Question 1

Victor is a gang member and proud to be one. He looks to his fellow gang members as a sort of family that provides him with support, work, and safety. His view of what others see as deviance is most consistent with which approach to understanding deviance?

Accepted Answer

Victor's perspective aligns with the symbolic interactionist approach, which focuses on how individuals interpret and give meaning to their experiences. In this case, Victor sees his gang involvement positively, as a source of support and safety, highlighting the subjective nature of deviance.

Question 2

Lisa does not especially care what others think of her or her behavior and typically does whatever it suits her to do at the time. Social control theory would predict that she would be more likely to engage in deviant behavior because

Accepted Answer

According to social control theory, social bonds and attachments serve as a deterrent to deviant behavior. Lisa's lack of concern for what others think of her and her behavior suggests that her attachments to social bonds may be weakened, making her more likely to engage in deviant behavior. However, it is important to note that this is a prediction based on a theory and may not necessarily be true for every individual.

Question 3

In the 1990s, the crack epidemic, which often affected poor, inner-city Black communities, was met with harsher sentencing laws. Today, when opioid overdoses are epidemic in white middle-class communities, the societal response is geared more toward treatment and prevention. This disparity in response is most consistent with which approach?

Accepted Answer

The unequal response to the crack epidemic and the opioid epidemic suggests a conflict approach. The harsher sentencing laws for crack, which disproportionately affected poor, inner-city Black communities, reflect the power dynamics and systemic racism within society. The more compassionate response to the opioid epidemic in white, middle-class communities may be influenced by privilege and economic interests.

Question 4

Thomas, age thirty-seven, grew up in an extremely impoverished neighborhood of a city that was, itself, struggling to survive after most of its factories closed and no new industries moved in to take their place. Thomas did get a high school diploma but has been periodically unemployed and, when employed, often works part-time and earns only minimum wage. He would love to get job training and make more of himself, maybe even own his own home someday, but he simply does not have the resources needed to make that happen. Merton's structural strain theory would predict that Thomas might turn to crime because of

Accepted Answer

Merton's structural strain theory posits that individuals may turn to crime when there is a disconnect between desired cultural goals and the means of achieving them. In Thomas's case, he desires job training and financial stability but lacks the resources to achieve those goals, thus creating tension and strain that could potentially lead him to criminal activity as a means of achieving those desired goals.

Question 5

A weakness of the conflict theory of deviance is its failure to recognize

Accepted Answer

The conflict theory of deviance focuses on the ways in which laws and social norms reflect the interests and perspectives of the powerful, but it can overlook the fact that laws and norms also benefit many people who are not wealthy or influential. Therefore, it fails to recognize that laws protect most people, not just the affluent.

Question 6

According to the social control theory, what is the primary reason that people internalize social norms?

Accepted Answer

The primary reason people internalize social norms according to social control theory is because they care what others think of them. They want to be accepted and respected by others, and therefore conform to social norms to gain approval and avoid rejection.

Question 7

Mia is strongly committed to the ideals of American financial life: an education to prepare her for a lucrative career, a good job, and financial success. Fortunately, she was able to attend college on a full-ride scholarship and lived at home so that when she found her job, she had no student debt to pay off. She believes that if she works hard, she will achieve financial success. Merton would describe Mia as being in a state of

Accepted Answer

Mia's adherence to societal goals (financial success) and the institutional means to achieve them (education, hard work) aligns with Merton's concept of conformity.

Question 8

The Ku Klux Klan and Neo-Nazis are both examples of which type of cultural-structural strain?

Accepted Answer

The Ku Klux Klan and Neo-Nazis are examples of rebellion because they actively seek to change the social structure and values of society to align with their own ideologies, often through extreme and violent means. This contrasts with conforming to or retreating from societal norms, innovating within the existing social structure, or adhering strictly to societal rules without seeking change.

Question 9

Conflict theorists argue that

Accepted Answer

Conflict theorists argue that the power to define deviance is an important form of social control. Those in power are able to label certain behaviors as deviant and use this labeling to maintain their power by controlling and punishing those who do not conform.

Question 10

A significant difference between the functionalist and conflict theories of deviance is that

Accepted Answer

The significant difference between functionalist and conflict theories of deviance is that functionalist theory assumes that the system works for the good of the whole, and conflict theory assumes that it works for the good of those in power. Functionalism focuses on the maintenance of social order and stability, while conflict theory emphasizes the inequalities and power struggles in society.

Question 11

Which of these statements about the functionalist approach to deviance is false?

Accepted Answer

The functionalist approach to deviance does not explain how social norms first become established in society. This is more closely related to the social constructionist perspective. The functionalist perspective instead focuses on how social norms are maintained and reinforced by society.

Question 12

From the conflict perspective on deviance, all of the following are true except

Accepted Answer

The conflict perspective on deviance argues that deviance arises from social inequality and that those with less power are more likely to be labeled as deviant for small, insignificant infractions. Additionally, racial minorities are often punished more frequently than others. However, deviance does not necessarily reaffirm social solidarity; in fact, the existence of deviance can highlight the divisions and inequalities in a society.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of informal deviance in U.S. culture?

Accepted Answer

Body piercing is considered informal deviance as it may be viewed as unconventional or non-normative by some segments of society, but it does not violate formal laws.

Question 14

Conflict and functionalist theories of deviance share

Accepted Answer

Both conflict and functionalist theories of deviance place an emphasis on the social structure and its role in creating and defining deviance. However, they differ in their perspectives on the social structure and its relationship to deviance. Conflict theory emphasizes how social inequality creates conflict and how this conflict often leads to deviance, while functionalist theory emphasizes how deviance can serve a social function in maintaining social order. Neither theory places a significant emphasis on individual motivation or the role of the legal system in defining deviance.

Question 15

Social control theory is based on the assumptions that

Accepted Answer

Social control theory posits that most individuals have some impulse towards deviance but are able to resist acting on those impulses due to their attachment to a common value system. This attachment can come in the form of social bonds with family, peers, and institutions such as schools and religion. These bonds help to maintain social order by encouraging conformity to societal norms and expectations. Individuals who lack these social bonds may be more likely to engage in deviant behavior.

Question 16

The historic persecution of witches is presented in the text as an example of

Accepted Answer

The text presents the historic persecution of witches as an example of how dominant groups can exert control over other groups by marking some populations as deviant. This is evident through the use of trials, laws, and violence to suppress the perceived threat of witches, who were often women and other marginalized groups. The persecution of witches was not functional for society but rather a reflection of the values and beliefs held by those in power, which were used to legitimize their control over others.

Question 17

A criticism of the functional perspective on deviance is that it

Accepted Answer

The functional perspective on deviance, often associated with the work of Emile Durkheim, suggests that deviance plays an important role in society by reinforcing norms and promoting social cohesion. However, a criticism of this perspective is that it does not adequately explain why certain individuals or groups have the power to define what is considered deviant, essentially overlooking the dynamics of power and how societal norms are established and enforced.

Question 18

Sociologists would consider _____ to be a form of _____ deviance.

Accepted Answer

Sociologists consider crime to be a form of formal deviance because it violates formally established laws and norms that are enforced by the state or other formal institutions. Informal deviance, on the other hand, involves minor violations of social norms that are not necessarily illegal or subject to formal sanctions. Rudeness is not typically considered a form of deviance, as it is not necessarily a violation of any formal or informal norms.

Question 19

The term _____ crime refers to criminal activities by people of high social status who commit crime in the context of their occupation.

Accepted Answer

White-collar crime refers to criminal activities by people of high social status who commit crime in the context of their occupation. Professional crime refers to organized crimes committed by criminals with specialized skills, such as hacking or safe-cracking. Situational crime refers to crimes that occur due to the circumstances and context, such as theft or vandalism. Class crime is not a widely recognized term in criminology.

Question 20

Many mass shootings at schools, from Columbine to Sandy Hook to Virginia Tech to Umpqua Community College, end when the shooters commit suicide. The shooters were often socially marginalized, had tumultuous relationships with others and weak social networks, and sometimes saw their crimes as a way to be famous. Durkheim would most likely classify their suicides as

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many mass shootings at schools, from Columbine...

Quiz 7: Deviance and Crime