Question 1

The contemporary study of possible genetic roots of criminality is but one aspect of the larger debate over
A)biosociology.
B)sociobiology.
C)impression management.
D)Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft.

Accepted Answer

The study of possible genetic roots of criminality falls under the larger debate over sociobiology, which explores the relationship between biology and social behavior. Biosociology, impression management, and the concepts of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft are not directly related to the genetic roots of criminality.

Question 2

In Émile Durkheim's view,
A)the punishments established within a culture help to define acceptable behavior and thus contribute to social stability.
B)labeling an individual is the most crucial stage in that person becoming a deviant.
C)people accept or reject the goals of a society and/or the socially approved means to fulfill their aspirations.
D)the punishments established within a culture help define acceptable behavior,and people accept or reject the goals of a society.

Accepted Answer

A

Question 3

Which theory was used by Edwin Sutherland to emphasize that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions with others?
A)labeling theory
B)cultural transmission
C)societal-reaction approach
D)techniques of neutralization

Accepted Answer

Edwin Sutherland used the cultural transmission theory to emphasize that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions with others, particularly within close-knit communities or peer groups. This theory posits that individuals learn criminal behavior through a process of socialization and imitation of the values, attitudes, and actions of their peers and role models.

Question 4

In his anomie theory of deviance,Robert Merton
A)described five types of deviance.
B)created a typology to explain the basic types of adaptations people make to culture.
C)noted that people will always follow one of the five modes of adaptation and maintain that mode for an extended period of time.
D)suggested that conformists tend to ignore societal goals.

Accepted Answer

Merton's anomie theory of deviance is centered on the idea that individuals experience a strain between the culturally defined goals of success and the opportunities available to achieve them. Merton created a typology to explain the basic types of adaptations people make to culture, including conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. These adaptations reflect different ways individuals respond to the strain between cultural goals and the means available to achieve them, with conformity being the most common response. Merton did not suggest that people always follow one mode of adaptation or maintain it for an extended period of time, as individuals may shift between different adaptations depending on their circumstances.

Question 5

According to Robert Merton,an innovator is an individual who has
A)abandoned the goal of material success and become compulsively committed to the institutional means.
B)withdrawn from the goals and means of society.
C)accepted the goals of society,but pursues them with means regarded as improper.
D)None of these answers is correct.

Accepted Answer

According to Robert Merton, an innovator is an individual who accepts the goals of society but pursues them with means regarded as improper. This means that the individual wants to achieve material success and accepts society's goal of success, but uses illegal or unethical means to achieve it.

Question 6

Arnold gets an "A" on his organic chemistry exam because he copies most of his answers from Stanley,the "class brain" who is sitting next to him.According to Merton's anomie theory of deviance,Arnold would be classified as a(n)
A)ritualist.
B)retreatist.
C)rebel.
D)innovator.

Accepted Answer

Merton's anomie theory of deviance suggests that individuals may respond to the strain of social structure in different ways. The innovator is an individual who accepts the cultural goals but rejects the conventional means of achieving them. In this case, Arnold accepts the cultural goal of getting good grades but rejects the conventional means of studying and preparing for the exam, instead opting to copy from Stanley. Therefore, Arnold would be classified as an innovator.

Question 7

The most common adaptation in Robert Merton's anomie theory of deviance is
A)ritualism.
B)conformity.
C)rebellion.
D)innovation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The most common adaptation in Robert Merton's...

Question 8

Which sociologist used the term differential association to describe the process by which exposure to attitudes favorable to criminal acts leads to violation of rules?
A)Richard Quinney
B)Erving Goffman
C)Robert Merton
D)Edwin Sutherland

Accepted Answer

Edwin Sutherland used the term differential association to describe the process by which exposure to attitudes favorable to criminal acts leads to violation of rules. He believed that criminal behavior is learned through social interaction, primarily with family and peers who engage in criminal behavior.

Question 9

Which sociological perspective's approach explains why rule violation continues to exist in societies despite pressures to conform and obey,but fails to indicate how a given person comes to commit a deviant act or why on some occasions crimes do or do not occur?
A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)feminist perspective

Accepted Answer

The functionalist perspective views social institutions as working together to maintain social order and stability. In the case of deviance and rule violation, functionalists argue that these behaviors serve a purpose in society by clarifying moral boundaries and reinforcing social norms. However, this perspective does not address individual motivations for deviance or why some individuals may be more likely to commit crimes than others.

Question 10

In Robert Merton's terms,people who overzealously and cruelly enforce bureaucratic regulations can be classified as
A)ritualists.
B)rebels.
C)innovators.
D)retreatists.

Accepted Answer

According to Merton's strain theory, ritualists are individuals who strictly adhere to the bureaucratic rules and regulations, even at the expense of human compassion and decency. They are often overzealous and cruel in enforcing the rules, and their main focus is on maintaining order and control, rather than achieving the organization's goals. Therefore, people who overzealously and cruelly enforce bureaucratic regulations can be classified as ritualists.

Question 11

Which term is used in the sociological literature to describe a loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective?
A)anomie
B)neutralization
C)cultural transmission
D)disobedience

Accepted Answer

Anomie is the term used in the sociological literature to describe a loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective.

Question 12

"Deviance defines the limits of proper behavior." This statement represents the view of which sociological perspective?
A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)feminist perspective

Accepted Answer

The functionalist perspective views society as a system composed of interconnected parts that work together to maintain social order and stability. Deviance is seen as a necessary element in society that helps to define and reinforce social norms and values. The boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable behavior are thus defined by what is deemed deviant, and deviance serves to reinforce the importance of conforming to societal norms.

Question 13

According to Robert Merton,a retreatist is an individual who has
A)abandoned the goal of material success and become compulsively committed to the institutional means.
B)withdrawn from the goals and means of society.
C)accepted the goals of society,but pursues them with means regarded as improper.
D)None of these answers is correct.

Accepted Answer

According to Robert Merton, a retreatist is an individual who has withdrawn from the goals and means of society. This means they do not pursue goals or use means that are culturally defined as meaningful or legitimate. They give up on both the goals and the means of society and socially disengage themselves.

Question 14

An employee at a welfare office is so concerned with paperwork that he doesn't have time to administer to the needs of the poor,hungry,and homeless individuals who seek assistance.According to Merton's theory,this welfare worker would be a(n)
A)ritualist.
B)rebel.
C)innovator.
D)retreatist.

Accepted Answer

According to Merton's theory, a ritualist is someone who conforms to societal expectations and rules but does not believe in the underlying values. In this scenario, the welfare worker is following the bureaucratic rules and paperwork requirements of the job, but is not fulfilling the underlying values of helping the poor, hungry, and homeless. Thus, the best choice is A) ritualist.

Question 15

Deviance is behavior that
A)always violates the laws of a society.
B)is always illegal.
C)violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society.
D)is always anomic.

Accepted Answer

Deviance refers to any behavior that goes against the norms and expectations of a society or group. It is not necessarily always illegal or a violation of laws. An individual could exhibit deviant behavior even without breaking any formal laws. Additionally, behavior that may be considered deviant in one society or group may not be considered deviant in another.

Question 16

Which of the following would be an example of anomie?
A)A man loses his job,his fortune,and his family during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
B)An individual takes a shortcut to school and gets lost.
C)A woman wins a lottery and gives a considerable amount of her winnings to several charities that are important to her.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Accepted Answer

Anomie refers to a sense of normlessness or loss of social cohesion that occurs when individuals experience a significant dislocation from their regular routines, such as economic upheaval or social displacement. Losing one's job, fortune, and family during the Great Depression exemplifies anomie because it represents a significant disruption to the individual's normal way of life. The other options do not relate to anomie.

Question 17

Which sociological perspective would most likely be concerned with the stigmatizing nature of formal social controls that require convicted sex offenders to register with police agencies and have their pictures published in newspapers to make their identities publicly known?
A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)global perspective

Accepted Answer

The interactionist perspective is concerned with the impact of labels and how they shape a person's self-identity and interactions with others. This perspective would be particularly interested in the stigmatizing effects of formal social controls like sex offender registries, which could lead to social exclusion and discrimination for convicted offenders. The functionalist perspective would likely view these controls as necessary for maintaining social order, while the conflict perspective may view them as a way for those in power to control and oppress certain groups. The global perspective is more focused on the wider social, economic, and political structures impacting society as a whole, rather than specific social controls like sex offender registries.

Question 18

According to Robert Merton,members of revolutionary political organizations such as the Irish Republican Army would typically be classified as
A)rebels.
B)ritualists.
C)conformists.
D)innovators.

Accepted Answer

Merton classified members of revolutionary organizations like the Irish Republican Army as "rebels" because they reject both the cultural goals and the institutional means of society, seeking to replace them with new ones.

Question 19

Which of the following connections to criminality is commonly rejected by sociologists?
A)environmental influences
B)genetic roots
C)social structure
D)Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft

Accepted Answer

Sociologists reject the connection between criminality and genetic roots, as they argue that criminal behavior is not predetermined by biology, but rather shaped by social and environmental factors.

Question 20

An unemployed young adult wants a stereo,but he doesn't have the money or the means of earning the money needed to buy it.His desire for the stereo overwhelms him,and he steals one from a local store.This incident illustrates which theory of deviance?
A)conflict theory
B)labeling theory
C)anomie theory of deviance
D)cultural transmission theory

Accepted Answer

The answer of An unemployed young adult wants a stereo,but...

Quiz 24: What Is Deviance

The contemporary study of possible genetic roots of criminality is but one aspect of the larger debate over

In Émile Durkheim's view,

Which theory was used by Edwin Sutherland to emphasize that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions with others?

In his anomie theory of deviance,Robert Merton

According to Robert Merton,an innovator is an individual who has

Arnold gets an "A" on his organic chemistry exam because he copies most of his answers from Stanley,the "class brain" who is sitting next to him.According to Merton's anomie theory of deviance,Arnold would be classified as a(n)

The most common adaptation in Robert Merton's anomie theory of deviance is

Which sociologist used the term differential association to describe the process by which exposure to attitudes favorable to criminal acts leads to violation of rules?

Which sociological perspective's approach explains why rule violation continues to exist in societies despite pressures to conform and obey,but fails to indicate how a given person comes to commit a deviant act or why on some occasions crimes do or do not occur?

In Robert Merton's terms,people who overzealously and cruelly enforce bureaucratic regulations can be classified as

Which term is used in the sociological literature to describe a loss of direction felt in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective?

"Deviance defines the limits of proper behavior." This statement represents the view of which sociological perspective?

According to Robert Merton,a retreatist is an individual who has

An employee at a welfare office is so concerned with paperwork that he doesn't have time to administer to the needs of the poor,hungry,and homeless individuals who seek assistance.According to Merton's theory,this welfare worker would be a(n)

Deviance is behavior that

Which of the following would be an example of anomie?

Which sociological perspective would most likely be concerned with the stigmatizing nature of formal social controls that require convicted sex offenders to register with police agencies and have their pictures published in newspapers to make their identities publicly known?

According to Robert Merton,members of revolutionary political organizations such as the Irish Republican Army would typically be classified as

Which of the following connections to criminality is commonly rejected by sociologists?

An unemployed young adult wants a stereo,but he doesn't have the money or the means of earning the money needed to buy it.His desire for the stereo overwhelms him,and he steals one from a local store.This incident illustrates which theory of deviance?