Question 1

Sociologists use the term ______ to describe the process of labeling of someone as less than a whole person because they are perceived as being different.
A) crime
B) stigma
C) sanction
D) deviance

Accepted Answer

Stigma is the term used to describe the process of labeling someone as less than a whole person because of perceived differences, often leading to discrimination or social exclusion.

Question 2

Stanley Milgram distinguishes between two levels of social control, conformity and obedience. Generally, conformity requires greater coercion than obedience.

Accepted Answer

Conformity involves changing one's behavior or beliefs in response to perceived group pressure, which is often a more subtle and internalized form of social influence, requiring less coercion. Obedience, on the other hand, involves following direct commands or orders from an authority figure, which can involve more explicit coercion or pressure.

Question 3

Which of the following BEST describes laws?
A) They are passed in response to a need for informal sanctions.
B) They are formal norms enforced by the state.
C) They are formal acceptance of deviant behavior.
D) They are informal norms enforced by our peers.

Accepted Answer

Laws are formal norms that are established and enforced by the state or governing bodies to regulate behavior within a society, distinguishing them from informal norms, which are enforced by social groups without legal authority.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT an example of the way changing attitudes affect laws in the United States?
A) the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit
B) the Civil Rights movement
C) the prohibition of murder
D) the prohibition of the manufacture and sale of alcohol

Accepted Answer

The prohibition of murder is not an example of changing attitudes affecting laws in the United States; it has been a fundamental legal principle for centuries, reflecting a basic moral consensus rather than a change in societal attitudes.

Question 5

The theory of differential association maintains that an individual is more likely to commit a deviant act if the groups with which the individual interacts hold favorable attitudes toward the deviant act.

Accepted Answer

The theory of differential association, developed by Edwin Sutherland, suggests that deviant behavior is learned through interaction with others; if the social groups one is associated with view deviant behavior positively, an individual is more likely to engage in such behavior.

Question 6

When compared with other countries, the United States has the world's highest rates of most types of crime, but has one of the world's lowest rates of incarceration.

Accepted Answer

The United States actually has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, not one of the lowest.

Question 7

Which of the following statements regarding stigma is correct?
A) People have full control over which stigmas are attached to them.
B) People may be stigmatized for deviant behaviors in which they no longer engage.
C) A person must be guilty of a crime to be stigmatized.
D) Because society is largely patriarchal, stigmas are mainly applied to women.

Accepted Answer

Stigmas can persist even after an individual has ceased the behavior that initially led to the stigmatization, reflecting societal judgments and prejudices that may not align with current actions or behaviors.

Question 8

According to the results of Stanley Milgram's famous experiment, two-thirds of participants were prepared to inflict pain on another human on the orders of an authority figure. In your view, what do these results indicate? Do you agree with Milgram's assessment that "if a system of death camps were set up in the United States of the sort we had seen in Nazi Germany, one would be able to find sufficient personnel for those camps in any medium-sized American town"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the results of Stanley Milgram's...

Question 9

In Robert Merton's terms, people who blindly apply bureaucratic rules and regulations without remembering the larger goals of the organization can be classified as
A) ritualists.
B) innovators.
C) rebels.
D) retreatists.

Accepted Answer

Ritualists are individuals who adhere strictly to rules and procedures, even at the expense of the organization's larger goals, according to Robert Merton's typology of individual adaptation to cultural goals and institutional means.

Question 10

Labeling theory is also called the societal-reaction approach because it emphasizes that deviance occurs as a reaction to a society's otherwise unattainable goals.

Accepted Answer

Labeling theory, also known as the societal-reaction approach, emphasizes that deviance is the result of society's response to an individual rather than the individual's actions failing to achieve societal goals. It focuses on how the labels applied to individuals by society can influence their self-identity and behavior.

Question 11

The term ethnic succession, as used by Daniel Bell, refers to
A) the migration of immigrant groups into new areas of crime.
B) the process of the leadership of organized crime passing from one ethnic group to another.
C) the migration of immigrant groups into communities previously occupied by other immigrant groups.
D) the process of the control of local law enforcement passing from one ethnic group to another.

Accepted Answer

Daniel Bell's concept of ethnic succession specifically refers to the phenomenon where the leadership of organized crime transitions from one ethnic group to another over time. This concept highlights how organized crime can be influenced by the changing demographics and power structures within immigrant communities.

Question 12

Theorists differ in their evaluation of the effectiveness of sanctions as instruments for enforcing social norms. Under what circumstances are sanctions most likely to be effective enforcement mechanisms? When might sanctions be ineffective?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Theorists differ in their evaluation of the...

Question 13

Formal social control would most likely be employed if a student spoke out of turn in class.

Accepted Answer

Formal social control involves the use of laws and regulations to enforce norms, typically carried out by authorized organizations or institutions like the police or courts. Speaking out of turn in class would more likely be addressed through informal social control, such as teacher reprimands or peer pressure, rather than through formal legal measures.

Question 14

In his strain theory of deviance, Robert Merton
A) described the five primary types of deviance.
B) noted that a given individual will always follow the same mode of adaptation.
C) created a typology to explain the adaptations people make to achieve a goal.
D) suggested that conformists tend to ignore societal goals for fear of appearing deviant.

Accepted Answer

Merton's strain theory of deviance posits that society puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goals (like wealth or success), but the structure of society provides unequal means to achieve those goals. This discrepancy leads to strain, which can result in different types of adaptations or responses, including conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Merton created a typology to explain these adaptations, which is why option C is correct.

Question 15

What term refers to going along with the norms of one's peers?
A) conformity
B) deviance
C) obedience
D) labeling

Accepted Answer

Conformity refers to the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to what individuals perceive as normal of their society or social group. This often involves aligning one's actions or beliefs with those of one's peers.

Question 16

According to a study by Stanley Milgram, individuals will
A) obey the commands of people viewed as legitimate authority figures, even if the behavior may harm another individual.
B) typically resist the attitudes and behaviors of their peers if such attitudes and behaviors are racist.
C) always conform to the attitudes and behaviors of their peers even if such attitudes and behaviors are racist.
D) in most instances, disobey the commands of people viewed as legitimate authority figures if the behavior may harm another individual.

Accepted Answer

Milgram's study demonstrated that people are likely to follow orders given by an authority figure, even to the extent of causing harm to others, illustrating the powerful influence of authority on obedience.

Quiz 6: Deviance

Sociologists use the term ______ to describe the process of labeling of someone as less than a whole person because they are perceived as being different.

Stanley Milgram distinguishes between two levels of social control, conformity and obedience. Generally, conformity requires greater coercion than obedience.

Which of the following BEST describes laws?

Which of the following is NOT an example of the way changing attitudes affect laws in the United States?

The theory of differential association maintains that an individual is more likely to commit a deviant act if the groups with which the individual interacts hold favorable attitudes toward the deviant act.

When compared with other countries, the United States has the world's highest rates of most types of crime, but has one of the world's lowest rates of incarceration.

Which of the following statements regarding stigma is correct?

In Robert Merton's terms, people who blindly apply bureaucratic rules and regulations without remembering the larger goals of the organization can be classified as

Labeling theory is also called the societal-reaction approach because it emphasizes that deviance occurs as a reaction to a society's otherwise unattainable goals.

The term ethnic succession, as used by Daniel Bell, refers to

Theorists differ in their evaluation of the effectiveness of sanctions as instruments for enforcing social norms. Under what circumstances are sanctions most likely to be effective enforcement mechanisms? When might sanctions be ineffective?

Formal social control would most likely be employed if a student spoke out of turn in class.

In his strain theory of deviance, Robert Merton

What term refers to going along with the norms of one's peers?

According to a study by Stanley Milgram, individuals will