Deck 3: Constructionist Theories

Question 1

According to labeling theory,being labeled deviant produces

A)positive consequences.
B)negative consequences.
C)no consequences whatsoever.
D)some consequences whose nature cannot at present be understood.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Ethnography is defined as the style of research that seeks to understand

A)the meanings the people under investigation ascribe to their experiences.
B)the factual aspects of behavior that people follow.
C)the causes of behavior under study.
D)why the larger society considers some behavior as deviant and other behavior as normal.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

To phenomenologists,"constructs of the second degree"

A)reflect the real meaning of deviance.
B)reflect deviants' subjective views.
C)are removed from the reality of deviance.
D)are truly objective,because they are free of emotional judgment.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

According to Lemert,what is the first act in the sequence of interaction leading to secondary deviation?

A)primary deviation
B)a deviant impulse
C)tertiary deviation
D)the confession of deviance

Question 5

Positivists ascribe abstract meanings to deviance while deviants themselves typically impute __________ meanings.

A)immoral
B)moral
C)independent
D)situated

Question 6

According to labeling theory,the final step leading to secondary deviation involves

A)stronger penalties and rejections.
B)formal action taken by the community against the deviant.
C)hostilities and resentment on the part of those who penalize the deviant.
D)acceptance of and adjustment to deviant social status by the deviant.

Question 7

Which of the following statements best reflects the symbolic interactionist's view of human beings?

A)Humans are simply a medium on which social forces operate in a neutral way.
B)Humans face,deal with,and act toward the objects they encounter.
C)Human behavior largely follows well-established patterns.
D)Individuals have little awareness about what is going on around them.

Question 8

According to labeling theory,the focus of sociological research should primarily be on

A)how the person who behaves in a deviant way interprets reality.
B)the historical creation of deviant and normal labels.
C)the economic structure of society.
D)the interaction between the supposed deviant and conventional people.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT one of the constructionist theories of deviance?

A)labeling theory
B)phenomenological theory
C)control theory
D)conflict theory

Question 10

One reason why labeling theory has enjoyed tremendous popularity among sociologists is because this theory

A)answers the question of what causes deviance in the first place.
B)clearly and logically explains the concept and interactions of hidden deviance.
C)is easy for students to understand.
D)has considerable data to support some of its basic ideas.

Question 11

Labeling theory interprets deviance as a(n)

A)totally subjective experience.
B)expression of human animalistic tendencies.
C)process of symbolic interactionism.
D)outcome of conflict between powerful groups.

Question 12

According to phenomenologists,what deviance means is

A)obvious to all observers.
B)fundamentally problematic.
C)insignificant for the understanding of deviant behavior.
D)an objective fact.

Question 13

What do phenomenologists mean by the term deviant reality?

A)the nature of deviant behavior as seen by scientific sociologists
B)the characteristics of deviance as shown by objectively acquired data
C)the reality of deviance as defined as such by the powerful
D)the subjective meaning that deviants impute to their own deviant experience

Question 14

At the heart of the conflict between phenomenologists and positivists is

A)different philosophical views of humanity.
B)different views on the punishment of deviants.
C)whether deviance is a primary or secondary phenomenon.
D)whether sociology should even study immoral behavior like deviance.

Question 15

One negative criticism of labeling theory is that it

A)is not a sociological theory.
B)does not actually explain the causes of deviance.
C)is too deterministic a theory.
D)emphasizes the causes of deviance too much.

Question 16

According to Erikson and others,labeling other persons as deviant has

A)positive consequences for the community or individuals who apply the label.
B)negative consequences for the community or persons who apply the label.
C)positive consequences for the person who is labeled by the community.
D)little impact beyond the social control of the person who is deviant.

Question 17

Harold Garfinkel studied Agnes,who was a person seeking a sex change operation,and discovered that she considered herself

A)both a man and a woman at the same time.
B)a normal woman with a physical defect (a penis).
C)a sexual freak.
D)a normal man with several physical defects.

Question 18

Which of the following theories examines the subjectivity of people,including their attitudes,feelings,and opinions about deviance?

A)conflict theory
B)labeling theory
C)positivist theory
D)phenomenological theory

Question 19

To analyze how their subjects feel and think about deviance,phenomenologists use the method of

A)construction.
B)surveys.
C)ethnography.
D)introspection.

Question 20

Which of the following groups is most likely to be involved in imposing labels?

A)the poor
B)the criminal
C)the powerful
D)women

Question 21

According to conflict theory,all of the following are the results of capitalism's creation of economic marginality and coercive control of the workers,EXCEPT for

A)loss of self-esteem.
B)resentment.
C)a greater reliance on the family.
D)a sense of powerlessness and alienation.

Question 22

According to Richard Quinney,there are different ways for the dominant class to define the social reality of crime.Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A)It defines as criminal those behaviors that threaten its interest.
B)It applies the laws to ensure the protection of its interests.
C)It engages in behavior that it has defined as criminal.
D)It constructs and diffuses an ideology of crime.

Question 23

When the language of the strong dominates the language of the weak,the weak experience

A)postmodern anxiety.
B)the labeling of their behavior as deviant.
C)positivistic pressures.
D)linguistic domination.

Question 24

According to power theory,all of the following are reasons the powerful are more prone to deviance EXCEPT for

A)stronger deviant motivation.
B)greater deviant opportunity.
C)greater deviant tendencies.
D)the weaker application of social controls.

Question 25

One essential idea of conflict theory is that conflict as well as its resulting criminality is

A)an inherent,normal,and integral part of complex modern societies.
B)a rare and inconsequential occurrence in modern society.
C)best understood through an objective assessment of deviance.
D)best understood through the labeling perspective.

Question 26

Which of the following is the primary way in which feminist theory shifts the focus of theories of deviance?

A)a focus on women as offenders and victims related to their subordinate roles
B)a concentration on women as economically more successful
C)a focus on the greater deviance of men
D)a recognition of a new and growing goals-means gap

Question 27

Chambliss's analysis of the English legal system showed that the vagrancy laws

A)helped the poor to improve their lives.
B)benefited the ordinary citizens the most.
C)aggravated the crime problem.
D)served the interests of the influential members of society.

Question 28

Chambliss called the observing of how legal authorities actually discharge their duties the study of

A)the law on the books.
B)the law in action.
C)the process of legal change.
D)the ideal of the law.

Question 29

According to the power theory,the types of deviance and the types of persons who commit deviant acts are strongly influenced by

A)anomie.
B)world political events.
C)social equality.
D)social inequality.

Question 30

According to this theoretical perspective,power,or the lack of it,determines the type of deviance one is likely to commit.

A)postmodernist theory
B)power theory
C)Marxist theory
D)social reality theory

Question 31

What Marxists call "marginal surplus population" refers to

A)employed workers.
B)those who are relatively superfluous or useless to the economy.
C)families with more than two children.
D)the capitalist elite,who need not work.

Question 32

According to the Marxist theorists,the cause of deviance can be traced to

A)the gap between the goals of success and the means of achieving them.
B)the breakdown of the family and other social controls.
C)the presence of diverse cultural groups in American society.
D)the exploitative nature of capitalism.

Question 33

Which of the following is NOT a statement about the nature of postmodernist theory?

A)It is an attack on modern science's emphasis on a search for the objective truth.
B)It leads to the deconstruction of events,revealing their contradictions and assumptions.
C)It studies "linguistic domination," among other topics.
D)It is relatively disinterested in the most modern forms of deviant behavior.

Question 34

All of the following are criticisms of phenomenological theory EXCEPT that phenomenologists

A)cannot keep a totally open mind in understanding the essence of deviant reality.
B)cannot examine subjective experience in a totally unbiased way.
C)incorrectly assume that deviants are powerless people who have little free will.
D)fail to see the relevance of the objective study of deviance.

Question 35

The conflict approach contributes to our understanding of deviant behavior by showing how

A)unconscious drives and motives lead to some forms of deviance such as child molestation.
B)the subjective experiences of deviance can lead to fear and anger.
C)youth gangs are at the root of most deviance.
D)social inequality influences the making and enforcing of norms and laws.

Question 36

Feminist theorists argue that most theories of deviance

A)stereotype women.
B)are only about men.
C)call for the exploitation of women by men.
D)are not related to gender.

Question 37

Chambliss stated that the tendency of the police,prosecutors,and judges to become tools of power and privilege is caused by the __________,or the need of organizations to compel their members to maximum rewards.

A)phenomenal reality
B)social reality
C)organizational imperative
D)organizational dysfunction

Question 38

Quinney and other conflict theorists see something terribly wrong with existing society and have called for

A)a more extensive study of the sociology of deviance.
B)political action.
C)less deviant behavior.
D)more police and stricter enforcement of the law.

Question 39

The sociologist Jack Katz studied a variety of murderers and armed robbers and discovered that they

A)felt intensely guilty about their crimes.
B)experienced a sense of powerlessness over their behavior.
C)felt morally superior to their victims.
D)labeled themselves as morally inferior.

Question 40

The incompatible interests,needs,and desires of diverse groups of people in society can lead to

A)deviant behavior.
B)social conflict.
C)cultural conformity.
D)social strain.

Question 41

Phenomenologists are largely in agreement with sociologists who adopt a positivist view of deviance.

Question 42

Sarah is unhappy with a scar on her arm,and often wears long sleeved shirts to cover the mark,even in warm weather.This is an example of:

A)Goffman's concept of dramaturgy
B)Jordan and Cowan's warrior narratives
C)Cultural conflicts
D)Feminist theory

Question 43

To phenomenologists,the meaning of deviance is essentially problematic.

Question 44

To phenomenologists,the deviant's subjective experience is the heart of deviant reality.

Question 45

Conflict sociologists begin with the idea that modern societies have achieved a high degree of social and cultural unity.

Question 46

Which of the following is not an example of a theme of Jordan and Cowan's warrior narratives?

A)Deviant acts
B)Power
C)Emotional vulnerability
D)Emotional suppression

Question 47

This theoretical perspective attributes deviance to the unequal distribution of resources brought about by the exploitative capitalist system.

A)postmodernist theory
B)legal reality theory
C)social reality theory
D)Marxist theory

Question 48

According to Legal Reality Theory,law in action shows that

A)legal authorities are actually unfair and unjust.
B)legal authorities are fair and just by treating all its citizens equally.
C)legal authorities are sometimes fair and sometimes unjust,depending on the laws enforced.
D)legal authorities enforce the law in favor of the subordinate classes.

Question 49

When phenomenologists analyze how their subjects feel and think about their deviance,they use the method of ethnography.

Question 50

Research has consistently supported the thesis that the deviant label induces a person into further involvement with deviance.

Question 51

By organizational imperative,Chambliss refers to the inevitable tendency of a law-enforcing agency to compel its members to create red tape.

Question 52

There is a significant discrepancy between the law on the books and the law in action.

Question 53

Labeling theory has been most often criticized for failing to locate the actual causes of deviance.

Question 54

Phenomenological theory focuses on people's subjectivity,including consciousness,perception,and opinions about deviance.

Question 55

Labeling theory is based on the study of social interaction in which people actually impute meanings to each other's acts.

Question 56

Labeling a person as deviant may have some consequences for the person so labeled but hardly any for the labeler.

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT a factor that helps produce and maintain a high level of crime in a capitalist society according to Quinney?

A)Lawmaking by dominant class
B)Law enforcement by the criminal justice system for the subordinate class
C)Criminal acts by subordinate class
D)Popular ideology of crime

Question 58

When a person who is labeled a deviant passively accepts the stigmatizing label and undertakes a deviant career,this behavior is called secondary deviance.

Question 59

Labeling and phenomenological theories concentrate on understanding the causes of deviance.

Question 60

Quinney and other Marxist criminologists attribute the existence of crime directly to the capitalist system.

Question 61

Powerful people have less need to engage in deviance because they have so much already.

Question 62

The __________ theory sees technology and innovation as intervening variables when it comes to explaining deviant behavior.

Question 63

Under feminist theory,the dominant class defines as criminal those behaviors that threaten its interests.

Question 64

The feminist theory attributes deviance to the exploitative capitalist system.

Question 65

One new approach to the study of deviance is the postmodern analysis of linguistic domination,or how the language of the powerful group dominates linguistic interaction.

Question 66

According to conflict theory,potential results of coercive control include resentment and alienation.

Question 67

Dramaturgy is a general way to conceptualize human life and its many components-along the same lines as a drama performed on a stage,in a theatrical setting

Question 68

Feminist theorists argue that women's experience of deviance is essentially no different from the experience of men.

Question 69

Two reasons why the powerful are likely to commit profitable deviance are a greater deviant opportunity and a strong deviant motivation.

Question 70

Chambliss's law on the books refers to the reality of law,while law in action refers more to the ideal implementation of said law.

Question 71

William Chambliss pointed out that the law __________ is different from the laws on the books.

Question 72

It is likely that analyses based on inequality,such as that in critical and conflict theory,will become outmoded as periphery nations rise to compete in the global economy.

Question 73

The __________ theory pays attention to the power structure between sexes.

Question 74

According to the __________ theory of deviance,almost all deviant theories are about the behavior of men.

Question 75

According to __________,people attach meanings to symbols.

Question 76

Conflict theory attributes deviant behavior to the unequal distribution of resources.

Question 77

If someone is considered a deviant by others,and comes to see him- or herself in the same way,that person is called a __________ deviant.

Question 78

Conflict theory greatly contributes to our understanding of how social inequality influences the making and enforcing of norms,rules,and laws.

Question 79

According to phenomenologists,the most important aspect of deviant reality is the __________ meaning that the deviant person imputes to his or her own deviant experience.

Question 80

According to __________ theory,deviance is a collective action and involves the meanings imputed to people's actions.