Question 1

Sykes and Matza base their neutralization theory on a variety of observations about criminals.Among these observations is that:

Accepted Answer

Sykes and Matza observe that criminals sometimes voice guilt over their illegal acts, which suggests that the individuals do recognize the wrongness of their actions. This observation serves as a basis for their neutralization theory, which describes the ways in which criminals use techniques of neutralization to temporarily suspend their values and beliefs in order to commit crimes. Option A is incorrect because plea bargaining does not necessarily reflect a desire to dispel responsibility; it is often an attempt to reduce punishment. Option B is incorrect because criminals may have a variety of attitudes towards their victims, including seeing them as more or less deserving targets. Option D is incorrect because although criminals may respect the street knowledge of their peers, this is not a central observation on which the neutralization theory is based.

Question 2

According to Matza,________ refers to the process of moving from one extreme of behavior to another.Further,this helps to explain why a youth's behavior may be law abiding sometimes and deviant at other times.

Accepted Answer

Matza's theory of drift proposes that individuals move back and forth between deviant and conforming behaviors, rather than adhering to one or the other. This concept helps to explain why a youth's behavior may be law-abiding at times and deviant at other times.

Question 3

Differential association has a number of important findings.What finding is false?

Accepted Answer

The statement "The influence of deviant friends is not supportive of delinquency" is false. Differential association theory suggests that association with deviant peers increases the likelihood of engaging in delinquent behavior.

Question 4

When young offenders claim their unlawful acts were beyond their control,it's known as:

Accepted Answer

Denial of responsibility refers to the offender claiming that their actions were beyond their control. This can be a common defense used by young offenders who may argue that their age, immaturity, or other factors led them to engage in unlawful behavior.

Question 5

Referring to differential association theory,how does learning criminal behavior differ from learning other behavior?

Accepted Answer

Differential association theory posits that learning criminal behavior is similar to learning any other type of behavior, as it involves the same mechanisms of communication and interaction.

Question 6

Differential association theory suggests that crime is a/an ______ behavior

Accepted Answer

Differential association theory suggests that criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others who engage in criminal behavior, rather than being a chronic, group or isolated behavior.

Question 7

When a crime is directed at certain persons because they are disliked or engage in behavior some people may find offensive,the offenders sometimes neutralizes their wrongdoing by maintaining that it was deserved.This is known as:

Accepted Answer

Denial of victim is when the offender claims that the victim deserved the crime committed against them. This can often be seen in hate crimes or crimes against individuals who engage in behaviors that are disliked or deemed socially unacceptable.

Question 8

According to differential reinforcement theory what determines whether deviant or criminal behavior persists?

Accepted Answer

Differential reinforcement theory suggests that behavior is maintained by its consequences. In the case of deviant or criminal behavior, if it has been consistently rewarded (i.e. through financial gain, peer respect, etc.) then it is more likely to persist. Conversely, if it has been consistently punished (i.e. through legal sanctions, social rejection, etc.) then it is less likely to persist. Therefore, the degree to which deviant or criminal behavior has been rewarded or punished is what determines its persistence according to differential reinforcement theory.

Question 9

Which of the following has been linked to decreasing crime?

Accepted Answer

Holding religious beliefs has been linked to decreasing crime, as individuals who are more involved in religious communities are less likely to engage in criminal activity.

Question 10

Differential associations may vary in all but which of the following ways?

Accepted Answer

Differential associations may vary in terms of the frequency, duration, and priority of the association, but motivation is not a factor that varies in differential associations. Motivation may influence an individual's decision to engage in criminal behavior, but it is not a characteristic of the association itself.

Question 11

The principle that criminal techniques are learned is part of:

Accepted Answer

The principle that criminal techniques are learned is part of differential association theory, which states that individuals learn criminal behavior through their interactions with others who engage in criminal behavior. This theory emphasizes that criminal behavior is not inherent, but rather a result of social learning and exposure to certain influences.

Question 12

When friends or parents demonstrate their disapproval of crime it is known as:

Accepted Answer

Definitions unfavorable toward criminality occur. This refers to the process of individuals developing a moral code that considers criminal behavior to be wrong or unacceptable. This often occurs through socialization from friends and family who express disapproval of crime.

Question 13

Research indicates that school dropouts,especially those who have been expelled,face a significant chance of entering a criminal career.According to the Urban Institute,what percentage of American students manage to graduate?

Accepted Answer

According to the Urban Institute, approximately 71 percent of American students manage to graduate.

Question 14

The view,according to Akers,that both deviant and conventional behaviors are learned is called:

Accepted Answer

Differential reinforcement theory, as proposed by Akers, suggests that both deviant behavior and conventional behavior are learned through the same social processes, including reinforcement principles.

Question 15

The importance and prestige attributed to individuals or groups from whom the definitions are learned is the _________ element of an association.

Accepted Answer

The intensity of the importance and prestige attributed to individuals or groups from whom the definitions are learned is a key element of an association. This refers to the degree of influence that these individuals or groups have over the beliefs and attitudes of others within the association. The other options (priority, duration, and frequency) do not specifically relate to the level of influence that these individuals or groups have, but rather refer to other aspects of the association such as the order in which things are presented, the length of time they are presented, and how often they are presented.

Question 16

The view that becoming a criminal is a learning process in which potential delinquents master skills that enable them to counterbalance conventional values and drift back and forth between illegitimate and conventional behavior is known as:

Accepted Answer

Neutralization theory suggests that individuals learn techniques that allow them to drift between conforming and deviant behavior by justifying or neutralizing their actions.

Question 17

By denying the wrongfulness of an act,criminals are able to neutralize illegal behavior.This is known as:

Accepted Answer

The answer of By denying the wrongfulness of an act,criminals...

Question 18

Whose name do we associate with the prominent social learning theory of differential association?

Accepted Answer

The prominent social learning theory of differential association is associated with the name of Edwin Sutherland.

Question 19

The morally tinged influences,which have become entrenched in the culture but that are publicly condemned are known as:

Accepted Answer

Subterranean behaviors are those morally tinged influences that are entrenched in culture but are publicly condemned, often operating beneath the surface of societal norms.

Question 20

When behavior is punished,this is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Punishment is a form of negative reinforcement, where the consequence of the behavior leads to a decrease in the likelihood of that behavior occurring again. Direct conditioning refers to learning through association, reconditioning refers to changing an existing conditioned response, and labeling refers to attaching a descriptive term or phrase to a behavior or person. None of these options accurately describe punishment.

Quiz 7: Social Process Theories