Question 1

Police officers, watchful parents, concerned neighbors, and crime prevention security devices are examples of:

Accepted Answer

Capable guardians refer to individuals or mechanisms that are present and able to prevent crime from occurring. Police officers, watchful parents, concerned neighbors, and crime prevention security devices all serve as deterrents or protectors against criminal activities, making them capable guardians in the context of crime prevention theories.

Question 2

Sigmund Freud believed that the mind could be divided into three levels. The first was:

Accepted Answer

Freud's model of the mind is divided into three main parts: the conscious mind, the preconscious mind, and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind refers to our immediate awareness of thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, which is why option B is correct.

Question 3

Sigmund Freud believed that the mind could be divided into three levels. The second was:

Accepted Answer

Freud's model of the mind is divided into three levels: the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. The preconscious mind is the second level, acting as a layer between the conscious and unconscious, where memories are stored and can be accessed with some effort.

Question 4

Sigmund Freud believed that the mind could be divided into three levels. The third was:

Accepted Answer

Freud's theory of the mind's structure included the unconscious mind as the third level, which he believed houses repressed memories, desires, and feelings that are not accessible to an individual's immediate awareness.

Question 5

Social learning theory (also known as observational learning) holds that individuals learn behaviors by:

Accepted Answer

Social learning theory, developed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes that individuals can learn new behaviors by observing others, without direct experience or reinforcement.

Question 6

In the classic study by Albert Bandura, Dorothy Ross, and Sheila Ross (1961), the authors determined that children who watched aggressive behavior subsequently behaved aggressively, by hitting an inflatable toy. What does this demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

This study is a foundational experiment supporting social learning theory, which posits that people can learn new behaviors by observing others. The children imitated the aggressive behavior they observed, demonstrating that learning can occur through observation and imitation, a core principle of social learning theory.

Question 7

Learning may occur as a result of reinforcements and punishments, in what is known as:

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is a learning process through which the strength of a behavior is modified by reinforcement or punishment. It is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology introduced by B.F. Skinner, distinguishing it from the other options which relate to different aspects of sociology and criminology.

Question 8

According to operant conditioning, behavior can be influenced through:

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning, a theory developed by B.F. Skinner, posits that behavior can be shaped by its consequences. Positive reinforcement involves adding a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior, negative reinforcement involves removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior, and positive punishment involves adding an aversive stimulus to decrease a behavior. All these methods are used to influence behavior, making all the options correct.

Question 9

A rapist obeying the traffic laws, and a shoplifter resisting the idea of committing armed robbery are examples illustrating that many offenders only selectively violate the law. This notion supports what theory?

Accepted Answer

Neutralization theory suggests that offenders justify their criminal actions through a process of rationalization, allowing them to selectively violate the law while adhering to other norms and laws they do not rationalize away. This theory explains how individuals can commit certain crimes while still conforming to other societal norms, such as obeying traffic laws or resisting more severe criminal behaviors.

Question 10

Sykes and Matza identified 5 techniques that may neutralize accepted norms; in essence, these are excuses that some offenders may use to justify their criminal behavior. An example is:

Accepted Answer

All of the options listed (Denial of responsibility, Denial of injury or of the victim, The condemnation of the condemners) are examples of the techniques identified by Sykes and Matza to describe how offenders neutralize accepted norms to justify their criminal behavior.

Question 11

Aggression, hostility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, are examples of:

Accepted Answer

These characteristics are considered personality traits that have been suspected as links to criminal behavior, according to psychological and criminological research. They are not inherently medical conditions, criminal behaviors themselves, nor are they problems found in all children.

Question 12

Eysenck argued that the potential criminal is one who possesses both neurotic and extroverted personality traits, because:

Accepted Answer

Eysenck's theory suggests that individuals with a combination of neurotic and extroverted traits may engage in risky or self-destructive behaviors without recognizing the harm or danger in their actions, which can lead to criminal behavior.

Question 13

Strain theorists argue that society defines certain goals (principally the accumulation of wealth) as worthy of attainment. When members of society, predominantly the lower socio-economic class, fail to achieve those goals, frustration (or strain) results. To relieve this frustration:

Accepted Answer

Strain theory suggests that when individuals cannot achieve societal goals through legitimate means, they may turn to deviant or criminal behavior as an alternative.

Question 14

There are four components to social bonds:

Accepted Answer

The correct components of social bonds, as identified by Travis Hirschi in his social control theory, are attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. These elements describe the ways in which individuals form connections to society and conform to societal norms.

Question 15

If a mother repeatedly tells her son that he is a troublemaker, whether he is or not, he mayinternalize the label and get into trouble. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Labeling theory suggests that individuals become identified with a label by others, leading them to adopt this label as part of their identity, which can influence their behavior to conform to the label. In this scenario, the son internalizes the "troublemaker" label, which can lead to behavior that aligns with this identity.

Question 16

If we can understand why people commit crimes, we can:

Accepted Answer

Understanding why people commit crimes allows for the creation of targeted policies and programs aimed at addressing the underlying causes of criminal behavior, which can lead to a reduction in crime rates.

Question 17

One theory suggests that over the course of a person's life, multiple forces can combine to influence behavior in different ways, depending upon which stage in life a person finds himself or herself. This theory is known as:

Accepted Answer

Life course theory posits that an individual's life history and experiences, including social, economic, and environmental factors, influence behavior and outcomes across different stages of life. This theory emphasizes the importance of timing, context, and the interconnectedness of life events.

Question 18

To be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, a person must exhibit at least 3 of 6 characteristics. These include:

Accepted Answer

All the options listed (A, B, C) are indeed characteristics used to diagnose antisocial personality disorder according to the DSM-5 criteria.

Question 19

A criminal feels that, "It wasn't my fault." This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Denial of responsibility is a defense mechanism where an individual justifies their actions by suggesting they were not personally accountable for their behavior, often implying external circumstances or pressures forced their hand. This aligns with the criminal's feeling that "It wasn't my fault," as they are essentially denying personal responsibility for their actions.

Question 20

A criminal feels that, "They deserved what they got." This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

This statement is an example of "Denial of the victim," where the criminal justifies their actions by suggesting that the victim deserved the outcome, thus shifting blame away from themselves.

Quiz 5: Theories of Criminal Behavior