Question 1

In social bonding theory, delinquency is controlled by beliefs that specific delinquent acts are wrong rather than by general law-abiding beliefs held by adolescents.

Accepted Answer

Social bonding theory posits that delinquency is controlled by the strength of an individual's bonds to society, which include attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief in general law-abiding norms, rather than specific beliefs about delinquent acts.

Question 2

In Hirschi's social bonding theory, the concept of "commitment" refers to the stakes in conformity that could be lost by engaging in delinquency.

Accepted Answer

Commitment in Hirschi's social bonding theory refers to the investments or stakes individuals have in conforming to societal norms, which they risk losing if they engage in delinquent behavior.

Question 3

According to social bonding theory, strong attachment reduces the probability of delinquency regardless of whether the peers or parents to whom the adolescent is attached are themselves conforming or deviant.

Accepted Answer

Strong attachment to conforming or deviant peers or parents reduces the probability of delinquency because it provides the adolescent with a sense of belonging and support, which can help to deter them from engaging in delinquent behavior.

Question 4

According to Gottfredson and Hirschi, the major cause of low self-control is ineffective child-rearing in the family.

Accepted Answer

Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime posits that low self-control, which leads to criminal behavior, is primarily the result of ineffective parenting practices during childhood.

Question 5

Gottfredson and Hirschi's self-control theory posits that differences in self-control account for the stable differences between individuals in their propensity to commit most major crimes, but not less serious petty offenses, across all circumstances.

Accepted Answer

Gottfredson and Hirschi's self-control theory suggests that differences in self-control account for stable differences in individuals' propensity to commit both major crimes and less serious petty offenses across various circumstances.

Question 6

A major weakness in Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime is that it may be tautological because they do not clearly define self-control as distinct from the propensity to commit crime.

Accepted Answer

The theory has been criticized for being tautological because it defines low self-control as the cause of crime, yet measures it by the same behaviors it seeks to explain, making it difficult to distinguish between the two concepts.

Question 7

Self-control theory proposes that differences in individuals' propensity to commit crime operate only during the adolescent and young adult years rather than in all periods of life.

Accepted Answer

Self-control theory, proposed by Gottfredson and Hirschi, suggests that differences in individuals' propensity to commit crime are stable throughout life, not just during adolescence and young adulthood.

Question 8

The only part of Reckless's containment theory that has been systematically tested is that part that hypothesizes that delinquency will result when inner pushes toward delinquency are not counteracted by strong external containment.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The only part of Reckless's containment theory...

Question 9

Matza's "drift theory" proposes that only neutralizations are needed for adolescents to drift toward delinquency and that positive causes are not needed for adolescents to choose delinquent rather than lawful behavior.

Accepted Answer

Matza's "drift theory" suggests that adolescents drift between delinquent and non-delinquent behavior, using neutralizations to justify their actions, but it does not claim that positive causes are unnecessary for choosing delinquency.

Question 10

Hirschi's theory suggests that people become criminal because they develop close ties to other people who condone or encourage the commission of crime.

Accepted Answer

Hirschi's theory, known as Social Bond Theory, posits that people refrain from crime due to strong social bonds, not because they develop ties with those who condone crime.

Question 11

In contrast to other theories, control theories emphasize restraints on crime over motivations or inducements to crime.

Accepted Answer

Control theories focus on the factors that prevent individuals from engaging in criminal behavior, such as social bonds and self-control, rather than what motivates them to commit crimes.

Question 12

Nye's control theory includes both barriers to delinquency and positive inducements to delinquency.

Accepted Answer

Nye's control theory posits that delinquency is caused by a lack of social control, which can be either external (e.g., parental supervision) or internal (e.g., self-control). Barriers to delinquency are factors that prevent individuals from engaging in delinquent behavior, while positive inducements to delinquency are factors that encourage individuals to engage in delinquent behavior.

Question 13

According to Hirschi's social bonding theory, the stronger a youth's attachment to others-even if those others are delinquent-the less likely it is that she or he will engage in delinquency.

Accepted Answer

Hirschi's social bonding theory suggests that strong attachments to others, even delinquent peers, can reduce the likelihood of delinquency.

Question 14

Hirschi's research showed that attachment to delinquent peers makes delinquency more likely.

Accepted Answer

Hirschi's social bond theory suggests that strong attachments to delinquent peers can weaken social bonds to conventional society, making delinquency more likely.

Question 15

Research indicates that, compared with relationships of law-abiding youths, relationships of delinquent youths with others tend to be distant, cold, and unstable.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research indicates that, compared with relationships of...

Question 16

Tests of social bonding theory provide weak to moderate support for the theory.

Accepted Answer

Social bonding theory, which suggests that strong social bonds prevent deviant behavior, has received mixed empirical support, with studies showing varying levels of support for its claims.

Question 17

The earlier control theories, such as Reckless's containment theory, included both internal and external controls.

Accepted Answer

Reckless's containment theory posits that both internal (personal) and external (social) controls are necessary to prevent individuals from engaging in deviant behavior.

Question 18

Hirschi's most recent revision of the concept of self-control now defines it as the same as social bonds and characterizes it as the ability to take into account all the long-term and short-term consequences of behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hirschi's most recent revision of the concept...

Question 19

Gottfredson and Hirschi's self?control theory posits that differences in self?control account for the stable differences between individuals in their criminal propensity, but they contend that the theory is not intended to explain less serious offenses or what they call "analogous behavior."

Accepted Answer

Gottfredson and Hirschi's self-control theory is intended to explain both criminal behavior and analogous behaviors, which include less serious offenses and other deviant acts.

Question 20

According to Hirschi's social bonding theory, it is attachment to others itself that controls delinquency, and it makes no difference to whom (deviant or nondeviant) one is attached.

Accepted Answer

Hirschi's social bonding theory states that attachment to others, regardless of their deviant or nondeviant behavior, controls delinquency.

Quiz 6: Social Bonding and Control Theories