Question 1

Nonconformity to a set of norms accepted by a significant number of people in a community is called:

Accepted Answer

Nonconformity to a set of norms accepted by a significant number of people in a community is considered as deviance. Target hardening refers to measures taken to make a person, object, or place less vulnerable to potential harm. Differential association refers to the idea that individuals learn criminal behavior from their social interactions. Anomie is a term used by Emile Durkheim to describe a state of normlessness or a breakdown of social norms.

Question 2

In 2011, the Occupy Wall Street movement drew large numbers of people to New York City to protest rising income inequality. To make their point, these protestors marched on the city streets, built tent cities where they lived and slept while the demonstrations were ongoing, and actively worked to disrupt the flow of life. In Robert K. Merton's view, these people would be what kind of deviants?

Accepted Answer

According to Robert K. Merton's typology of deviance, rebels are those who reject both the goals and means of society and actively work to replace them with new ones. The Occupy Wall Street protestors were attempting to disrupt the current economic and political systems and push for change, making them rebels.

Question 3

According to differential association theory, which kind of person is more likely to be a delinquent?

Accepted Answer

According to differential association theory, individuals are more likely to engage in criminal behavior if they have been exposed to and associate with others who engage in criminal behavior. Therefore, a middle-class person whose friends frequently commit crime is more likely to become a delinquent. The other options do not necessarily indicate a strong association with criminal behavior.

Question 4

When a professor is delivering a lecture and some students begin to whisper back and forth, the professor may stop the lecture, remain silent, and stare at the students. What is the professor's behavior an example of?

Accepted Answer

The professor's behavior is an example of a negative informal sanction. This is because it is an unofficial form of disapproval (negative) that is not codified in formal rules or laws (informal), aimed at discouraging the whispering behavior.

Question 5

What is a common criticism of the functionalist theories of crime and deviance?

Accepted Answer

The common criticism of functionalist theories of crime and deviance is that functionalists tend to presume that everyone has middle-class values, which is not necessarily the case. This perspective ignores the fact that individuals from different social backgrounds may have different values, beliefs, and ways of life, which may be inconsistent with the functionalist understanding of social order.

Question 6

Your friend has requested you as a bridesmaid at her wedding and asks that you wear a full-length dress, something that is physically uncomfortable for you. When you tell her you plan to wear a knee-length version, she is mortified and says that she expects you to agree to her request. To get you to comply, she may use:

Accepted Answer

The friend in this scenario is attempting to use a sanction (social pressure or punishment) to get the bridesmaid to comply with her request to wear a full-length dress. This is evident in her being mortified when the bridesmaid suggests wearing a knee-length dress and expecting her to agree to her request.

Question 7

A very straitlaced friend of yours has told you that she never ever breaks any rules such as speed limits, is never late, or anything similar. She is apparently "little miss perfect." Why would a sociologist suggest that her claim cannot be true?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists recognize that no one conforms to all rules, as there are often conflicting norms and values within society. Additionally, what is considered a "rule" can vary depending on context and culture. Therefore, it is unlikely that anyone can truly be "little miss perfect" in the sense of never breaking any rules.

Question 8

What are we referring to when we speak of the formal norms defined by governments as principles that their citizens must follow?

Accepted Answer

Formal norms defined by governments as principles that their citizens must follow are called laws.

Question 9

What are we referring to when we talk about principles or rules that people in a society are expected to observe?

Accepted Answer

Norms are the principles or rules that people in a society are expected to observe. Sanctions refer to the consequences or reactions that follow when a person violates a norm, deviance refers to behavior that violates societal norms, and anomie refers to a state of normlessness or lack of social order.

Question 10

One of the main puzzles in the study of criminology is that although society became much more affluent in the twentieth century, crime rates continued to rise. Robert K. Merton responded to this quandary by:

Accepted Answer

Merton identified a sense of relative deprivation as a factor in deviance. Despite increased affluence, certain groups may feel a sense of relative deprivation when they cannot achieve the same level of wealth or status as others in society. This feeling can lead to deviant behavior as a means of achieving those goals or expressing frustration with the current system. Thus, Merton emphasized structural factors rather than individual morality or economic factors as the root cause of deviance.

Question 11

What word might Robert K. Merton use to characterize white-collar criminals?

Accepted Answer

Robert K. Merton would likely characterize white-collar criminals as "innovators." This term refers to individuals who accept societal goals but reject the socially approved means of achieving them, often resorting to unconventional or illegal methods to succeed, which aligns with the behavior of white-collar criminals.

Question 12

Jill's cell phone rang during an exam, and other students in the class turned around and stared at her. The instructor took the opportunity to remind the class that all cell phones should be turned off and put away. Both the class and the instructor used the moment to perform:

Accepted Answer

The instructor and class's reaction to Jill's cell phone ringing serves as boundary maintenance by reinforcing the norm that cell phones should be off during an exam, reminding everyone of the expected behavior in that setting.

Question 13

Sociologists would classify a drug-dealing gang whose members hold values that differ substantially from those of the majority as a:

Accepted Answer

A deviant subculture refers to a group that holds values that differ significantly from the dominant culture. Drug-dealing gangs often fall into this category, as their values and behaviors may involve criminal activity and defiance of societal norms. The other options, including Jim Crow gangs, primary deviation, and relative deprivation, do not adequately capture the nature of drug-dealing gangs and their subcultural values.

Question 14

According to Edwin Sutherland, why do criminals adopt criminal behavior?

Accepted Answer

According to Edwin Sutherland's theory of differential association, criminals learn criminal behavior from their peers and through their social interactions. Sutherland believed that crime was not the result of genetics or individual pathology, but rather a learned behavior that is acquired through the process of interacting with others who already engage in criminal behavior. Therefore, option B is the best choice.

Question 15

Looking at Figure 7.2, Merton's Deviance Typology, in which type would we see higher levels of anomie? Merton's Deviance Typology
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Accepted Answer

The answer of Looking at Figure 7.2, Merton's Deviance Typology,...

Question 16

According to Robert K. Merton, what are the majority of people in society?

Accepted Answer

According to Robert K. Merton's Strain Theory, the majority of people in society are conformists who accept and strive towards the culturally accepted goals and means (such as wealth and education), without resorting to deviant behavior.

Question 17

Albert Cohen used the concept of "delinquent subculture" to refer to groups such as gangs that reject middle-class norms and celebrate defiance. What is the primary difference between his of deviance and that of Robert K. Merton?

Accepted Answer

The primary difference between Cohen's concept of "delinquent subculture" and Merton's concept of deviance is that Cohen emphasizes that deviance can be a collective response, whereas Merton focuses on individual responses to societal pressures and norms. Cohen argues that members of delinquent subcultures reject middle-class values and norms and create their own set of cultural values based on defiance and rebellion. In contrast, Merton's strain theory suggests that deviance is the result of individuals' inability to achieve societally-valued goals, leading them to adopt alternative means of achieving success or status.

Question 18

What type of sanction is applied only by people officially designated to enforce norms?

Accepted Answer

Formal sanctions are those applied by people who hold official positions or roles, such as police officers or judges. Informal sanctions, on the other hand, are applied by others in society without official authority or designation. Positive and negative sanctions refer to the outcomes or consequences of behavior, rather than who is applying them.

Question 19

When peer groups make fun of someone's clothes, what type of sanction is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of informal sanction because it is not an official punishment or reward given by a formal authority, but rather it is a social reaction from the peer group.

Question 20

The two theories explaining deviance that are classified as interactionist are:

Accepted Answer

Both differential association and labeling theory are classified as interactionist theories explaining deviance.

Quiz 7: Conformity, Deviance, and Crime