Question 1

The idea of 'relativism' when looking at norms in society is more common in modern objectivist deviance research then it is in the earlier absolute objectivist research.

Accepted Answer

Relativism, which suggests that norms are subjective and can vary across cultures and time, is a more recent perspective in deviance research compared to the earlier belief in absolute moral and ethical standards. This shift towards relativism reflects a greater awareness of the diversity and complexity of human societies and the need to understand deviance in context.

Question 2

Josh is a boy in Grade 11 who has never made out with a partner. According to which definition of deviance would Josh be considered "deviant"?
A)physical harm
B)societal reaction
C)statistical rarity
D)normative violation
E)ontological harm

Accepted Answer

Josh would be considered "deviant" according to the statistical rarity definition of deviance because his behavior (or lack thereof) is uncommon or rare among his peers, especially if most individuals his age have experienced making out with a partner.

Question 3

Which of the following behaviours, characteristics, or people was considered "deviant" at some point in history, based on the concept of harm?
A)Joan of Arc
B)masturbation
C)marijuana use
D)early 20th century feminists
E)Joan of Arc, masturbation, marijuana use, and early 20th century feminists were all considered "deviant" at some point in history, based on the concept of harm

Accepted Answer

All of these behaviours, characteristics, or people have been considered deviant at some point in history based on the concept of harm. Joan of Arc was considered deviant for challenging traditional gender roles and for being accused of heresy. Masturbation was considered deviant by religious institutions and medical professionals who believed it caused physical and mental harm. Marijuana use was considered deviant due to moral and legal disapproval, as well as fears of physical and mental harm. Early 20th century feminists were considered deviant for challenging traditional gender roles and social norms, as well as being accused of promoting immorality and causing harm to traditional families and social harmony.

Question 4

What are the limitations of definitions of deviance that emphasize statistical rarity?
A)some statistically common characteristics are considered "deviant" in society
B)some statistically rare characteristics are considered "normal" in society
C)there is too much consensus and too little debate about the precise meaning of "rare"
D)the law (i.e. as seen in the Criminal Code)reflects power and vested interests rather than normative consensus
E)some common characteristics are considered "deviant", and some rare characteristics are considered "normal" in society

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the limitations of definitions of...

Question 5

Dressing in a suit when going to a job interview would be an example of retroactive social control.

Accepted Answer

Retroactive social control refers to the way society responds to behavior that has already occurred, often through sanctions or punishments. Dressing in a suit for a job interview is a form of proactive social control, aiming to conform to expected norms and make a positive impression before any behavior is judged.

Question 6

Which of the following behaviours or characteristics would be considered "deviant", based on the concept of harm?
A)smoking
B)alcoholism
C)criminal behaviour
D)emotional abuse
E)smoking, alcoholism, criminal behaviour, and emotional abuse would all be considered "deviant," based on the concept of harm

Accepted Answer

All the listed behaviors and characteristics (smoking, alcoholism, criminal behavior, and emotional abuse) can cause harm either to the individuals engaging in them or to others around them. Therefore, based on the concept of harm, they would all be considered "deviant."

Question 7

Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, on which of the following issues was a free vote held within Parliament, as a proxy for societal reaction?
A)toughening the Youth Criminal Justice Act
B)decriminalization of marijuana
C)same-sex marriage
D)abortion
E)free votes were held on both same-sex marriage and the decriminalization of marijuana

Accepted Answer

A free vote was held in Parliament on same-sex marriage during Harper's leadership, as it was a highly contentious social issue. Free votes were not held on the other options listed.

Question 8

The __________/__________ dichotomy has traditionally served as the foundation for discussing definitions of deviance.
A)objective/subjective
B)singular/pluralistic
C)dissensus/consensus
D)social typing/constructionist
E)statistical/normative

Accepted Answer

The objective/subjective dichotomy is fundamental in discussions about definitions of deviance, highlighting the debate between those who believe deviance is inherently objective (based on factual evidence of norm violation) and those who see it as subjective (varying based on individual or cultural perspectives).

Question 9

What was the primary reason given for the criminalization of marijuana possession in the 1920s?
A)normative violation
B)statistical rarity
C)negative societal reaction
D)harm
E)harm and statistical rarity

Accepted Answer

The primary reason given for the criminalization of marijuana possession in the 1920s was harm. Lawmakers were concerned about the potential harmful effects of marijuana on individuals and society, including mental illness, violence, and addiction.

Question 10

The objective-subjective dichotomy is the dominant way of analyzing deviance in contemporary research.

Accepted Answer

Contemporary research on deviance often employs a variety of theoretical perspectives beyond the simple objective-subjective dichotomy, including critical, feminist, and interactionist approaches, among others, to provide a more nuanced understanding of deviant behavior.

Question 11

Research has consistently found that "a strong majority" of Canadians approve of the decriminalization of marijuana, yet marijuana possession remains illegal. This fact points to the limitations of defining deviance on the basis of
A)normative violation.
B)statistical rarity.
C)social harm.
D)negative societal reaction.
E)the "social contract hypothesis".

Accepted Answer

The fact that a strong majority of Canadians approve of the decriminalization of marijuana while it remains illegal shows that defining deviance based on negative societal reaction has limitations. While there may not be direct harm caused by marijuana possession, the negative societal reaction towards it has resulted in it being defined as deviant behavior.

Question 12

Imagine the following hypothetical news headline: "More than 70% of Canadians dislike people who drink cheap beer." Based on this report, we can say that drinking cheap beer is "deviant", according to the definition of deviance that emphasizes
A)normative violation.
B)negative societal reaction.
C)statistical rarity.
D)the "social contract hypothesis".
E)social harm.

Accepted Answer

This is because deviance is defined as a behavior that is outside the norm and results in negative reactions or sanctions from society. In this case, drinking cheap beer is considered deviant because it is disliked by the majority of Canadians, which suggests a negative societal reaction.

Question 13

What are the limitations of defining deviance on the basis of harm?
A)perceptions of harm can be subjective
B)perceptions of harm rarely change over time
C)behavioural expectations are frequently characterized by power and vested interests
D)typical behaviours are sometimes perceived as "deviant" in society
E)the reactions of some groups of people in society often carry more weight than do the reactions of other groups

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the limitations of defining deviance...

Question 14

Which of the following groups of people would be considered "deviant", based on the concept of statistical rarity?
A)Canadians who smoke
B)high school students who participate in "heavy petting"
C)adolescent consumers of alcohol who have engaged in binge drinking
D)adolescents who abstain from marijuana use
E)Canadians who smoke and high school students who participate in "heavy petting" would both be considered "deviant", based on the concept of statistical rarity

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following groups of people...

Question 15

What do deviance specialists who follow the objective side of the objective/subjective dichotomy believe is the defining characteristic of deviance?
A)normative violation
B)negative societal reaction
C)harm
D)statistical rarity
E)each of the above characteristics is considered to be the defining characteristic of deviance by particular groups of objectivists

Accepted Answer

Deviance specialists who follow the objective side of the objective/subjective dichotomy believe that deviance can be defined by various characteristics such as normative violation, negative societal reaction, harm, and statistical rarity. Different groups of objectivists may emphasize one or more of these characteristics as the defining feature of deviance, indicating that there is not a single agreed-upon characteristic but rather a range that can define deviance from an objective standpoint.

Question 16

According to social constructionism, the individual behaviour is the primary concern of sociological research.

Accepted Answer

Social constructionism emphasizes that social phenomena, such as norms, values, and beliefs, are socially constructed and not inherent in individuals. Therefore, sociological research should focus on studying how these social constructions are created, reinforced, and challenged rather than solely examining individual behaviour.

Question 17

When considering the role of the nun's habit in contemporary religious orders, we see an example of
A)debates over harm.
B)statistical rarity as a definition of deviance.
C)normative violation as a definition of deviance.
D)absolutism.
E)debates over societal reaction.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When considering the role of the nun's...

Question 18

When looking at deviance from a social constructionist point of view, we are most interested why someone becomes deviant.

Accepted Answer

From a social constructionist point of view, the focus is on how society defines deviance, meaning how behaviors are labeled as deviant or not based on social norms and values, rather than why an individual becomes deviant.

Question 19

What view of normative violation is held by more recent objectivists?
A)the "soft" or "contextual" view
B)the "constructionist" view
C)the view that emphasizes universal laws based on the word of God
D)the view that emphasizes the culturally- and historically-specific nature of norms
E)the view that emphasizes universal norms based on the laws of nature

Accepted Answer

The answer of What view of normative violation is held...

Question 20

Which of the following examples reflects the limitations of using statistical rarity as the defining characteristic of deviance?
A)Wayne Gretzky is not considered "deviant" in Canadian society
B)left-handed people are not considered "deviant" in Canadian society
C)"heavy petting" among teenagers is socially controlled in Canadian society
D)people who are physically active are not considered "deviant" in Canadian society
E)the limitations of using statistical rarity as the defining characteristic of deviance are reflected by all of the above statements

Accepted Answer

All of the examples given reflect the limitations of using statistical rarity as the defining characteristic of deviance. Wayne Gretzky is an exceptional hockey player, but he is not considered deviant because his skill is admired and valued in Canadian society. Left-handedness used to be considered deviant in some societies, but it is recognized now as a natural variation in human biology. "Heavy petting" among teenagers is socially controlled but not necessarily statistically rare. Being physically active is encouraged in Canadian society and is not considered deviant. Therefore, these examples demonstrate that deviance cannot be solely defined by statistical rarity.

Quiz 1: Determining Deviance

The idea of 'relativism' when looking at norms in society is more common in modern objectivist deviance research then it is in the earlier absolute objectivist research.

Josh is a boy in Grade 11 who has never made out with a partner. According to which definition of deviance would Josh be considered "deviant"?

Which of the following behaviours, characteristics, or people was considered "deviant" at some point in history, based on the concept of harm?

What are the limitations of definitions of deviance that emphasize statistical rarity?

Dressing in a suit when going to a job interview would be an example of retroactive social control.

Which of the following behaviours or characteristics would be considered "deviant", based on the concept of harm?

Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, on which of the following issues was a free vote held within Parliament, as a proxy for societal reaction?

The / dichotomy has traditionally served as the foundation for discussing definitions of deviance.

What was the primary reason given for the criminalization of marijuana possession in the 1920s?

The objective-subjective dichotomy is the dominant way of analyzing deviance in contemporary research.

Research has consistently found that "a strong majority" of Canadians approve of the decriminalization of marijuana, yet marijuana possession remains illegal. This fact points to the limitations of defining deviance on the basis of

Imagine the following hypothetical news headline: "More than 70% of Canadians dislike people who drink cheap beer." Based on this report, we can say that drinking cheap beer is "deviant", according to the definition of deviance that emphasizes

What are the limitations of defining deviance on the basis of harm?

Which of the following groups of people would be considered "deviant", based on the concept of statistical rarity?

What do deviance specialists who follow the objective side of the objective/subjective dichotomy believe is the defining characteristic of deviance?

According to social constructionism, the individual behaviour is the primary concern of sociological research.

When considering the role of the nun's habit in contemporary religious orders, we see an example of

When looking at deviance from a social constructionist point of view, we are most interested why someone becomes deviant.

What view of normative violation is held by more recent objectivists?

Which of the following examples reflects the limitations of using statistical rarity as the defining characteristic of deviance?