Question 1

Control theorists believe that deviance results from the absence of social control or restraint.

Accepted Answer

Control theory in sociology suggests that deviance occurs when an individual's ties to the community or social norms are weakened, leading to a lack of restraint or control over deviant impulses.

Question 2

According to learning theorists, people learn deviance through different mechanisms than they learn conformity.

Accepted Answer

Learning theorists, such as those who subscribe to differential association theory, argue that the mechanisms through which people learn deviance are the same as those through which they learn conformity. The process involves learning from the environment and from interactions with others, whether the behaviors being learned are considered deviant or conformist.

Question 3

If someone is interested in the epidemiology of deviant acts he or she is interested in specific causes of those deviant acts.

Accepted Answer

Epidemiology of deviant acts focuses on the distribution and patterns of deviant behavior within populations, rather than specific causes of individual acts.

Question 4

An anomie theorist would agree with which of the following statements?

Accepted Answer

Anomie theory, particularly as developed by sociologist Robert K. Merton, suggests that society sets cultural goals such as the "American Dream," but does not provide equal means for everyone to achieve these goals. This discrepancy leads to anomie, a state of normlessness where the failure of social norms to regulate behavior leads some individuals to pursue deviant methods to achieve these goals. Thus, the statement that the social structure provides opportunities to achieve the American Dream only to a few people aligns with the concept of anomie.

Question 5

Conflict theories give detailed information about the process by which an individual comes to commit crimes or becomes a deviant.

Accepted Answer

Conflict theories primarily focus on the social and economic inequalities that influence power dynamics and contribute to crime, rather than detailing the individual process of becoming a criminal or deviant.

Question 6

The "square of crime" advocated by left realists does NOT include which component?

Accepted Answer

Left realists' "square of crime" includes offenders, victims, the criminal justice system, and the wider community or public opinion, but does not specifically include business interests as a core component.

Question 7

Conflict theorists see criminal behavior:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Conflict theorists see criminal behavior:
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Question 8

Anomie theorists believe that deviance only comes from interaction with others.

Accepted Answer

Anomie theorists, like Émile Durkheim, believe that deviance arises from a breakdown of social norms or a state of normlessness, not solely from interaction with others.

Question 9

Phil works very hard but he doesn't think that he will ever achieve the American Dream. He never thinks of committing any crimes to get more money. Which of the following adaptations to anomie is Phil engaging in?

Accepted Answer

Phil is engaging in ritualism, which is characterized by continuing to adhere to conventional behaviors and norms (such as working hard) without believing in their ability to help him achieve societal goals (like the American Dream). This adaptation involves the abandonment of the goals but a steadfast adherence to the means.

Question 10

The labeling perspective does little to explain why individuals begin to engage in deviance.

Accepted Answer

The labeling perspective primarily focuses on how societal reactions to certain behaviors lead to individuals being labeled as deviant, rather than explaining the initial reasons for engaging in deviant behavior.

Question 11

Which of the following would be asserted by a conflict theorist?

Accepted Answer

Conflict theorists argue that those in power create laws to protect and promote their interests, often at the expense of those without power. This perspective emphasizes the role of inequality and power struggles in shaping social structures and laws.

Question 12

Gottfredson and Hirschi believe that low-self control is the major cause of deviant behaviors.

Accepted Answer

Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime (1990) posits that low self-control is the primary factor underlying criminal and deviant behaviors. They argue that individuals with low self-control are more likely to engage in impulsive, risky, and short-sighted actions, including criminal activities.

Question 13

Conflict theorists believe that laws created by the powerful are only designed to protect private property.

Accepted Answer

Conflict theorists argue that laws created by the powerful serve broader purposes, including maintaining their own power and privilege, beyond just protecting private property. They believe laws also enforce social control and perpetuate inequalities.

Question 14

Joe has lost all hope of getting rich even though he has tried to work hard. Out of frustration he turns to alcohol and other drugs and essentially withdraws from society. Joe has adapted to anomie by which method?

Accepted Answer

Retreatism is the adaptation by individuals who give up on societal goals and the means of achieving them, as in Joe's case where he has withdrawn from society and turned to alcohol and other drugs.

Question 15

Sarah is from a poor neighborhood where jobs are scarce. She wants to acquire material possessions that she cannot afford, so she becomes a prostitute in order to earn some tax-free cash and buy those possessions she wishes she could have, even though what she does is illegal. Sarah is adapting to anomie in what way?

Accepted Answer

Innovation refers to the adaptation where an individual accepts societal goals but rejects the socially acceptable means to achieve them, opting instead for new, often illicit, methods. Sarah's choice to engage in prostitution for financial gain, despite its illegality, to achieve material possessions aligns with the concept of innovation in response to anomie.

Question 16

______ argued that failure to achieve legitimate goals is only one way one can experience anomie. One could also experience strain from removing positive stimuli or applying negative stimuli.

Accepted Answer

Agnew expanded on Merton's theory of anomie and strain by suggesting that strain can also result from the removal of positively valued stimuli and the presentation of negative stimuli, not just from the failure to achieve societal goals.

Question 17

Calli is a member of the ruling class. She is one of the wealthiest members of society that controls the means of production. Calli is a member of the:

Accepted Answer

Calli is described as a member of the ruling class and one of the wealthiest members of society that controls the means of production, which aligns with the definition of the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie is the class that owns the means of production in a capitalist society, distinguishing them from the proletariat, who do not own means of production and must sell their labor to survive.

Question 18

Anomie theory has been criticized because:

Accepted Answer

Anomie theory has been criticized for assuming that deviance is concentrated in the lower classes, which overlooks the presence of deviant behavior across all social strata.

Question 19

Hirschi's theory of differential association accounts for both the etiology and epidemiology of deviance.

Accepted Answer

Hirschi's theory is known as Social Bond Theory or Control Theory, not differential association, which was proposed by Edwin Sutherland to explain the etiology and epidemiology of deviance.

Question 20

Secondary deviance refers to the situation where an individual has the social status of a deviant and plays a deviant role.

Accepted Answer

Secondary deviance occurs when an individual's self-concept and behavior begin to change after their actions are publicly labeled as deviant, leading them to further embrace the deviant role and identity.

Quiz 4: Major Theories of Deviance