Question 1

Which is NOT used as a form of sanction?

Accepted Answer

All the options listed (jails, prisons, mental hospitals, and juvenile detention) can be considered forms of sanctions as they are all used to manage, punish, or rehabilitate individuals for various reasons, including criminal behavior or mental health issues.

Question 2

Which theorist's work was not included as part of Parsons's concept of the sick role?

Accepted Answer

Erving Goffman's work was not included in Parsons's concept of the sick role. Parsons's concept was more influenced by the structural functionalism of Durkheim and the social action theory of Weber.

Question 3

The sick role is oriented toward which group?

Accepted Answer

The sick role theory was developed by Talcott Parsons, a sociologist who focused on the behavior and roles of individuals within society. The sick role is a concept that describes how individuals who are ill are expected to behave. It is generally thought to apply more to the middle class than other groups because they have more resources and autonomy to seek medical treatment and take time off work. Lower-class individuals may not have the same resources and may be expected to continue working despite illness, while upper-class individuals may have more support and resources to continue with their daily lives even when they are ill.

Question 4

"A state or condition of suffering as the result of a disease or sickness" defines:

Accepted Answer

Illness refers specifically to the state of suffering caused by a disease or sickness. The sick role refers to the societal expectations and responsibilities associated with being ill, while disability refers to a more general limitation or impairment in functioning. Disease includes both the medical condition as well as the cellular or pathological changes associated with it. Therefore, illness is the most accurate choice for the given definition.

Question 5

Who was one of the leading proponents of labeling theory?

Accepted Answer

Howard Becker was one of the leading proponents of labeling theory, which focuses on how societal labels and judgments impact individuals and their behavior. Durkheim, Weber, and Freud were not specifically known for their contributions to labeling theory.

Question 6

________________ is where the deviants are exempted from some normal obligations by virtue of their deviance, for which they are technically not responsible, but gain few if any privileges.

Accepted Answer

Illegitimacy refers to a status where individuals are exempt from certain obligations due to their deviant behavior, which is not seen as their fault, but this does not grant them any special privileges.

Question 7

As Goffman points out, stigma represents a rupture between an individual's __________ and ___________ social identity that is regarded in some way as failing.

Accepted Answer

Goffman's concept of stigma refers to the discrediting of an individual's virtual social identity (the way they present themselves to others) due to some perceived flaw or failing in their actual social identity (their true or perceived characteristics, such as illness or disability). Therefore, option B - virtual and actual - best captures this idea. Options A, C, and D are not as accurate. Option E is incorrect because there is a correct answer.

Question 8

The term ___________ has been characterized as an adverse physical state, consisting of a physiological dysfunction within an individual.

Accepted Answer

The term "disease" refers specifically to a physiological dysfunction or abnormality within an individual's body. It is distinct from the broader concept of "illness," which can refer to a range of physical, psychological, and social phenomena related to an individual's experience of their own health. The sick role and disability are related but distinct concepts that refer to the social and cultural dimensions of illness and impairment.

Question 9

A pronouncement of deviant behavior involves making a _____________ about what is right and proper behavior according to a social norm.

Accepted Answer

A pronouncement of deviant behavior involves making a social judgment about what is right and proper behavior according to a social norm.

Question 10

Which is NOT a criticism of Parsons's sick-role theory?

Accepted Answer

Parsons's sick-role theory is criticized for not adequately addressing behavioral variation, types of diseases, and the patient-physician relationship, but not specifically for behavioral modification.

Question 11

People who have various types of physical deformities fall into which category of stigma?

Accepted Answer

Physical deformities are often seen as abnormalities and can cause discomfort or repulsion in others, leading them to be categorized as "abominations of the body." The other options do not accurately describe this type of stigma.

Question 12

A person may desire to retain the sick role more or less permanently because of what Parsons calls a _______________, which is the exemption from normal obligations and the gaining of other privileges commonly accorded to the sick.

Accepted Answer

According to Parsons, a person may desire to retain the sick role more or less permanently because of what he calls secondary gain. This refers to the exemption from normal obligations and the gaining of other privileges commonly accorded to the sick.

Question 13

The traditional identifying criteria for disease do NOT include:

Accepted Answer

The traditional identifying criteria for disease do not include the patient's significant other's identification of a "sick pattern." It is important to rely on objective measures such as physician examination, laboratory tests, and clinical patterns rather than subjective experiences or opinions.

Question 14

________________ is where deviants are exempted permanently from normal obligations and are granted additional privileges in view of the hopeless nature of their deviance.

Accepted Answer

Unconditional legitimacy is the concept whereby deviants who are seen as hopeless cases and are deemed unable to conform to normal obligations and societal norms are granted additional privileges. This is done with the aim of encouraging them to contribute positively to society despite their deviant behaviors. This concept is often applied to individuals who have committed serious crimes and are serving a life sentence or are on death row.

Question 15

Processes such as crime and mental illness which disrupt the social order are:

Accepted Answer

Processes such as crime and mental illness can be considered dysfunctional as they disrupt the social order and can negatively impact the functioning of society.

Question 16

Parsons's concept of the sick role is based on the assumption that:

Accepted Answer

Parsons believed that being sick is not a deliberate and knowing choice of the sick person. In other words, people do not choose to be ill and therefore, they should not be held responsible for their illness. This forms the basis of his concept of the sick role in which he argues that when people are sick, they are expected to seek medical attention, comply with medical advice, and take steps to regain their health. In return, society offers them certain privileges, such as exemption from normal social roles and responsibilities.

Question 17

The functionalist perspective on deviance:

Accepted Answer

The functionalist perspective on deviance stresses societal-level processes, systems, equilibrium, and interrelationships, which represents a homeostatic approach to deviance. It focuses on maintaining the stability and functionality of society, and therefore can incorporate a wider range of deviant behaviors beyond just illness or criminality. Choice A is a description of relativism, while choice B focuses on the medical model of deviance, both of which are not specific to functionalism. Choice D is incorrect as functionalism does not solely focus on health and well-being.

Question 18

Medicalization is:

Accepted Answer

Medicalization refers to the process where non-medical problems or behaviours are defined and treated as medical problems. This can include turning personality traits, normal variations in human anatomy or behavior, and social problems into medical conditions requiring treatment.

Question 19

The physician exercises leverage over the patient through three basic techniques. Which is NOT one?

Accepted Answer

The three basic techniques the physician uses to exercise leverage over the patient are professional prestige, situational authority, and situational dependency of the patient. Objective authority is not one of the techniques used.

Question 20

_______________ is where the deviants are temporarily exempted from normal obligations and gain some extra privileges, provided that they seek help in order to rid themselves of their deviance.

Accepted Answer

This concept is known as "conditional legitimacy," which refers to a temporary exemption from normal obligations and the granting of extra privileges as long as the deviants seek help to rid themselves of their deviant behavior. It is often used in the context of rehabilitation programs for offenders or those with addiction issues.

Quiz 8: The Sick Role