Deviant Behavior Exam 1

Compared to the rest of the regions in the United States, ______.

the South has the highest homicide rate

Who are the bourgeoisie?

the owners of the means of production

The general theory of crime suggests that most crimes are committed ______.

to satisfy an immediate need

A proposition is a statement of the relationship between at least two variables.

true

Compared to murder, manslaughter involves less premeditation.

true

Declan shot and killed the man who attempted to rob his store. This is an example of justifiable homicide.

true

Deviance is not an isolated individual activity, it is a social event.

true

Deviance plays a vital role in the economy of a society.

true

Emile Durkheim suggested that deviant behavior is an essential part of society.

true

Sex addiction can be an example of chronic deviance.

true

Weight, sex, age, and height are all ______ because they are subject to change.

variables

An imam organizes a protest march to draw attention to Islamophobia. Counterprotesters attend, inciting a riot that airs on the news, generating awareness of Islamophobia. What latent function of deviance does this primarily represent?

warning of the need for social change

When is the situational approach to defining deviance most useful?

when there is disagreement about norms

At a football game, Javier and Mark began fighting over a cell phone charger. Mark screamed that he would kill Javier and tried to push him over the railing. What is the appropriate classification for Mark's behavior?

assault and battery

In Hirschi's control theory, ______ refers to the intensity and variety of interests a person shares with community members.

attachment

Keisha accepts the socially approved goal of attending college in order to achieve the socially approved goal of finding a respectable career. In which category of Anomie Theory does Keisha belong?

conformity

Explain, using example, the components of a scientific theory.

(Varies) A scientific theory is a set of interrelated and interdependent propositions designed to predict a given phenomenon. A proposition is a statement of the relationship between at least two variables. For example, if I study for my sociology test, I will get an A. A variable is something that changes. For example, how much I study for my sociology test and the grade I receive are both variables.

In the neoclassical school, the deterrence doctrine involves both ______ and ______.

B. hedonism; a cost-benefit analysis

When evaluating a theory, ______ refers to whether a theory has clearly stated propositions that agree with each other.

logical consistency

When it comes to homicide, which gender pattern is most common?

male offender, male victim

The prohibition against marriage between siblings is an example of ______.

mores`

If I focus on defining deviance as human behavior that violates generally accepted norms, I am using the ______ perspective to define deviance.

normative

Traditionally, there are two broad ways to define deviance. What are they?

normative and situational

Simon wants to create theory that explains all forms of crime and deviance. His theory is so complicated it fills an entire series of books. This theory lacks ______.

parsimony

Gender is a variable.

true

Deviance is fundamentally a social construction.

True

Status, strength of the relational system, and external restraint are key variables in Henry and Short's ______.

A. theory of homicide and suicide

How does frustration relate to aggression, according to frustration-aggression theory?

Frustration leads to aggression.

Idiosyncratic forms of deviance are more common than patterned forms of deviance.

False

How are processes of globalization related to deviance?

Processes of globalization, including immediate worldwide communication, transnational commerce and trade, and borderless opportunities for political and cultural exchange, impact the nature and extent of social deviance in U.S. society and throughout the world. In other words, processes of globalization have a reciprocal relationship with deviance. Processes of globalization result in risk consciousness and detraditionalization, both forces that encourage deviant behavior. Risk consciousness, or the manufactured risks brought about by scientific advances, spurs deviant behavior in protest of potential harm. Detraditionalization, or the loss of traditional norms and values, can result in deviant behavior as individuals struggle to adapt to new norms or the absence of familiar norms.

Identify aspects of the situational approach to defining deviance.

The situational perspective is a relativistic approach that shifts the focus away from the individual and to the social situation surrounding the behavior, understanding deviance primarily in terms of when and where it occurs. The situational approach to defining deviant behaviors is particularly useful when there is a lack of consensus about appropriate behavior. The situational approach to understanding deviant behavior contends that behaviors are essentially neutral and take on meaning only when defined by some social entity.

According to the general theory of crime, what accounts for all forms of crime?

self-control

Kai Erikson and Emile Durkheim would agree that deviance serves a purpose.

True

The Northeast region of the United States has the lowest homicide rate.

True

Murder is divided into first and second degrees of seriousness. What considerations serve to distinguish the levels of seriousness?

Two considerations serve to distinguish first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree manslaughter. The first is premeditation, which refers to whether the murder was deliberately planned. It implies a time lapse between the formation of the idea to kill in the mind of the offender and the actual carrying out of the murder. Once the idea has occurred, but before the killing is actually carried out, the offender takes steps toward actually committing a killing, plans how it will be done, and prepares in other ways. For example, homicides that involve lying in wait are considered first-degree cases. The second is provocation. If the victim provokes the attacker, either verbally, physically, or both, it can be a factor that reduces the charge from first-degree murder to second-degree murder. Provocation suggests that the victim bears some responsibility for the crime. For instance, if the victim was the first one to use physical force against their killer. Ultimately, second-degree murder is, in part, distinguished from first-degree murder by the existence of premeditation on the part of the offender and whether the victim provoked the offender in some way. Sunday, February 14, 2021 6:35:04 PM CST

Identify and discuss one adaptation within Merton's anomie theory that is relevant for understanding homicide.

Varies. Robert K. Merton (1968) suggested that anomie is the result of institutionalized means not resulting in attainment of culturally approved ends. For example, when full-time employment does not provide sufficient income to pay bills, a condition of anomie is said to exist. Of the five adaptations Merton identified, two are relevant for understanding homicide. Innovation refers to accepting goals but rejecting institutionalized means for attaining those goals. Innovators may use force to take money and material possessions from others. Rebellion involves replacing existing goals and means or overturning the existing social structure and developing a new order. This new order can make the violent acquisition of higher social status possible.

Compare and contrast subculture of violence theory with opportunity theory.

While both subcultures of violence theory and opportunity theory are microanalytical, and both involve how the people we know influence the behavior we engage in, they are two distinct theories. Subcultures of violence theory originated with Wolfgang and Ferracuti and suggests that where deprivation of economic goods is great, group norms favoring violence emerge. The more an individual is connected to a subculture of violence, the more they accept violence in response to frustration as part of their life, embracing violence as normal. This increases their commission of assault and homicide. Opportunity theory originated with Cloward and Ohlin and suggests that those who cannot find legitimate opportunities for success find, and join, illegitimate structures. Violence is accepted as part of their lives. Participation in violent opportunity structures increases the probability that the individual will commit homicide, assault, and battery.

What question provided the basis for Hirschi's social control theory?

Why don't individuals engage in crime and deviant behavior?

Which two theories developed from the work of Durkheim?

anomie theory and Henry and Short's theory of homicide and suicide

According to Kai Erikson, agents of social control ______.

can encourage the behavior they intend to stop

In Henry and Short's theory of homicide and suicide, ______ refers to the strength of the requirement that people conform to the demands and expectations of others.

external restraint

The South has the lowest homicide rate in the United States.

false

Differential association theory suggests that the process of learning criminal behavior ______.

is similar to the process of learning noncriminal behavior

Deviant behavior can bring about social change.

true

Putting another in fear of imminent bodily injury is a form of assault.

true

According to Sutherland, criminal behavior is ______.

learned

Moe approached Zackary at a nightclub. He began screaming about Zachery's disrespect. He kicked and hit Zackery, then walked away. Zackery pulled out a gun and shot Moe, killing him. What does this exemplify?

victim-precipitated homicide

Social scientists study deviant behavior using ______, which means that social events are interpreted differently according to the cultural experiences and personal interests of those involved.

A. social relativity

Compared to the rest of the United States population, ______.

A. those 50 years of age or older are less likely to be murdered

Summarize Sellin's ideas about the relationship between culture, crime, and deviance.

According to Sellin, crime and deviance are based on conduct norms specific to cultural groups being adhered here in groups with different conduct norms. Conflicts in conduct norms may occur under three conditions: (1) when two cultural groups are in close proximity and the conduct norms of one group conflict with the neighboring group, (2) when the laws of a dominant cultural group govern the activities of a subordinate group, and (3) when members of one cultural group move into an area governed by another cultural group. In each instance, the norms that guide the conduct of a cultural group may be considered unacceptable by another and in the extreme may cause the arrest of someone adhering to the conduct norms specific to their culture rather than the group's conduct norms.

Identify the processes that determine if an individual becomes criminal, according to the social learning approach.

Akers outlines a five-step process that determines whether an individual becomes criminal. In the first step, the balance of past and current associations, definitions, and imitation of deviant models, and the anticipated balance of reinforcement in particular situations, produces or inhibits the initial delinquent or deviant acts. In the second step, though imitation is less important, the effects of these variables continue to encourage the repetition of criminal acts. In the third step, once criminal behavior has begun, the presence of social and nonsocial reinforcers and absence of punishers increase both the likelihood that criminal acts will be repeated, as well as how often the criminal acts occur. In the fourth step of the process, both the criminal behavior itself and whether individual defines the behavior as favorable are affected by the positive and negative consequences of previous criminal behavior. If the criminal behavior is better rewarded than noncriminal behavior, the individuals defines criminal behavior favorable, making the criminal behavior more likely to be repeated. Finally, progression into regular patterns of criminal behavior is promoted to the extent that reinforcement, exposure to deviant models, and norm-violating definitions are not offset by negative formal and informal sanctions and norm-abiding definitions.

Explain, using Aker's criteria for evaluating a theory, how social scientists would evaluate control theory.

Control theory is the view that social bonds (attachment, belief, commitment, and involvement) prevent people from engaging in deviant behavior. The criterion Aker's promotes for evaluating a theory include logical consistency, scope, and parsimony, testability, empirical validity, and usefulness and policy implications. To assess control theory for logical consistency involves assessing whether the key components (attachment, belief, commitment, and involvement) are clearly defined and mutually exclusive. Scope refers to "range of phenomena" accounted for by the theory. Assessing control theory for scope involves assessing what range of criminal and deviant behavior control theory can account for. Parsimony or simplicity can be assessed in relation to control theory by assessing if any of the key components or overly complicated. The testability of a theory refers to whether evidence is available to assess the validity of its propositions. Assessing control theory for testability means assessing whether it can be proven false. The empirical validity of control theory can be assessed by asking if there is scientifically credible evidence to support it. Finally, control theory can be assessed for its utility and policy implications. Can control theory be used in designing and implementing prevention and intervention programs and policies?

What did Erikson suggest about deviant behavior?

Deviance is a property conferred upon behavior by people.

Discuss the conceptual levels that can be used to understand deviant behavior.

Deviant behavior can be examined on a number of conceptual levels. First, we can study the creation of social norms, and which interest groups those social norms benefit or penalize. We can try to understand under what conditions it is acceptable to violate social norms, and study formal versus informal social controls to prevent deviant behavior. We can look at who is labeled deviant and under what conditions labeling occur. We can study the societal reaction to norm violators. We can study the dimensions of deviance: (1) patterned versus idiosyncratic, (2) episodic versus routine, (3) individual versus group, and (4) positive versus negative. Finally, we can understand deviance by focusing on the role it plays in society.

Subdivide differential association theory into its component parts.

Differential association theory is composed of nine propositions. The first proposition is that criminal behavior is learned. The second proposition is that criminal behavior is learned in interaction by communicating with other people. The third proposition is that criminal behavior is learned within intimate personal groups. The fourth proposition is that the learning of criminal behavior includes both techniques of committing the crime, and the specific direction of motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes. The fifth proposition is that individuals can associate with those who define the law as something that should be followed as well as individuals with a more flexible perspective on whether the law should be followed. The sixth proposition suggests that associates willing to violate the law outnumber associates not willing to violate the law, criminal behavior results. The seventh propositions states that frequency, duration, priority, and intensity of relationships with people willing to violate the law will vary. The eighth proposition states that crime is learned the same way people learn everything else. Finally, the ninth proposition states that motives, values, and needs alone are not a sufficient explanation for crime because these factors also explain noncriminal behavior.

Premeditation refers to an unjustifiable, inexcusable, and unmitigated person-endangering-state-of-mind.

False

The country with the highest murder rate in the world is the United States.

False

The proletariat are the owners of the means of production in society.

False

The social learning theory emphasizes the influence of socioeconomic status on the norms people learn.

False

When assessing deviant behavior, it must be considered as a phenomenon separate from the processes of globalization.

False

Discuss, using examples, the major consequences of globalization suggested by Giddens.

Giddens identified two major consequences of globalization, "risk consciousness" and "detraditionalization." These consequences interfere with the development of stable norms and values that we rely on to guide our everyday lives support our self-identities. "Risk consciousness" refers to risks created by scientific advances such as the development of nuclear power and can result in a self-identity marred by uncertainty, followed by a sense off utility and apathy, which may in turn lead to organized protest and other social disruptions. The second major consequence discussed by Giddens involves traditions that provide stability and predictability to social interaction. Agreed upon standards of "right and wrong," "good and bad" provide a structure for a given social collectivity. Self-identities emerge from sociocultural traditions and remain relatively stable over time. As "detraditionalization" occurs, society can see a loss of structure, followed by a period of instability.

How are manifest functions different from latent functions?

Manifest functions are intended, latent functions are unintended.

Differentiate between key components of Sampson and Laub's approach to the study of crime and deviance.

Sampson and Laub adopt a life-course perspective to understanding crime and deviance. Key components of this approach are trajectories, transitions, and turning points. Trajectories refer to long-term patterns of behavior throughout life course. Transitions are short-term events that occur within trajectories. The turning point is an abrupt event that redirects the course of a life trajectory.

Which of the following best exemplifies second-degree manslaughter?

Sheila was texting and driving when she ignored a stop sign and killed a man crossing the street.

According to Shaw and McKay, what is the root cause of persistent criminal and deviant behavior in some neighborhoods?

Social disorganization is a characteristic of neighborhoods, not individuals.

How are social norms different from social roles?

Social norms are guides for behavior, while social roles are a set of social norms for the behavior of individuals with specific statuses.

How are expectational norms different from behavioral norms?

Social norms may be classified as expectational or behavioral. Expectational norms refer to ideal behaviors expected from individuals playing a particular social role or in a specific social situation. Behavioral norms refer to what persons actually do when occupying a particular social role or in a given social situation. The difference between expectational norms and behavioral norms is the difference between ideal behavior and actual behavior.

According to the text, what impact does the Internet have on deviant behavior?``

The Internet encourages the development of new forms of deviant behavior.

What is the primary difference between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat?

The bourgeoisie do not need to work but the proletariat does.

How do deviants serve a scapegoating function?

The deviants in society provide a pool of individuals who can be blamed for the problems experienced by people who aren't labeled deviant. Deviants are frequently segregated from the rest of society and experience aggressive, demeaning, and dehumanizing treatment. Once stigmatized as deviants, people without a deviant master status can direct their negative feelings against the deviant. Deviant members of society, then, provide a target for others to vent their frustrations upon.

Distinguish between the key components of Aker's social learning approach.

The social learning approach involves four related processes: differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement, and imitation. Differential association means interaction with deviants and people who encourage deviance over those who encourage conformist behavior. Definitions refer to the meaning and value given to certain behaviors. Differential reinforcement means that when behavior is rewarded, it tends to continue. Imitation is the process by which individuals model admired behavior of others.

Compare and contrast Sellin's approach to understanding crime and Turk's approach to understanding crime.

The theories of Sellin and Turk both stem from conflict perspective. Both involve cultural values and social conflict based on Individual's having different values. According to Sellin, crime and deviance are based on conduct norms specific to cultural groups being adhered here in groups with different conduct norms. Conflicts in conduct norms may occur under three conditions: (1) when two cultural groups are in close proximity and the conduct norms of one group conflict with the neighboring group, (2) when the laws of a dominant cultural group govern the activities of a subordinate group, and (3) when members of one cultural group move into an area governed by another cultural group. People adhering to the conduct norms of their own group while a part of a different group may experience a range of responses, from minor penalties (laughter) to extreme penalties (arrest). According to Turk, criminal behavior occurs due to the balance of power between authorities in society and persons who are subjected to their control. This relationship hinges upon two sets of norms: norms of domination, which refer to the ability of those in authority to force others to act in a certain way, and norms of deference, which refer to the willingness of people to conform to the expectations of those in authority. Authorities in society have one set of cultural norms and values, and those they control may have a separate set of norms and values. When those they control are well-organized, conflict is created. With the increase in conflict, the number of behaviors defined as criminal also increases. Primarily, this affects those without power, who are more likely to be sanctioned for criminal behavior than the wealthy and powerful. Contrasting the two, while Sellin focuses on the conflict caused by differing conduct norms, Turk focuses on the how the action of those in authority can criminalize behaviors engaged in by the lower class while paying less attention to the criminal behaviors of the upper class.

According to the text, what is one major issue with applying classical theories of deviant behavior to deviant behavior in contemporary society?

They assume social interaction is largely carried out in physical space.

Compared to second-degree murder, first-degree murder involves more intent to harm.

True

Describe, using examples, three of the dimensions of deviance.

Varies. Deviance may be patterned or idiosyncratic, positive or negative, innovative or routine, individual or group behaviors, and episodic or chronic. Patterned deviant behavior involves deviant behavior that occurs according to expected motivations, that are carried out in expected ways, in specific social contexts. For example, bank robbery. Idiosyncratic deviance is less common, occurring more randomly, and tends to be unique to individuals. For example, carrying a doll to a restaurant table and requesting it be served food as if it were a living human. Positive deviance is behavior that is unusually good or conforms to an extraordinary degree, such as a student with a record of perfect school attendance from the first day of kindergarten to the last day of high school, as opposed to negative deviance, which is behavior that violates moral, ethical, or legal standards, such as selling heroin to elementary school students. Individual deviance is committed alone, for example, a kid shoplifting. Group deviance is committed with other people, for example, an organized ring of shoplifters.`

Discuss, using examples, the differences between social norms and social roles.`

Varies. Social norms are generally accepted guides for behavior, while social roles are a set of specific social norms for the behavior of individuals with specific statuses. For example, one common social norms in the United States is that children are discouraged from using their fingers to remove material from their nose. An example of a social role is the expectation that parents will teach their children socially acceptable behavior, though if a stranger attempted to teach a child socially acceptable behavior, it would probably be frowned upon.`

Explain how the conceptual framework used in this text would approach the study of a group of people that dress up as real or imaginary superheroes to perform good deeds.

Varies. The framework recognizes that deviance is a social, not an individual, event. Therefore, different people will have various interpretations regarding the who, what, when, where, and why involved when people dress up as superheroes and perform good deeds in their community. Every act of deviance has a unique set of causes, consequences, and participants, which means applying the concept of social relativity to people who dress up as superheroes. When people dress up as superheroes and volunteer in their community, unique concerns can manifest themselves in the creation of new social policies, or laws. For example, this framework might focus on the additional police patrols assigned to monitor the activities of these "superheroes" in the street or to track their activities online to ensure that good deeds do not interfere with other community activities. This framework would study the meaning of dressing up as superheroes to perform good deeds according to the people engaging in it, and how it may vary from the meaning assigned by those who benefit, and those who witness, the behavior.

Analyze violent behavior using Wilson's social disorganization theory.

Wilson focuses on the concentration of poverty as key to understanding the social disorganization of large, predominately Black, urban areas. These neighborhoods are physically dilapidated areas characterized by high unemployment with few opportunities for job training or employment prospects. These neighborhoods are characterized both by sense of fatalism and a focus on the immediate future. In this atmosphere, minor incidents that involve misunderstandings or perceived insults are more likely to escalate into violence. Unable to obtain the things they want legitimately; people often take things they want by force.

According to Ronald Akers, it is the ______, combined with specific contexts, that encourage or discourage the initial delinquent or deviant acts.

anticipated balance of reinforcement

What is the social learning approach designed to explain?

both the process of becoming deviant and the process of desisting from deviance

According to ______, the more Jennifer hangs out with a group of people who are comfortable breaking the law, the greater the likelihood that Jennifer will learn how to break the law, how to justify breaking the law, and rationales explaining why the law should be broken.

differential association theory

According to ______, the more Jennifer hangs out with a group of people who are comfortable breaking the law, the greater the likelihood that Jennifer will learn how to break the law, how to justify breaking the law, and rationales explaining why the law should be broken.`

differential association theory

Emile Durkheim suggested that crime and deviance are pathological elements of society.

false

Farrington identified three key transitions that changed the life trajectory of young offenders: having children, getting married, and attending college.

false

In South America, Belize has the highest homicide rate.

false

Once the label of deviant has been applied, it is relatively easy to change the label and resume a normal life.

false

Reintegrative shaming refers to the process by which a person comes to accept the largely negative judgments of others.

false

Situational choice theory acknowledges that crime displacement can lead to target hardening.

false

The terms "latent functions" and "dysfunctions" both refer to phenomena that are recognized by participants in a social system.

false

What behavior is considered deviant behavior is universally agreed upon.

false

The prohibition against adults picking their noses with their fingers in public is an example of ______.

folkways

What theory provided the basis for Palmer's unreciprocity approach to explaining violence?

frustration-aggression theory

Spray painting graffiti on police cars is a form of ______ deviance.

group

When deciding whether to shoplift the candy, Izzy bases her decision on the fact that she greatly desires the candy and does not think she is likely to get caught. This illustrates the ______ principal, because she is maximizing her pleasure and assuming there will be no consequences.

hedonistic

Murphy accepts the socially approved goal of obtaining wealth but is unable to access the educational system that is the traditional path to achieving that goal. Instead, he begins stealing cars to make money. In which category of Anomie Theory does Murphy belong?

innovation

The restrictions placed on how fast people can drive in the United States reflect ______.

laws

Kevin's family makes meth. From a young age, Kevin was taught that making methamphetamine wasn't hurting anyone, was rewarded for helping to make methamphetamine, and was not exposed to any consequences for making methamphetamine. Kevin's was home-schooled and was never exposed to any other views on methamphetamine. The social learning approach suggests that Kevin will ______.

persist in making meth

A young adult who cannot successfully complete classes begins selling drugs to their former classmates. They feel a sense of belonging they lacked before. Which latent function of deviant behavior does this represent?

providing a sense of identity

In anomie theory, what category would described White nationalists who seek to overthrow the government of a democratic state founded on the principles of equality for all and replace it with a government dedicated to fostering racial inequality?

rebellion

What term refers to an interrelated and interdependent proposition designed to predict a given phenomenon?

scientific theory

There are six criteria for assessing a scientific theory: parsimony, ______, logical consistency, testability, empirical validity, and usefulness/policy implications.

scope

If I understand deviance by focusing primarily on when and where it occurs, I am using the ______ perspective.

situational

If I understand deviance by focusing primarily on when and where it occurs, I am using the ______ perspective.`

situational

Sun's parents raise her firmly, but kindly. They listen to her, and she learns her words have value. They give her hugs, and she learns that they love her. George Herbert Mead would term Sun's ability to view herself from her parent's perspective as ______.

taking the role of the other

According to Edwin Sutherland, criminal behavior is learned that same way that other behaviors are learned.

true

Both trajectories and transitions are major components of Sampson and Laub's developmental approach to understanding deviant behavior.

true

Second-degree manslaughter results from the negligent actions of the offender.

true

Some forms of behavior are against the law but are not defined as deviant by the majority of the population.

true