Question 1

The crime with the highest increase among women between 1992 and 2010 was ________.
A)drug offenses
B)drunk driving
C)bank robbery
D)murder

Accepted Answer

The answer of The crime with the highest increase among...

Question 2

Sociologists who view law as an instrument of oppression used to control workers are aligned most with which sociological perspective?
A)the functionalist perspective
B)the conflict perspective
C)the symbolic interactionist perspective
D)the structuralist perspective

Accepted Answer

The conflict perspective views society as a struggle for power and resources between different groups. This perspective argues that laws are often used by those in power to maintain their dominance over others, including workers. Therefore, sociologists who view law as an instrument of oppression used to control workers would be aligned with the conflict perspective.

Question 3

The term white collar crime was coined by sociologist ________ to refer to crimes that people of respectable social status commit in the course of their occupation.
A)Robert Merton
B)Frank Tannenbaum
C)Erving Goffman
D)Edwin Sutherland

Accepted Answer

The term "white collar crime" was coined by sociologist Edwin Sutherland. He defined it as crimes committed by individuals of high social status and respectability in the course of their occupation.

Question 4

All of the following acts qualify as a white collar crime EXCEPT for which one?
A)a bank teller robbing the First National bank
B)a police officer taking $100 to refrain from writing a speeding ticket
C)an executive writing off the corporation's million-dollar fine as investment capital
D)a businessperson classifying parking tickets as job hunting expenses on an income tax return

Accepted Answer

While all the other options involve some form of white collar crime, robbing a bank does not fall under the category of white collar crime. White collar crimes are typically non-violent crimes committed by individuals of high social status in the course of their occupation, such as embezzlement or insider trading.

Question 5

In The Scarlet Letter, why was Hester Prynne required to wear a scarlet "A" on her dress?
A)Sociologically, this served as a negative sanction and an example of shaming.
B)Psychologically, it provided her the opportunity to face what she had become.
C)It indicated she was at the head of her class in what she had done.
D)It was a "badge of honor" that many other women wished they could achieve.

Accepted Answer

Hester Prynne was required to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her dress as a form of punishment and shaming for committing adultery. The scarlet letter served as a negative sanction and an example to others in the community to discourage them from committing similar acts. It was a public reminder of Hester's transgression and a means of ensuring that she would be ostracized and isolated from the rest of society.

Question 6

The total prison and jail population in the United States equals approximately ________ people, which is one out of every 135 Americans.
A)500,000
B)1,500,000
C)2,300,000
D)4,000,000

Accepted Answer

The total prison and jail population in the United States equals approximately 2,300,000 people, which is one out of every 135 Americans. Option A (500,000) and Option B (1,500,000) are far lower than the actual number, and Option D (4,000,000) is higher than the actual number.

Question 7

The ________ theory developed by Robert Merton is based on the idea that most people want to attain cultural goals, but not everyone has the legitimate means of achieving them.
A)illegitimate opportunity
B)strain
C)labeling
D)control

Accepted Answer

Robert Merton's strain theory suggests that individuals experience strain or stress when they are unable to achieve cultural goals through legitimate means. This leads to various forms of deviant behavior, as individuals may turn to illegitimate means to attain their goals.

Question 8

The significance of names or reputations given to people when they engage in certain types of behavior is the focus of ________ theory.
A)strain
B)control
C)labeling
D)differential association

Accepted Answer

Labeling theory focuses on how negative labels and reputations can become the primary identity of an individual who engages in deviant behavior, leading to further involvement in such behavior. The theory suggests that society's reaction to deviance, rather than the behavior itself, is what ultimately defines individuals as deviant. Strain theory focuses on social structures and inequality as the root causes of deviance, control theory focuses on the individual's social bonds as factors that prevent deviance, and differential association theory focuses on how individuals learn deviant behavior through their interactions with others who engage in such behavior.

Question 9

Based on the 2013 edition of the Statistical Abstract in the United States, the state with the lowest rate of violent crime in America is ________, while the state with the highest rate of violent crime is ________.
A)Wyoming; New York
B)Montana; New Jersey
C)Colorado; California
D)Maine; Nevada

Accepted Answer

According to the 2013 edition of the Statistical Abstract in the United States, Maine had the lowest rate of violent crime per 100,000 inhabitants with a rate of 123.2, while Nevada had the highest rate with a rate of 607.6. Therefore, the answer is D, with Maine as the state with the lowest rate of violent crime and Nevada as the state with the highest rate.

Question 10

When Anthony worked as a prison counselor he would often ask property offenders why they committed the crime. The overwhelming response was, "I had to feed my family." How would Sykes and Matza classify this response?
A)denial of responsibility
B)appeal to higher loyalties
C)condemnation of the condemners
D)denial of injury

Accepted Answer

A response of "I had to feed my family" is an example of an appeal to higher loyalties, as the individual is justifying their criminal behavior by claiming that they were trying to provide for their loved ones. Sykes and Matza's technique of neutralization theory suggests that individuals can neutralize their guilt or responsibility for criminal behavior by appealing to higher loyalties or external factors that influenced their actions.

Question 11

Cloward and Ohlin addressed the street hustler as a role model for youth and the methods used to earn easy money through a life of crime. What did they call this career path of delinquency?
A)containment theory
B)social bond theory
C)the theory of differential association
D)illegitimate opportunity structure

Accepted Answer

Cloward and Ohlin coined the term "illegitimate opportunity structure" to describe the career path of delinquency, in which individuals turn to crime as a means of achieving success and financial gain due to limited legitimate opportunities available to them.

Question 12

The early sociologist who argued that deviance might be functional for society was ________.
A)Max Weber
B)Henri Saint Simon
C)Emile Durkheim
D)Karl Marx

Accepted Answer

Emile Durkheim argued that deviance might be functional for society as it helps in reinforcing norms and values, promoting social unity, and providing a sense of collective identity. He believed that some level of deviance is necessary for society to function properly.

Question 13

John desires the best things in life - a fast car, designer clothes, and membership in exclusive clubs. But rather than work his way through the system, he has discovered he can have all these things by selling crack cocaine in the inner city. How would Merton classify John?
A)a ritualist
B)a anarchist
C)a rebel
D)an innovator

Accepted Answer

Merton's strain theory suggests that innovation occurs when an individual accepts society's goals but rejects the legitimate means of achieving them. John desires the best things in life and has found an alternative (illegal) means of achieving them through selling crack cocaine. Therefore, John would be classified as an innovator.

Question 14

In an effort to resist the label of "deviant," most people will develop rationales to justify their deviant acts. Sykes and Matza refer to these rationales as ________.
A)ideologies
B)techniques of neutralization
C)strategies of justification
D)labeling

Accepted Answer

Sykes and Matza's concept of "techniques of neutralization" refers to the rationalizations or justifications individuals develop to justify their deviant behavior, in an effort to resist the label of "deviant" and maintain a positive self-image. The other answer choices are not mentioned in the context of Sykes and Matza's theory of neutralization.

Question 15

Based on Merton's typologies, what do drug addicts, the homeless, nuns living in a convent, and monks living in a monastery have in common?
A)They are all conformists.
B)They are all retreatists.
C)They are all rebels.
D)They are all ritualists.

Accepted Answer

These groups are considered retreatists because they reject both the cultural goals and the institutional means of achieving them, retreating from society's expectations.

Question 16

All of the following theories follow the principles of symbolic interactionism EXCEPT for which one?
A)differential association theory
B)control theory
C)labeling theory
D)strain theory

Accepted Answer

Strain theory, unlike differential association, control, and labeling theories, does not primarily focus on the symbolic interactions and meanings that individuals ascribe to their actions and social roles. Instead, it emphasizes the societal pressures that drive individuals to commit deviant acts.

Question 17

Matthew and Ryan are devout Christian Fundamentalists and believe that homosexuality is against God's will and that homosexuals deserve to be punished. They spend a couple evenings each week in gay bashing activities that include physical violence and verbal assaults. Based on their rationalization, which technique of neutralization is most applicable for Matthew and Ryan to maintain positive self-images?
A)denial of a victim
B)denial of injury
C)denial of responsibility
D)condemn the condemner

Accepted Answer

Denial of a victim is the technique of neutralization most applicable here, as Matthew and Ryan likely justify their actions by viewing homosexuals not as victims but as violators of their moral or religious beliefs, thus rationalizing their behavior as deserved or justified.

Question 18

According to Cloward and Ohlin, what is the underlying cause of deviance and delinquency in unstable slums of a city?
A)illegitimate opportunity structures
B)the racial composition of the city
C)a rival struggle for power
D)unethical police behavior

Accepted Answer

According to Cloward and Ohlin, individuals in unstable slums lack access to legitimate opportunities for achievement and success, leading them to turn to illegitimate means such as theft, drug dealing, or gang involvement. They argue that the structure of society and the economy creates an underclass of people who have limited opportunities for social and economic mobility, leading to deviance and delinquency.

Question 19

The term degradation ceremony was coined by sociologist ________.
A)Harold Garfinkel
B)Erving Goffman
C)Talcott Parsons
D)Herbert Spencer

Accepted Answer

Harold Garfinkel introduced the term "degradation ceremony" to describe a process by which an individual is stripped of their identity and publicly stigmatized.

Question 20

According to strain theory, the underlying cause of deviance is that people experience a sense of normlessness. This sense of normlessness is referred to as ________.
A)anomie
B)latent dysfunction
C)mass hysteria
D)retreatism

Accepted Answer

Strain theory posits that individuals experience anomie or normlessness when they are unable to attain their goals through legitimate means. This can lead them to resort to deviant behavior as a means of achieving their goals.

Quiz 6: Deviance and Social Control

The crime with the highest increase among women between 1992 and 2010 was ________.

Sociologists who view law as an instrument of oppression used to control workers are aligned most with which sociological perspective?

The term white collar crime was coined by sociologist ________ to refer to crimes that people of respectable social status commit in the course of their occupation.

All of the following acts qualify as a white collar crime EXCEPT for which one?

In The Scarlet Letter, why was Hester Prynne required to wear a scarlet "A" on her dress?

The total prison and jail population in the United States equals approximately ________ people, which is one out of every 135 Americans.

The ________ theory developed by Robert Merton is based on the idea that most people want to attain cultural goals, but not everyone has the legitimate means of achieving them.

The significance of names or reputations given to people when they engage in certain types of behavior is the focus of ________ theory.

Based on the 2013 edition of the Statistical Abstract in the United States, the state with the lowest rate of violent crime in America is , while the state with the highest rate of violent crime is .

When Anthony worked as a prison counselor he would often ask property offenders why they committed the crime. The overwhelming response was, "I had to feed my family." How would Sykes and Matza classify this response?

Cloward and Ohlin addressed the street hustler as a role model for youth and the methods used to earn easy money through a life of crime. What did they call this career path of delinquency?

The early sociologist who argued that deviance might be functional for society was ________.

John desires the best things in life - a fast car, designer clothes, and membership in exclusive clubs. But rather than work his way through the system, he has discovered he can have all these things by selling crack cocaine in the inner city. How would Merton classify John?

In an effort to resist the label of "deviant," most people will develop rationales to justify their deviant acts. Sykes and Matza refer to these rationales as ________.

Based on Merton's typologies, what do drug addicts, the homeless, nuns living in a convent, and monks living in a monastery have in common?

All of the following theories follow the principles of symbolic interactionism EXCEPT for which one?

According to Cloward and Ohlin, what is the underlying cause of deviance and delinquency in unstable slums of a city?

The term degradation ceremony was coined by sociologist ________.

According to strain theory, the underlying cause of deviance is that people experience a sense of normlessness. This sense of normlessness is referred to as ________.