Question 1

According to the author, which of the following is accurate regarding why troubled kids choose delinquent peers?

Accepted Answer

The author explains that troubled youth may feel isolated and rejected by conventional peers and may turn to delinquent peers out of a need for social connections and support rather than any intrinsic attraction to trouble. Option A is not supported by the passage and option B is mentioned as a possible factor but not the primary reason. Option D is also not supported by the passage.

Question 2

Do criminals really neutralize? What does Topalli's research on street criminals indicate?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

Criminals sometimes neutralize wrongdoings by "appealing to higher loyalties." Which of the following would be an example of that technique?

Accepted Answer

Attacking someone who is arguing with a friend could be an example of "appealing to higher loyalties" if the attacker believed they were defending their friend's honor or proving their loyalty to their friend.

Question 4

Adolescents who do not receive affection from their parents during childhood are:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Adolescents who do not receive affection from...

Question 5

Which of the following research findings supports the core principles of differential association theory?

Accepted Answer

Differential association theory suggests that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions with others who hold deviant values and attitudes. If crime appears to be intergenerational, it would support the idea that deviant behavior is learned within families or social networks, which is a key component of differential association theory. Options A and B relate to the rational choice theory and social learning theory, respectively, while option C suggests a flaw in the logic of differential association theory.

Question 6

Religion and belief impact criminal behavior. Even children in high crime areas are better able to resist drug use if they:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Religion and belief impact criminal behavior. Even...

Question 7

Edwin Sutherland's differential association theory states that

Accepted Answer

Edwin Sutherland's differential association theory asserts that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions and relationships with others who engage in criminal behavior. This learning process happens through communication of attitudes, values, and techniques for committing crimes. Therefore, criminal behavior is not a product of impaired social bonds, educational inequality, or media exposure.

Question 8

Criminals sometimes neutralize wrongdoings by maintaining that the crime victim "had it coming." This is an example of which technique of neutralization?

Accepted Answer

Denial of the victim is the technique of neutralization where the offender denies the innocence of the victim and justifies their actions as a response to the victim's behavior or actions. In this case, the offender is trying to justify their actions by claiming that the victim deserved the criminal behavior towards them.

Question 9

Social control theory suggests that:

Accepted Answer

Social control theory suggests that crime occurs when the forces that bind people to society are weakened or broken. These forces can include family, friends, school, and other social institutions that encourage conformity to social norms and values. When these bonds are weakened or non-existent, individuals may feel disconnected from their communities and more likely to engage in criminal behavior as a result.

Question 10

Which of the following is not one of the major principles of differential association?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is not one...

Question 11

Children who fail in school offend more frequently than those who graduate. According to research on national dropout rates, which of the following group sets has "little more than a fifty-fifty chance" of graduating high school?

Accepted Answer

According to the statement, children who fail in school offend more frequently than those who graduate, and Hispanic Americans and African Americans have little more than a fifty-fifty chance of graduating high school, indicating that they are at a higher risk of failing in school and offending. Therefore, option B is the best choice.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a criticism of differential association theory?

Accepted Answer

Differential association theory does not account for isolated, psychopathic killing because it assumes that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions and does not address the actions of individuals who may not have been exposed to criminal definitions through social interactions.

Question 13

Pioneering social control theorist, Walter Reckless argued that a _______ insulates a youth from the pressures of crimogenic influences in the environment.

Accepted Answer

Walter Reckless proposed that a strong self-image acts as a containment that insulates youth from criminal influences.

Question 14

Social process theories share one basic concept. Which is it?

Accepted Answer

Social process theories share the basic concept that all people, regardless of their race, class, or gender, have the potential to become delinquents or criminals. These theories focus on the socialization process, or how individuals learn values, attitudes, and behaviors from their social environment. Social process theories reject biological or genetic explanations for criminal behavior, instead emphasizing the importance of social and environmental factors. While lower-class individuals may face greater social and economic challenges that increase their risk of criminal behavior, social process theories do not categorically state that lower-class people are more prone to commit crime.

Question 15

Neutralization theory points out that:

Accepted Answer

Neutralization theory emphasizes that even individuals who engage in criminal behavior are not always involved in criminal activities. In other words, criminal behavior is not a continuous or uninterrupted feature of an individual's life, but rather something that occurs intermittently. This theory suggests that individuals may engage in criminal behavior when their moral and social controls weaken or become neutralized, but these controls are often reactivated when the circumstances change. The theory does not address criminal behavior as being learned, related to self-esteem or power differentials in society.

Question 16

Social reaction theory suggests that:

Accepted Answer

Social reaction theory, also known as labeling theory, proposes that people become criminals when significant members of society label them as such. This labeling can lead to stigmatization and criminal self-identity, ultimately resulting in further criminal behavior. Therefore, D is the correct answer. A is partially correct as weakened social bonds can contribute to criminal behavior, but it is not the central point of social reaction theory. B is incorrect as social reaction theory does not focus on gender as a determinant of criminal behavior. C is closer to the perspective of social learning theory, which emphasizes how criminal behavior can be learned through observation and reinforcement.

Question 17

_________ refers to a style of parenting with parents who are supportive and who effectively control their children in a non-coercive way.

Accepted Answer

Parental efficacy refers to parenting practices where parents have high levels of support for their children and effective control over their behaviors without using excessive coercion or punishment. This style of parenting promotes positive child outcomes such as better academic performance, improved social skills, and fewer behavior problems.

Question 18

All of the following family factors are associated with delinquency EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Non-coercive parenting is associated with less delinquency. Thus, all of the other choices are associated with delinquency.

Question 19

When examining the relationship between delinquent peers and fear of punishment, ____ delinquent peers may outweigh the fear of punishment.

Accepted Answer

The loyalty to delinquent peers may outweigh the fear of punishment, meaning that the desire to maintain relationships and be accepted by one's peers can be stronger than the fear of potential consequences.

Question 20

The process of _____ refers to moving in and out of delinquency or shifting between conventional and deviant values.

Accepted Answer

The term "drift" specifically refers to this concept of moving in and out of delinquency or shifting between conventional and deviant values. The other answer choices do not accurately describe this process.

Quiz 7: Social Process Theories