Question 1

The ACLU wrote that, "our every move, our every transaction, our every communication is recorded, compiled and stored away, ready to be used against us." The ACLU was referring to

Accepted Answer

The ACLU's statement refers to the extensive monitoring and recording of individuals' activities, which is characteristic of surveillance practices. This includes tracking movements, transactions, and communications.

Question 2

Summarize the responses to surveillance as presented by structural strain theory. Do any of the responses apply to your life?

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Question 3

When there are not enough legitimate opportunities open to satisfy all who seek to achieve valued goals, ___________ exists.

Accepted Answer

Structural strain theory, proposed by Robert K. Merton, suggests that when there is a discrepancy between culturally defined goals and the institutionalized means available to achieve these goals, structural strain occurs. This can lead to deviant behavior when individuals cannot achieve societal goals through legitimate means.

Question 4

Surveillance is a mechanism of social control with a goal of

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The answer of Surveillance is a mechanism of social control...

Question 5

Think about a typical day. List what parts of your day-today life (activities)are monitored. Is there anything you do that may raise questions about your activities or motivations if revealed?

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Question 6

Explain the meaning of illegitimate opportunity structures. Describe at least two situations in your life in which you have opportunities to commit crimes.

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The answer of Explain the meaning of illegitimate opportunity structures....

Question 7

Elaborate on the meaning of the following statement: "Almost any behavior or appearance can qualify as deviant under the right circumstances." Give examples to support your writing.

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Question 8

What does it mean to live in a society where people are told that they can be anything they want if they work hard enough? The questions relates to the concept of

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The answer of What does it mean to live in...

Question 9

The question "What does it mean to live in a society organized around surveillance but where personal privacy is protected by the constitution?" captures the dynamics of

Accepted Answer

The question highlights the tension between societal surveillance and constitutional protections of privacy, reflecting a structural strain. Structural strain occurs when there is a disconnection or conflict between societal goals and the means available to achieve them, in this case, the goal of security through surveillance conflicting with the goal of individual privacy rights.

Question 10

What sociological concept addresses the question, "what does it mean to know someone is or could be watching you at any time?"

Accepted Answer

The concept of a disciplinary society, as discussed by Michel Foucault, addresses the idea that people behave differently under the assumption that they might be observed at any time. This concept is encapsulated in the idea of the Panopticon, a theoretical prison design where inmates are aware that they could be watched at any moment, thus controlling their behavior.

Question 11

When people believe someone is watching, they may censor or police themselves or find ways to avoid the "gaze". Their dynamic applies to

Accepted Answer

This dynamic is most closely associated with the concept of a disciplinary society, as theorized by Michel Foucault. He argued that surveillance and the sense of being watched can lead individuals to regulate their own behavior even in the absence of direct supervision, a phenomenon he described as part of the mechanisms of control in modern societies.

Question 12

In China, posts to website's that ___________ are subject to censorship.

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Question 13

Margie comes to the conclusion that individual privacy is unachievable, but grudgingly gives consent to being "watched" in return for services. From a structural strain point of view Margie is engaged in

Accepted Answer

Ritualism involves adhering to societal norms or rules despite not achieving the desired outcomes, in this case, privacy. Margie's acceptance of being watched in exchange for services reflects compliance with societal norms (use of services that require surveillance) without achieving her personal goal of privacy.

Question 14

During the Cultural Revolution the Communist Party held sessions where neighbors were mandated to report on and criticize each other. These sessions were a form of

Accepted Answer

These sessions were a form of surveillance, as they involved monitoring and reporting on the behavior and attitudes of individuals within the community, aligning with the broader goals of social control and conformity during the Cultural Revolution.

Question 15

For labeling theorists, the critical focus in the study of deviance is the

Accepted Answer

Labeling theorists focus on the social audience's reaction to and definition of deviance, emphasizing how societal reactions can label certain behaviors or individuals as deviant.

Question 16

Identify a deviant behavior profiled in the news. Which sociological theories help to explain that behavior?

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Question 17

The human gaze is a form of

Accepted Answer

The human gaze can be a form of surveillance as it involves observing or monitoring others' actions or behaviors.

Question 18

Joe values privacy and is not willing to consent to surveillance. To access advantages that come with surveillance such as reward points, Joe gives a nonworking phone number. From a structural strain perspective Joe is engaged in

Accepted Answer

From a structural strain perspective, Joe is engaging in innovation because he is using unconventional means (giving a nonworking phone number) to achieve a socially accepted goal (accessing advantages like reward points) without adhering to the socially accepted means (consenting to surveillance).

Quiz 7: Deviance, Conformity, and Social Control: With Emphasis on Mass Surveillance