Question 1

According to Agnew, "goal commitment" is constant for everyone in a given society.

Accepted Answer

Agnew's general strain theory proposes that individuals experience different types of strain that can lead to crime, but not everyone has the same level of goal commitment. Goal commitment refers to an individual's level of dedication and investment in achieving their goals, which can vary among individuals within a society.

Question 2

According to Merton, the adaptation of conformity occurs when someone accepts the culturally prescribed goals but rejects the socially approved means of achieving those goals.

Accepted Answer

According to Merton, the adaptation of conformity occurs when someone accepts both the culturally prescribed goals and the socially approved means of achieving those goals.

Question 3

______ theory focuses on how an individual's self-image and behavior are influenced by the reactions of society.

Accepted Answer

Labeling theory posits that individuals are labeled by societal norms and reactions, which in turn shapes their self-image and behavior. It suggests that deviant behavior is not solely determined by the actions themselves, but also by the reaction of society towards those actions.

Question 4

Robert K. Merton limits the source of strain to the inability to achieve material success.

Accepted Answer

Robert K. Merton's strain theory primarily focuses on the disjunction between societal goals, such as material success, and the means available to achieve them, leading to strain.

Question 5

A ______ results when an individual who is being labeled begins behaving in ways that confirm the label applied to him or her.

Accepted Answer

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a phenomenon where an individual's behavior is influenced by others' expectations or stereotypes, resulting in the individual conforming to the label or stereotype applied to them. The individual's behavior ultimately confirms the label, reinforcing the original belief or expectation.

Question 6

One of the first feminist theories of crime, ______, argued that females engage in a lower level of crime than males because of the lack of opportunity for women in society.

Accepted Answer

Liberal feminism, specifically the "opportunity theory," argues that the lower level of female crime is due to the lack of economic, social, and political opportunities available to women in society. This theory posits that if women had equal opportunities, they would engage in similar levels of criminal behavior as men.

Question 7

Gottfredson and Hirschi argued that an individual's level of self-control is fixed at age ______ and remains stable throughout the life course.

Accepted Answer

Gottfredson and Hirschi argued that an individual's level of self-control is fixed at age 5 and remains stable throughout the life course.

Question 8

______ theories argue that the ruling class of society uses its power to keep the poor in its place.

Accepted Answer

Marxist theories argue that the ruling class uses its power to maintain the status quo and oppress the poor. This is based on the idea that society is divided into classes based on their relationship to the means of production, and that those who control the means of production have the power to exploit those who do not. Marxist theory contends that the ruling class maintains its power through force, coercion, and ideology.

Question 9

Wolfgang and Ferracuti argued that there is a subculture among the lower class in America that has conduct norms that promote ______.

Accepted Answer

Wolfgang and Ferracuti's theory of subculture of violence suggests that in certain subcultures, particularly among the lower class in America, there are conduct norms that promote the use of violence as an acceptable and often preferred method of resolving conflicts.

Question 10

Albert Cohen created a theory in which he argued that lower class youth experience blocked opportunity to achieve status and gain respect in the conventional society because status and respect are earned by ______.

Accepted Answer

Cohen's theory of delinquent subcultures argues that working-class youth experience a status frustration because they lack the skills, values, and resources to succeed in the middle-class world. Therefore, they create alternative subcultures where they can gain status and respect on their own terms, often through delinquent behavior. Cohen argues that the standards and values of the middle-class society are inaccessible and incomprehensible to lower-class youth, and therefore they cannot achieve status and respect by meeting them.

Question 11

According to Terrie Moffitt, a very small number of juveniles, ______, engage in chronic violent offenses and contribute to the majority of serious violent offenses in society.

Accepted Answer

Terrie Moffitt's theory of life-course persistent offenders suggests that a small group of juveniles engage in chronic violent offenses and contribute to the majority of serious violent offenses in society, while the majority of juvenile offenders are adolescent-limited and do not continue their criminal behavior into adulthood. Therefore, option A (life-course persistent offenders) is the best choice. The other options (B, C, and D) do not accurately reflect Moffitt's theory.

Question 12

Which of the following is the central question addressed by control theories?

Accepted Answer

Control theories focus on understanding what prevents individuals from engaging in crime. They argue that individuals are inherently motivated to engage in criminal behavior, but social control mechanisms, such as family, school, and community, serve to prevent individuals from succumbing to these motivations. Therefore, the central question addressed by control theories is how these control mechanisms operate to reduce criminal activity.

Question 13

In his later work, Akers added ______ to his social learning theory, which would influence one's differential associations and differential reinforcements.

Accepted Answer

Akers added social structure to his social learning theory, which includes factors such as family, peers, and cultural values that can influence an individual's differential associations and differential reinforcements.

Question 14

According to Hirschi, the social bond is composed of four parts: attachment, commitment, belief, and ______.

Accepted Answer

Hirschi's social bond theory includes four elements: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief.

Question 15

Which of the following scholars argued that "delinquent acts result when an individual's bond to society is weak or broken"?

Accepted Answer

Travis Hirschi developed the social control theory, which argues that individuals conform to societal norms because of their strong bonds to society, including attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. Delinquent acts occur when these bonds are weak or broken.

Question 16

Which of the following developed a theory in which he argued that focal concerns of lower class youths are responsible for the cycle of delinquency and crime among the people of lower class because such negative values keep producing males who would abandon their family and thus children who would look to the streets for male role models?

Accepted Answer

Walter Miller is known for his theory on the focal concerns of lower-class culture, which posits that certain values or "focal concerns" prevalent in lower-class communities contribute to a cycle of delinquency and crime. These focal concerns include toughness, trouble, smartness, excitement, fate, and autonomy. Miller argued that adherence to these values leads to behaviors that perpetuate a cycle of crime and delinquency, including the abandonment of family responsibilities and the search for role models on the streets.

Question 17

Control theories are rooted in the ______ school of criminology.

Accepted Answer

Control theories are rooted in the classical school of criminology, which emphasizes the role of free will and rational choice in human behavior, focusing on why individuals conform to laws rather than why they commit crimes.

Question 18

Though empirical studies often support general strain theory, finding that strain is related to crime, it is usually not the most important variable in explaining crime.

Accepted Answer

While strain is related to crime, there are often other variables that are more important in explaining why someone may commit a crime.

Question 19

According to Shaw and McKay, the areas with high crime rates were fluid over time, often depending on which racial and ethnic group resided in the areas at the time.

Accepted Answer

Shaw and McKay attributed high crime rates to social disorganization in certain neighborhoods, not to the racial or ethnic composition of those areas. They argued that crime was related to the breakdown of social institutions such as family, school, and community organizations, rather than the characteristics of the people living there.

Question 20

If you stole your neighbor's car and justified your actions by telling yourself that you only borrowed the car and would return it later, which of the following techniques of neutralization did you use?

Accepted Answer

Denial of injury is used when an individual argues that their actions did not cause any harm or damage, as in this scenario where the person justifies stealing a car by claiming they only borrowed it and will return it later, implying no harm done.

Quiz 5: Modern Sociological Theories of Crime