Question 1

Howard Becker's labeling theory argues that no act is deviant until a society labels it as deviant. Explain why Becker and other sociologists, like David Rosenhan, author of "On Being Sane in Insane Places," believe that labeling can have long-lasting effects on the individual who is labeled a deviant.

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Question 2

Explain the concept of cash register honesty. Provide two examples to support your answer.

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Question 3

Robert Merton advanced the idea that labeling can bring about self-fulfilling prophecies or inaccurate beliefs that, if repeated loudly and frequently enough, can become true. Compare the ideas of Merton and those of sociologist Elijah Anderson, who believed that a self-fulfilling prophecy has contributed to racial conflict in the United States.

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Question 4

Individuals or groups labeled as deviant are often stigmatized. They acquire what Erving Goffman called a "spoiled identity," which devalues them and often excludes them from normal social interaction. Illustrate the different ways that stigmatized individuals and groups cope with their stigmatization.

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Question 5

What is cyberbullying, and how is it different from traditional bullying?

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Question 6

Crime statistics can sometimes be misleading. Explain some potential problems with crime statistics that draw conclusions about the criminal behavior of certain class, age, or ethnic groups.

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Question 7

The United States has more inmates than any other country in the world today, even though prisons were not introduced as a method of punishment until the nineteenth century. Who is benefiting financially from the incarceration of so many inmates?

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Question 8

Why do functional theorists suggest that deviance helps to clarify moral boundaries and affirm social norms?

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Question 9

According to labeling theory, the labels people are given affect their own and others' perceptions of them. How does this process lead to more deviant behaviors? Provide an example to explain your answer.

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Question 10

In his structural strain theory, Robert Merton argues that people who do not have the financial or cultural means to achieve the goals that society sets out for them, such as financial success, are more likely to engage in deviant behavior. Explain the different ways in which these people deal with their limited resources and express their deviant behavior, according to Merton.

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Question 11

How did David Matza's approach of studying the powerless and impoverished differ from the "nuts and sluts" approach?

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Question 12

There are many competing and often incompatible ideas about how to best deal with criminal behavior. Deterrence, retribution, incapacitation, and rehabilitation are all believed by some to have merit. Discuss the ways in which these different methods for dealing with deviance reflect the different ways society views criminals.

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Question 13

In what ways might a man experience stereotype promise in the nursing field?

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Question 14

What makes a crime a hate crime? Why are hate crime statistics so unreliable?

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Question 15

How do peer groups serve as so-called bad influences during the process of social learning? Which theory of deviance attempts to explain this phenomenon?

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Question 16

Structural functionalists like Émile Durkheim believe that every aspect of a social structure does something to help maintain the stability of society. According to Durkheim, what are some of the so-called functions of deviance within a society?

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Question 17

Why are young people more likely to get arrested?

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Question 18

Conflict theorists believe that society's definition of deviance is designed in such a way that people with the most power will be seen as most "normal" and even idealized by the rest of society. Those with the least power will more often be considered deviant and subject to the negative sanctions that come with a deviant identity. Give two examples of how laws can target people with less power and label their behaviors or lifestyles as deviant.

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Question 19

According to Howard Becker, there are no inherently deviant acts, only societal reactions to acts that make them deviant. Describe an instance in which one person could be seen as a hero and another person could be labeled a criminal even though they are engaging in the same behavior.

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Question 20

Some light-skinned African Americans have attempted to pass as white due to stigmatization. Describe the process of passing. What was the historical motivation for African Americans to pass as white?

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Quiz 6: Deviance