal

Question 5

According to the early control theorist, Reckless, which construct is used to model how our self-concept, or conscience, works?

A) Pushes
B) Pulls
C) Inner containment
D) Outer containment

Question 6

Which one of the constructs in Reckless' control theory is what strain theory emphasizes?

A) Pushes
B) Pulls
C) Inner containment
D) Outer containment

Question 7

Which early control theorist produced the most complex model?

A) Reiss
B) Toby
C) Nye
D) Reckless

Question 8

Which of the following best describes Hirschi's conception of the social bond?

A) Barriers to prosocial opportunities
B) Connectedness to society
C) Damaged relationships
D) Stress and hassles

Question 9

Which component of Hirschi's conception of the social bond might be considered a "social isolation" variable where someone doesn't care what others think?

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

Question 10

Which component of Hirschi's conception of the social bond makes the most use of Toby's concept of stakes in conformity?

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

Question 11

Which component of Hirschi's conception of the social bond can be explained by the phrase "idle hands are the devil's workshop?"

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

Question 12

Hirschi's social control theory includes all the following components of the social bond EXCEPT:

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

Question 13

Which component of Hirschi's conception of the social bond would concern the perception that rules exist for a reason?

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

Question 14

What has the empirical research testing of Hirschi's social control theory found?

A) That attachment bonds sometimes produce negative effects
B) That keeping busy often has no relationship to crime
C) That people need a personal morality in line with public morality
D) That zero commitment to anything is a recipe for disaster

Question 15

Why is Gottfredson and Hirschi's low self-control theory called a general theory?

A) It is the most powerful theory in all of criminology
B) It combines the best of all other theories in criminology
C) It was adopted by military generals as training doctrine
D) It is intended to explain a variety of crime and analogous behaviors

Question 16

Which trait in Gottfredson and Hirschi's low self-control theory is most related or deals with the trait of vanity or a lack of consideration for others?

A) Impulsivity
B) Adventure seeking
C) Self-centeredness
D) Lack of diligence

Question 17

Which trait in Gottfredson and Hirschi's low self-control theory has been the one most seen before in previous criminological theories as an important causal variable?

A) Impulsivity
B) Adventure seeking
C) Self-centeredness
D) Lack of diligence

Question 18

Gottredson and Hirschi identified which segment or mechanism of society as the most important source for acquiring self-control?

A) School teachers and other influential role models
B) Strong, fundamentalist religious institutions
C) Child rearing practices in the family
D) Perceived moral legitimacy of government leaders

Question 19

What policy implication of low self-control theory would be indicated as having the most far-reaching effects?

A) Psychological counseling
B) Early-intervention programs
C) Stronger moral guidance in schools
D) A crackdown on white collar crime

Question 20

Control theories are different from classical theories in that:

A) Classical theory only focused on legal sanctions
B) There is more emphasis upon the thinking process
C) Control theories take a postmodern view of society
D) There is no difference between the two

Question 21

Sampson, Laub, and Hirschi are names associated with some of the modern varieties of control theory.

Question 22

Control theories assume that what needs to be explained is why people resist criminal temptations.

Question 23

Control theories are mostly in agreement with the notion that when we get right down to it, none of us (at the core) are really very nice.

Question 24

Reckless' containment theory has been the one in criminology which occupied the position as the primary and most frequently drawn-on form of social control theory.

Question 25

The component of involvement in Hirschi's social control theory often boils down to the value of keeping busy.

Question 26

A central component of Gottfredson and Hirschi's self-control theory is habit.

Question 27

Low self-control will always lead to crime.

Question 28

Gottfredson and Hirschi would say that social bonds are by-products of self-control.

Question 29

People with low self-control are less likely to form social bonds.

Question 30

Self-control, though a unidimensional concept, contains traits or symptoms which are hypothesized to vary over the life course.

Question 31

Piquero and Bouffard (2007) found what much less support for Hirschi's revised version of how to test self-control theory when compared to the Grasmick et al. scale results.

Question 32

Sampson and Laub are credited with resurrecting the famous Gluecks' longitudinal data.

Question 33

Marriage, employment, and military service are examples of social bonds in adulthood that can have an effect on offending.

Question 34

Criminologists argued that self-control theory may not be able to adequately explain white-collar crime.

Question 35

According to the theoretical construct of self-control, self-control will remain relatively stable over time.

Question 36

The basic premise of _______________ theories are that people are primarily selfish pleasure seekers.

Question 37

Toby (1957) presented his concept of _________ _______ __________ which refers to a type of control in which people resist temptation because their prior behavior has led to rewards that might be jeopardized if they became involved in crime.

Question 38

Reckless's _______________ theory described "pushes" and "pulls" that might lead individuals to committing crime.

Question 39

According to Hirschi, _______________ can serve as both barriers and restraints to crime.

Question 40

Sampson and Laub extended Hirschi's social bonding theory by arguing that adult social bonds such as __________________ can influence criminal involvement in adulthood.

Question 41

Sampson and Laub extended Hirschi's social control theory by explaining how adult social bonds can explain ___________ from crime.

Question 42

One of the defining features of all control theories is that they seek to explain why people ________ commit crime.

Question 43

The early control theorist Nye indicated that _________ control occurs when an authority figure is directly observing an individual's behavior.

Question 44

When an individual understands rules exist for a reason this is demonstrating Hirschi's __________ bond.

Question 45

________ social bond of Hirschi's social control theory utilizes Toby's concept of stakes in conformity.
Is this allowed in the question if it forms the answer?

Question 46

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Belief

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 47

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Inner containment

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 48

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Involvement

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 49

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Self-control

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 50

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Attachment

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 51

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Impulsivity

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 52

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Commitment

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 53

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Child rearing

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 54

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Outer containment

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 55

Match the terms to the appropriate description and/or definition

-Social bonds

A) Reckless identified this as effective structure and organization that can provide observation, control, supervision, and discipline
B) Acts as a barrier to opportunities for crime when an individual cares about what other people think, aim to avoid embarrassing and losing respected ones
C) Primary agent for the development of self-control
D) Refers to how strongly one believes in the rules against crime when it comes to their own actions
E) Acting deliberately, naturally and without effort
F) Connectedness to society, in which these act as barriers to opportunities for crime, as well as restraints
G) Reckless identified this as our self-concept, our conscience which he believed was formed by age 12
H) Refers to the habit of refraining from grabbing at short-term pleasure out of fear of the long-term consequences
I) Refers to stakes we have in following the rules and could risk losing if we engaged in criminal activity
J) Refers to how time acts as a restraint if engrossed in conventional activities rather than criminal behavior

Question 56

Explain the background assumption of human nature upon which control theories rely.How does this background assumption shape the scope of control theories?

Question 57

According to Travis Hirschi, what are the four elements of the social bond theory?

Question 58

Describe Sampson and Laub's theory of desistance from crime. How did they incorporate elements of social bonding into their explanation?

Question 59

Describe how a person's level of self-control might influence their level of social bonds.

Question 60

Discuss what makes control theories different from differential association and strain theories?