Deck 14: Social Control Theory

Question 1

According to Thrasher,gangs arise in all the following except one.Which is that exception?

A)in the socially disorganized suburbs
B)along economic and ecological boundaries
C)where there are breaks in structure of social organization
D)in deteriorated city slums characterized by physical deterioration

Answer 1

A

Question 2

According to Reiss,which of the following does not represent a social control?

A)ties to one's family
B)ties to one's neighbourhood
C)ties to one's job
D)ties to one's school

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following scholars should be excluded from a list of social disorganization theorists?

A)Thrasher
B)Shaw and McKay
C)Nye
D)Durkheim

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Neighborhoods characterized by weak institutions contribute to ineffectual social controls,which then leads to high rates of crime and other types of deviance.This statement is central to which of the following schools of thought on crime causation?

A)social disorganization theories
B)critical criminology theories
C)interactionist theories
D)social psychology theories

Question 5

All of the following,except one,are social bond elements described by Travis Hirschi.Which is NOT one of the social bonds?

A)belief
B)involvement
C)contingency
D)attachment

Question 6

The "ecological fallacy," as it relates to crime,involves which of the following?

A)overemphasizing the role of socialization for producing and maintaining criminal tendencies
B)incorrectly inferring that belonging to the lower class makes one more likely to become involved in crime
C)inadequately amalgamating larger geographical areas from smaller ones
D)failing to take into account naturally occurring individual differences

Question 7

Which of the following is the name of the social bond that denotes why we refrain from crime because we don't want to hurt or embarrass people we like?

A)attachment to others
B)socialization within a stable family
C)involvement in conventional activities
D)commitment to conformity

Question 8

Which of the following questions about crime is most likely to be posed by a social control theorist?

A)What is in that person's make-up that propels him/her to crime?
B)Why did he or she do it?
C)Why don't we all do it?
D)We all do it,so why doesn't everyone get caught?

Question 9

Which of the following best represents the reason why social controls are largely absent in some neighbourhoods according to Shaw and McKay's ecological analysis of crime?

A)group conflict
B)the mode of production
C)weak social institutions and organizations
D)rapid social change

Question 10

In his research Reiss found that success or failure of young men on probation is most associated with which of the following?

A)absence of both personal controls and social controls
B)substance abuse
C)association with delinquent peers
D)absence of social controls but strong personal controls

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT one of the arguments that Nye made in explaining the onset of delinquency?

A)Delinquency is not motivated by the resulting gains,but prevented by the relative costs of alternative benefits.
B)Weak controls free the person to commit delinquent acts by lowering their cost relative to available alternatives.
C)People are motivated to achieve goals quickly but are prevented from doing so by laws and customs.
D)People are intrinsically conformist,but social controls implemented by the state are still necessary.

Question 12

The assumption that no special motivation is needed to explain deviance and that it is conformity and not deviance that needs explaining is at the core of which of the following theories on crime causation?

A)critical criminology theories
B)interactionist theories
C)social control theories
D)social psychology theories

Question 13

According to research conducted in Illinois by Shaw and McKay,which of the following geo-spatial areas have the highest crime rate?

A)semi-rural areas and small towns outside of cities
B)slum areas near the city centre
C)business and industrial areas away from the city centre
D)the central business district of a city

Question 14

The main premise underlying Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime is that delinquents and criminals lack a personality trait essential to pro-social behaviour.What is the trait?

A)commitment to conventional values
B)self-control
C)self-respect
D)the ability to feel empathy towards others

Question 15

According to social control theory,which of the following assumptions is correct?

A)Human beings are born moral.
B)Human beings are neither good nor evil.
C)Some humans are born good;others are born evil.
D)Human beings are born inherently evil.

Question 16

Which of these statements coincides with Gottfredson and Hirschi's notion of self-control?

A)Individuals who lack self-control tend to plan for the future.
B)A lack of self-control is an inherited trait.
C)Those who fail to develop self-control in childhood will be more likely to be involved in crime.
D)Individuals with low self-control typically engage in only one or two forms of risky behaviour.

Question 17

Shaw and McKay situated the origins of deviance in which of the following?

A)a neighbourhood's social environment
B)rapid changes taking place in mass society
C)individual pathology
D)the family

Question 18

Why was Nye's research on delinquency considered a methodological advance over previous studies?

A)He used self-reports of delinquent behaviour.
B)His measures were tested for reliability and validity.
C)He used a multivariate model that examined many variables.
D)He used a control group.

Question 19

According to Hirschi,if a person is so busy in conventional activities that he or she does not have time to engage in deviant behaviour,what social bond is this an example of?

A)commitment
B)attachment
C)involvement
D)belief

Question 20

What name does Hirschi give to the social bond that represents the degree to which an individual pursues conventional goals?

A)commitment
B)attachment
C)involvement
D)belief

Question 21

Which of the following institutions affects delinquency when it binds its adherents to a moral community in which the teachings of this institution are salient and consistently reinforced?

A)school
B)community
C)the State
D)religion

Question 22

Which of these did Patterson conclude was the most important factor for reducing problem behaviours among children?

A)a token reward system
B)positive social modeling
C)punishment for misdeeds
D)prenatal nutrition

Question 23

Which of the following is a criticism of social control theory?

A)The theory overemphasizes the motivation to deviate.
B)Social control theory does not focus on the political and economic structures that produce crime.
C)Control theory is not compatible with other theories of crime.
D)Social control theory focuses too much on middle class and corporate crime

Question 24

Which of the following approaches to parental supervision and discipline of children is likely to be most successful in preventing delinquency?

A)strict supervision and moderate punishment
B)low supervision and strict punishment
C)low supervision and moderate punishment
D)strict supervision and strict punishment

Question 25

Theories and research documented in Chapter 14 suggest that several aspects of family relationships are related to delinquency.Within this context,which of the following statements is false?

A)Children who are adequately supervised will have lower delinquency rates than peers who are not closely supervised.
B)Disciplinary practices of delinquent families are different from those of nondelinquent families.
C)Warm,affectionate family relationships are associated with low rates of delinquency.
D)Punitive forms of discipline within a family are associated with low rates of delinquency.

Question 26

From a control perspective,the Watergate scandal can be largely explained as the result of which of the following?

A)a lack of commitment to the American people
B)a lack of belief that such acts were wrong
C)a lack of attachment to conventional,nonpolitical groups
D)an over-involvement in political processes

Question 27

According to research,which of these family variables is strongly associated with delinquency?

A)parental supervision
B)parental role modelling
C)harsh discipline
D)disapproval of unwanted behaviour

Question 28

Linden and colleagues' attempt to explain the role of delinquent peers incorporates which of the following?

A)social learning theory and social control theory
B)differential association theory and social learning theory
C)social control theory and feminist theory
D)social control theory and differential association theory

Question 29

With which of these approaches can control theory be combined to explain how social forces have created poverty and inequality among Canada's Aboriginal people?

A)interactionist
B)conflict
C)postmodern
D)feminist

Question 30

According to Anderson's study,"street-oriented" parenting is characterized by all of the following except one.Which is the exception?

A)explaining to children why they are being punished
B)striking children
C)yelling at children
D)punishment for little infractions

Question 31

When control theory is combined with differential association theory,the first step in delinquency involvement entails which of the following?

A)no unconventional social bonds
B)strong conventional social bonds
C)weak conventional social bonds
D)weak unconventional social bonds

Question 32

Which of the following did Manitoba's Aboriginal Justice Inquiry blame for the high crime rates among aboriginal people that are themselves the result of despair,dependency,anger frustration and a sense of injustice?

A)conflict within aboriginal societies
B)unemployment and underemployment
C)cultural and community breakdown
D)policies of the Department of Indian Affairs

Question 33

According to longitudinal research involving children at the Stanford University nursery,which of the following characterizes the children who ate the marshmallows right away instead of eating them later?

A)They had fewer behavioural problems.
B)They did worse on college entrance test scores.
C)They used drugs more.
D)They had fewer coping skills in adolescence.

Question 34

Which of the following is the critique of social control theories by critical criminologists?

A)They focus too much on the family and not enough on the community.
B)They do not take into consideration the political and economic structures that produce crime.
C)They do not take into consideration the psychological make-up of individual offenders.
D)The do not take into account how religion promotes intercultural violence.

Question 35

Which of the following is true of the correlation between school failure and delinquency?

A)The correlation between school failure and delinquency is negative and strong.
B)The correlation between school failure and delinquency is positive and strong.
C)The correlation between school failure and delinquency is positive and weak.
D)The correlation between school failure and delinquency is negative and weak.

Question 36

Theories and research presented in Chapter 14 suggest that the school is of primary importance in socializing young people and is an important determinant of delinquency.Within this context,which of the following statements is false?

A)For many students who achieve academic success and who enjoy their educational experience,school provides a stake in conformity,which reduces delinquent behaviour.
B)The effect of school failure on one's eventual career is more significant in determining delinquency than the daily problems of coping with school failure.
C)The school has taken over many of the occupational socialization functions that in earlier times were filled by the family.
D)The school is related to delinquency through its effects on the daily life of the child.

Question 37

Which of the following statements best represents why schools are important institutions in the context of Hirschi's social bonds?

A)Schools promote attachment.
B)Schools promote commitment.
C)Schools promote modelling.
D)Schools promote social ideology.

Question 38

According to Stark and colleagues,when does religion have an effect on criminal behaviour?

A)when it posits a single moral being (a God)
B)when religion binds people into a moral community
C)when religious penalties are associated with crime
D)when the creed expressly forbids crime as a sin

Question 39

Gas sniffing among young Mushuau Innu children from the Davis Inlet is largely attributed to which of the following?

A)european colonization that brought a shift from a nomadic to sedentary life
B)small homes built close together that lack running water or sewage drainage
C)relocating the entire community on three occasions
D)weak parenting within the Innu community

Question 40

According to Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime which of the following is most responsible for low self-control in people?

A)socially disorganized neighbourhoods
B)poor relationships with parents and/or poor parenting
C)inability to adapt to rapid social change
D)mental health disorders

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of schools that can help at-risk students academically and behaviourally?

A)high standards and values maintained by the school
B)student participation in decision-making
C)small school and class size;low staff turnover
D)isolate intellectually gifted students from struggling students

Question 42

According to control theory,conformity,not deviance,needs to be explained.

Question 43

Hirschi's early work focused on external sources of social control.

Question 44

According to Shaw and McKay,the origins of deviance could be traced to the pathology of individuals.

Question 45

Ties to primary groups such as the family are considered essential to fostering social control,according to Reiss.

Question 46

Control theory helps explain the deviance of people who have a strong stake in conformity.

Question 47

According to Gottfredson and Hirschi,children with low self-control are frequently raised in families with poor parenting skills.

Question 48

Conflict criminologists argue the political and economic structure is ignored by social control theorists.

Question 49

According to Schafer and Polk,which of the following best describes the role of schools in delinquency?

A)The school offset the initial handicaps of low-income and minority-group children but actively contributes to educational failure and deterioration of low-income and minority-group children.
B)The school offsets the initial handicaps of low-income and minority-group children and passively contributes to educational failure and deterioration of low-income and minority-group children.
C)The school fails to offset the initial handicaps of low-income and minority-group children and passively contributes to educational failure and deterioration of low-income and minority-group children.
D)The school fails to offset the initial handicaps of low-income and minority-group children and actively contributes to educational failure and deterioration of low-income and minority-group children.

Question 50

Strong family ties are important in the development of social bonds.

Question 51

The term "ecological fallacy" is used to emphasize how the social environment really has no influence over factors that contribute to the onset of criminal behaviour.

Question 52

Nye considered the school to be the most significant institution in the development of social controls within society.

Question 53

According to Gottfredson and Hirschi,the most important factor in determining criminality is a lack of self-control.

Question 54

The school provides a stake in conformity for all children,regardless of whether they succeed or fail in school.

Question 55

Research shows that social control variables have a stronger correlation with delinquent and criminal behaviour than any other variable.

Question 56

To the control theorist,we would all be criminals but for the restraints provided by social controls.

Question 57

Research indicates that very strict discipline is associated with lower rates of delinquency.

Question 58

Religion has a greater impact on delinquency if it is part of the community's moral and institutional order.

Question 59

According to Thrasher,all adolescent gangs engage in delinquency.

Question 60

According to control theory,people are inherently honest,and as such,criminal behaviour is motivated by strong incentives,such as financial rewards or excitement.

Question 61

Using a social control theory perspective,make three suggestions for how schools can effectively reduce the onset of delinquent and criminal behaviour.

Question 62

Briefly describe some of the social problems found among the Mushuau Innu of Davis Inlet,and provide an explanation of how these problems came about. Your explanation should employ concepts associated with social control theory.

Question 63

Identify and describe some of the basic assumptions underlying control theories of crime.How do they differ from other criminological theories?

Question 64

Describe and analyze the relevance of schools to social control theory and how schools can both promote and prevent delinquent and criminal behaviour.

Question 65

Describe and analyze Hirschi's social bond theory. List and describe the four aspects of social bonds that,theoretically,constrain our behaviour.

Question 66

What lessons can be learned by parents about effective ways of preventing delinquency,from research on social control theory?

Question 67

Describe and analyze Ivan Nye's social control theories.What were his two main contributions to social control theory?

Question 68

Explain and assess the criticism that control theory is a conservative theory of crime.

Question 69

What challenges face social control theory when explaining "upper-world crime"?

Question 70

Describe and analyze Gottfredson and Hirschi's A General Theory of Crime.What is the main factor underlying criminality according to this theory?

Question 71

Describe and analyze Shaw and McKay's social disorganization theories with particular emphasis on their explanations as to why crime rates were highest in certain types of neighbourhoods.

Question 72

Describe and analyze the relevance of religion to social control theory.Based on the research and theories presented in the textbook,discuss the complex relationship between religiosity and criminal behaviour.

Question 73

Describe and analyze the relevance of the family to social control theory and how the family can both promote and prevent delinquent and criminal behaviour.

Question 74

Schools can help at-risk students academically and behaviourally,which can then promote social bonds,self-control,and pro-social behaviour.

Question 75

Describe the attempt by Linden and colleagues to integrate social control theory with differential association theory.What limitations of social control theory was this integration meant to address?

Question 76

One of the policy implications of control theory is the need for psycho-analytical therapy to be provided to delinquent youth.

Question 77

Describe and analyze the social control theories and research developed by Albert Reiss.