Deck 2: Explaining Deviance: The Act

Question 1

Deviance specialists who lean toward the more "objective" side of the objective-subjective continuum find interpretive theories to be the most useful in their analyses.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

One of the primary goals for positivist deviance research is to predict harmful behaviour and ultimately prevent it from happening.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Social theories of crime largely replaced biological theories of crime by the mid-20^th century.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The general theory of crime is also known as self-control theory.

Question 5

In exploring how techniques of neutralization may vary across contexts, Buzzell (2005)found that fireworks consumers who lived where fireworks were illegal were more likely to agree with the statement that fireworks "don't really hurt anyone" than were consumers who lived where fireworks were legal.

Question 6

Positivist theorists attempt to understand deviant acts by looking to cause and effect relationships.

Question 7

Cohen's theory of status frustration is categorized as both a subcultural theory and a functionalist theory.

Question 8

According to Emile Durkheim, a certain level of deviance is functional for society.

Question 9

According to Parnaby and Sacco's (2004)research on celebrity and strain, culture jamming is an example of Merton's "rebellion" mode of adaptation.

Question 10

According to Sutherland's differential association theory, deviant behaviour is learned through the same process through which conforming behaviour is learned.

Question 11

According to social learning theory, all behaviour is due, in part, to differential association.

Question 12

Social learning theory has been criticized for conflating pre-act techniques of neutralization with post-act techniques of justification.

Question 13

According to the general theory of crime, low levels of self-control are relatively stable throughout life.

Question 14

One of the weaknesses of Merton's strain theory, differential association theory, and Cohen's theory of status frustration is that they all traditionally identify deviance and criminality as lower-class phenomena.

Question 15

According to empirical tests of Agnew's general strain theory, women who are very successful at goal achievement are more likely to engage in purging, because of their intense perfectionism.

Question 16

The concept of self-control is central to the explanation of deviance found in Hirschi's social bonds theory.

Question 17

According to Agnew's general strain theory, strain must be accompanied by negative emotions in order for deviance to emerge.

Question 18

Social control theorists claim that deviant behaviour is inherently unattractive, so strong motives for deviance must be learned before deviant behaviour will occur.

Question 19

In Robert Merton's anomie and strain theories, "deinstitutionalization of the means" refers to cases where society's emphasis on the legitimate means is greater than its emphasis on the institutionalized goals.

Question 20

In the social sciences multiple theories exist simultaneously.

Question 21

According to the general theory of crime, deviance is the result of learning within small groups.

Question 22

Despite his best efforts, Chris has been unemployed for more than two years. He has finally decided that there is no point in pursuing the "American Dream" anymore. He stops looking for a job, and sits at home drinking beer all day long. Which mode of adaptation is he engaging in?

A)conformity
B)rebellion
C)ritualism
D)retreatism
E)innovation

Question 23

The examination of structural influences on people's ability to handle strain discussed in Agnew's General Strain Theory provides evidence that a strong social welfare system could bring the opportunity for more people to develop positive coping strategies and reduce deviance overall.

Question 24

According to functionalist theorists, after people "let off steam" through minor acts of deviance, various processes motivate them to return to their acceptable roles in society. Which process would include sending someone to jail?

A)Socialization
B)profit
C)persuasion
D)Coercion
E)Internalization

Question 25

Which of the following is a characteristic of positivist theories?

A)emancipatory interest
B)technical interest in the mastery of the environment
C)value-orienting foundation
D)foundation in symbolic dialogue
E)interest in events that may be unique and unrepeatable

Question 26

Which category of theory is most concerned with why people act in deviant ways?

A)Positivist
B)Interpretive
C)Critical
D)Marxist
E)Postmodern

Question 27

According to Merton's strain theory, what causes deviance?

A)a gap between institutionalized goals and illegitimate means of achieving those goals
B)structure of society
C)availability of illegitimate opportunities
D)breakdown of social bonds due to rapid social change
E)the need to reduce societal tensions by "letting off steam."

Question 28

In some communities in Russia today, there is a growing problem of substance abuse, due to

A)enhanced social cohesion under capitalism.
B)greater moral regulation under capitalism.
C)more freedom of travel across borders under capitalism.
D)anomic disorder creating a greater demand for substances.
E)the need to reduce societal tensions by "letting off steam."

Question 29

Which of the following types of theories are utilized in the study of deviance?

A)general sociological theories
B)criminological theories
C)interdisciplinary theories
D)feminist theories
E)sociological theories, criminological theories, interdisciplinary theories, and feminist theories are all used in the study of deviance

Question 30

Learning to conform to social order by having students line up at school to go inside is an example of a manifest function.

Question 31

Which function of deviance is served by collectively manufacturing an evil enemy image directed at "terrorists"?

A)helping society determine its moral boundaries
B)reducing societal tensions by "letting off steam"
C)increasing social solidarity
D)testing society's boundaries
E)preventing harm

Question 32

Modern research using Sykes and Matza's theory on the techniques of neutralization have mostly explored major forms of law breaking such as murder.

Question 33

What is the functionalist perspective of society's rules?

A)rules are made to be broken
B)society's rules reproduce patriarchy
C)society's rules are determined by powerful groups in society
D)there is general consensus about what society's rules should be
E)there is conflict over what society's rules should be

Question 34

According to Durkheim's functionalist theory, in what type of society is deviance the most likely to exceed functional levels?

A)society characterized by mechanical solidarity
B)society characterized by rapid social change
C)society where a small group of people have most of the social power
D)society where social bonds become too tight
E)society characterized by multiple dimensions of inequality

Question 35

Parsons and Smelser argue that letting off steam through minor acts of deviance is the gateway to more extreme versions of deviance.

Question 36

Positivist theories are fundamentally interested in explaining why people act in particular ways.

Question 37

Which of the following theories includes the claim that traditional gender roles, wherein women perform expressive tasks and men perform instrumental tasks, ensure that the family division of labour is done efficiently?

A)functionalist theories
B)learning theories
C)social control theories
D)power-reflexive theories
E)feminist theories

Question 38

Jones and Quisenberry (2004)found that low levels of self-control are associated with antisocial deviant behaviours (e.g. risky driving)in some people, but with adventure-seeking behaviours (e.g. skydiving)in others.

Question 39

Which theories are the most concerned with the maintenance of the social order?

A)social control theories
B)learning theories
C)functionalist theories
D)postmodern theories
E)power-reflexive theories

Question 40

How does Cloward and Ohlin's differential opportunity theory compare to Merton's strain theory?

A)strain theory proposes that there are structural differences in access to legitimate opportunities, but differential opportunity theory disagrees
B)strain theory proposes that there are structural differences in access to legitimate opportunities, and differential opportunity theory agrees
C)strain theory proposes that there are structural differences in access to illegitimate opportunities, but differential opportunity theory disagrees
D)strain theory proposes that there are structural differences in access to illegitimate opportunities, and differential opportunity theory agrees
E)differential opportunity theory proposes that there are structural differences in access to legitimate opportunities, but strain theory disagrees

Question 41

When does status frustration emerge?

A)when lower-class boys are unable to live up to the middle-class measuring rod in schools
B)when upper-class boys are unable to live up to the high expectations their parents have of them
C)when there is a gap between institutionalized goals and the legitimate means of achieving those goals
D)when lower-class boys who get high grades in school become outcasts among their lower-class peers
E)when members of the upper-class feel they must turn to corporate crime in order to achieve the goals of the corporation

Question 42

Which of the following is not one of the components of Agnew's General Strain Theory?

A)strain occurs when we are unable to achieve goals
B)strain is not sufficient to lead to deviance on its own
C)negative emotions occur, particularly if the strain is seen as unjust
D)people need to be able to justify their actions - even those that are deviant
E)mediators for negative affect are coping strategies

Question 43

Sutherland's differential association theory proposes that groups we interact with early in life have more of an influence on the learning of deviance than groups we interact with later in life do. This is known as

A)duration.
B)priority.
C)intensity.
D)frequency.
E)primacy.

Question 44

Which of the following scenarios reflects social learning theory?

A)Alexei begins taking anabolic steroids when he notices the muscular, popular boys at school taking them
B)Kristin has always had a bad relationship with her parents, and begins taking drugs
C)a male cross-dresser rationalizes his behaviour by saying to himself, "I'm not hurting anyone"
D)a group of low-income boys who are failing their classes start hanging out together, and begin vandalizing property
E)Erika decides that if she is ever going to achieve the "American Dream", she is going to have to break a few rules at work

Question 45

In response to the accusation that child beauty pageants attract pedophiles, the pageant contestants' mothers typically say that only someone who is "sick" themselves would even suggest that people would find these little girls "sexy". Which technique of neutralization are these mothers using?

A)denial of injury
B)denial of responsibility
C)condemnation of the condemners
D)denial of the victim
E)appealing to higher loyalties

Question 46

Which of the following statements reflects Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime?

A)level of self-control varies significantly during a person's lifetime
B)low levels of self-control are the result of participation in deviant peer subcultures
C)people with low levels of self-control are more likely to adhere to authority, and therefore follow society's rules
D)low levels of self-control are primarily the result of ineffective parenting
E)low levels of self-control are associated with violent crime, but high levels of self-control are associated with white-collar crime

Question 47

Which of the following statements is a component of Sutherland's differential association theory?

A)television, music, and movies have a substantial impact on the learning of deviance
B)large groups have more of an influence on the learning of deviance than small groups do
C)the more important a particular group is to the individual, the greater the influence that group will have on the learning of deviance
D)the skills needed for deviance are learned within groups, but the motives for deviance are derived from personality factors
E)shorter periods of interaction have more of an influence on the learning of deviance than long periods of interaction do

Question 48

Some individuals who download music illegally defend their actions by saying that the music industry makes more than enough profit from the pockets of consumers. Which technique of neutralization are these individuals using?

A)denial of injury
B)denial of responsibility
C)condemnation of the condemners
D)denial of the victim
E)appealing to higher loyalties

Question 49

Which of the following theories best explains why university students who place a high value on academic work, but have GPAs below 3.0 and score high on measures of depression, are most likely to use "homework drugs"?

A)differential opportunity theory
B)Agnew's general strain theory
C)self-control theory
D)social learning theory
E)Merton's strain theory

Question 50

In an interview, one female exotic dancer states the following when asked about her career: "You should see the cops when they come in. They watch us dance for an hour or two before they bust anybody…there's usually a half dozen of 'em at a time. How many cops does it take to write a ticket for lewd dancing…?" Which technique of neutralization is she using?

A)condemning the condemners
B)denial of the victim
C)denial of injury
D)denial of responsibility
E)appealing to higher loyalties

Question 51

What criticisms have been directed at functionalist theories?

A)they are teleological
B)they are tautological
C)they have a conservative bias
D)they have an androcentric bias
E)functionalist theories have been criticized for being teleological, tautological, conservative, and androcentric

Question 52

During an interview for the school paper, the local high school valedictorian is asked how he managed to stay out of trouble during his teenage years. He replies, "Are you kidding? I was so busy studying, playing basketball on the school team, participating in the debating club, and volunteering with the Boys' and Girls' Club, I didn't have any time to get into trouble!" Which one of Hirschi's social bonds in reflected in his statement?

A)belief
B)involvement
C)commitment
D)attachment
E)self-control

Question 53

Which two theories did Piquero, Tibbits, and Blankenship integrate to explain why some MBA students said they would continue to distribute a suspected dangerous pharmaceutical, while other MBA students said they would recall that pharmaceutical?

A)neutralization theory and social learning theory
B)differential association theory and the general theory of crime
C)Merton's strain theory and social learning theory
D)neutralization theory and differential association theory
E)Merton's strain theory and differential association theory

Question 54

Which of the following theories is a social control theory?

A)differential opportunity theory
B)differential association theory
C)general theory of crime
D)general strain theory
E)neutralization theory

Question 55

Which of the following theories have been criticized for identifying deviance and criminality as lower-class phenomena?

A)Merton's strain theory
B)differential association theory
C)social bonds theory
D)social learning theory
E)self-control theory

Question 56

Cherise lives in a neighbourhood where there is an organized group of people involved in selling illegal weapons to rival gangs. Seeing an opportunity to make some money, Cherise joins this group of weapons dealers. According to Cloward and Ohlin's differential opportunity theory, what type of group has Cherise joined?

A)"conflict gang"
B)"retreatist gang"
C)"criminal gang"
D)"criminal collectivity"
E)"conflict collectivity"

Question 57

Empirical research using the self-control theory has found that low levels of self-control are associated with

A)purging.
B)risky sexual behaviour.
C)a greater likelihood of being a victim of crime.
D)spreading rumours about others.
E)low levels of self-control are associated with purging, risky sexual behaviour, a greater likelihood of being a victim of crime, and spreading rumours about others.

Question 58

According to Lauritsen (1994), for which of the following groups of adolescents does strain increase the frequency of unprotected sexual activity?

A)African-American females
B)African-American males
C)Caucasian females
D)Caucasian males
E)African-American females and males

Question 59

According to social bonds theory, some people abstain from deviance because they would have too much to lose in their lives if they became deviant. This refers to the social bond of belief.

A)involvement.
B)commitment.
C)attachment.
D)self-control.

Question 60

Which theory does not identify deviance and criminality as lower-class phenomena?

A)Merton's theory of strain
B)differential opportunity theory
C)Cohen's theory of status frustration
D)Agnew's general strain theory
E)Merton's theory of anomie

Question 61

Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime holds that what is central in explaining why some people are pre-disposed to deviant acts while others are not?

A)Involvement
B)Commitment
C)Parent-child relationship
D)Self-Control
E)Both A and B

Question 62

Jack is in a rock band. They have been working for years to be 'discovered' and it just doesn't seem to be happening. Jack's band decides to give up the dream of making it big to start a business playing cover songs at weddings, because at least that allows them stay in music. If you were going to apply Merton's strain theory to Jack's current life, he would be:

A)A conformist
B)An innovator
C)A Ritualist
D)A Retreatist
E)A Rebel

Question 63

Explain what Merton means when he says that the structure of society creates deviance. Describe the five modes of adaptation included in Merton's strain theory, and give an example of each, based upon the pursuit of fame and celebrity.

Question 64

Differential association theory maintains that the group interactions to which one is exposed have an impact on the learning of deviance. Explain the various types of group interactions, according to this theory.

Question 65

Consider the example of marijuana use. Compare and contrast the types of explanations of this behaviour that might emerge from social learning theory and neutralization theory.

Question 66

Explain the use of "homework drugs" among university students, according to Agnew's general strain theory.

Question 67

Which theory of deviance emphasizes self-control?

A)social learning theory
B)pluralist conflict theory
C)general theory of crime
D)social bonds theory
E)labelling theory

Question 68

In an interview a professional hitman was asked how he was able to live with what he had done. He argued that they were all bad people and that they had done worse things to more people. Using Sykes and Matza's theory, what technique of neutralization would this be?

A)denial of responsibility
B)denial of injury
C)denial of the victim
D)condemnation of the condemners
E)appealing to higher loyalty

Question 69

List the five techniques of neutralization addressed in neutralization theory, and describe the techniques that are used by individuals who download music illegally.

Question 70

In her home, Sara has a sticker chart set up to know exactly which chores she is supposed to do. Each time she completes her work, so earns a sticker. Every time she forgets to do her chores, her parents put an X. Once she has ten stickers, she is allowed to have a friend over. This conditioning supports the ideas of which theory?

A)Differential Association Theory
B)Social Learning Theory
C)General Strain Theory
D)Status Frustration Theory
E)General Crime Theory

Question 71

Identify the different types of research interests of deviance specialists that lean toward the more objective end of the objective-subjective continuum and those that lean toward the more subjective end of the continuum. Explain why each of these groups of deviance specialists tends to utilize different types of theories, identify those theories, and describe how those types of theories are related to the differential interests of each of these deviance specialists.

Question 72

Choose a behaviour, attitude or characteristic that is often promoted and reinforced as deviant through media. Use social learning theory to explain how a person learns deviance through this message.

Question 73

According to social learning theory, what are the four sources of all behaviour and how can this lead to deviance?

Question 74

Differentiate between the behavioural and the psychological measurements of self-control.

Question 75

Kenny has just graduated University. To celebrate his recent success Kenny goes to the car dealership to purchase a car. He finds one he likes and uses the money left over from his schooling tuition that he made from selling marijuana to students to pay for it. According to Merton which mode adaption was Kenny?

A)Conformity
B)Innovation
C)Ritualism
D)Retreatism
E)Rebellion

Question 76

Briefly explain the difference between mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity and how the societal type would impact deviance.

Question 77

In a recent poll in a Grade 3 class, multiple students indicated that they wanted to be "You-Tubers" when they grow up. This data best supports which of the following research studies?

A)Agnew's research on strain
B)Cohen's research on status frustration
C)Parnby and Sacco's research on fame and celebrity
D)Hunt's research on jamband subculture
E)Jones and Quisenberry's study on self-control

Question 78

In his general strain theory, Agnew believes that these 3 things cause strain:

A)Unequal opportunities, status frustration and retreatism
B)Not able to achieve goals, valued stimuli are presented and negative stimuli are removed
C)Not able to achieve goals, valued stimuli are removed and negative stimuli are presented
D)When innovated adaptations occur, status frustration and when a middle class measuring rod occurs

Question 79

Identify what positivist, interpretive, and critical theories each focus their analytical attention on.

Question 80

Explain how Emile Durkheim would likely answer the question, "Why do people engage in deviance?"