SOC Ch.6

What may explain why the SEC failed to find evidence of fraud when it investigated Bernie Madoff? a)White-collar criminals are often given the benefit of the doubt. b)There were no "red flags." c)The scheme was so complex that it was difficult to detect illegalities.

a)White-collar criminals are often given the benefit of the doubt.

Crime refers to a)a particular form of deviance in which offenders violate formal norms. b)anything that violates social norms. c)anything that causes harm to others. d)anything that is wrong, whether or not there is a law against it.

a)a particular form of deviance in which offenders violate formal norms.

Historically, society has considered white-collar crimes to be different from other types of crime because white-collar crimes often a)are carried out by people who are considered "respectable" and affluent. b)result in little loss or harm for their victims. c)are committed by professional criminals with ties to gangs. d)result in serious physical injury to their victims.

a)are carried out by people who are considered "respectable" and affluent.

The flip side of social control is a)deviance. b)lawlessness. c)crime. d)stigma.

a)deviance.

The term law may be defined as a)governmental social control. b)informal social regulation. c)a process to convert deviants into law-abiding citizens. d)an organized system that is designed to oppress the majority.

a)governmental social control.

Defining which behaviors are deviant and which behaviors are acceptable is typically a role for individuals and groups with the a)greatest status and power. b)highest degrees in theology. c)most experience in psychology. d)best education in the study of law.

a)greatest status and power.

For Hirschi, what is the key to reducing levels of crime and deviance? a)allowing children to form their own ideas about deviance within the context of their society b)socializing children at a young age and building strong ties as they develop c)strong parental and institutional control of children from birth

b)socializing children at a young age and building strong ties as they develop

Which of the following are examples of white-collar crimes? a)prostitution b)tax fraud c)stock manipulation d)shoplifting e)child pornography

b)tax fraud c)stock manipulation

A person's ability to resist a label from another individual depends on a)how mentally strong that person is to resist the label. b)the amount of power the individual has relative to the person. c)the amount of money the person has to fight a negative label in a court of law. d)the gender of the person giving the label.

b)the amount of power the individual has relative to the person.

Because deviance involves violation of some group's norms, defining an act as deviant depends on a)morality. b)the context. c)legality.

b)the context.

In sociology, the term "conformity" means a)a label to devalue members of a certain group. b)compliance with higher authorities. c)going along with peers who have no authority to control our behavior. d)social control that is carried out by governments.

c)going along with peers who have no authority to control our behavior.

The sociologist Howard Becker made the statement that "deviant behavior is behavior that people so label." He is associated with which approach to deviance? a)differential association theory b)anomie theory c)labeling theory d)social disorganization theory

c)labeling theory

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, what is the most likely property crime to be reported? a)burglary b)larceny-theft c)motor vehicle theft

c)motor vehicle theft

Informal social control is used by people to casually enforce social a)deviance. b)dysfunctions. c)norms. d)beliefs.

c)norms.

Attempting to explain why the U.S. violent crime rate is so much higher than that of western Europe, the sociologist Elliott Currie suggests that American society a)is corrupted by materialism, which quite naturally gives rise to violent crime. b)desires geographical freedom that echoes the pioneer spirit and the Wild West. c)places greater emphasis on individual economic achievement than other societies do. d)is inferior to European culture.

c)places greater emphasis on individual economic achievement than other societies do.

Types of transnational crimes include a)shoplifting. b)spousal abuse. c)slavery. d)drug trafficking.

c)slavery. d)drug trafficking.

True or false: Sharing a pirated copy of a new movie is deviant behavior. a)True b)False

a)True

According to Merton's strain theory of deviance, which of the following statements are true about "retreatists"? a)They are often drug addicts or vagrants. b)They are likely to join some type of revolutionary political organization. c)They blindly follow regulations without remembering the more important goals of their occupation. d)They have withdrawn from the goals of society.

a)They are often drug addicts or vagrants. d)They have withdrawn from the goals of society.

In a classic experiment, the psychologist Stanley Milgram set out to test a)how far people would go when obeying authority. b)what people would do in an unusual situation. c)the degree to which people would violate norms if they thought they were not being watched. d)what people would do when presented with a situation in which they had to choose between norms.

a)how far people would go when obeying authority.

Parents spanking their children, which is widely accepted in many countries, is a type of a)informal social control. b)horizontal control. c)formal social control. d)governmental social control.

a)informal social control.

In Merton's strain theory of deviance, the _____ accepts the goals of society but pursues them with means that are regarded as improper. a)innovator b)ritualist c)retreatist d)rebel

a)innovator

Which of the following are index crimes that are tabulated each year by the Federal Bureau of Investigation? a)larceny-theft b)murder c)arson d)perjury

a)larceny-theft b)murder c)arson

Once people have had a stigma attached to their identities, they a)may experience lowered self-esteem. b)can do things to easily reverse the stigma. c)often have trouble presenting a positive image to others. d)are often able to use it to their advantage.

a)may experience lowered self-esteem. c)often have trouble presenting a positive image to others.

Which of the following are agents authorized to carry out formal social control against those who violate social norms? a)police officers b)judges c)students d)coworkers

a)police officers b)judges

The practice of attempting to identify criminal suspects based only on the person's race is called a)racial profiling. b)transnational crime. c)deviance. d)cultural transmission.

a)racial profiling.

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, what violent crime is least likely to be reported? a)rape/sexual assault b)simple assault c)aggravated assault d)robbery

a)rape/sexual assault

If we violate social norms, we may face punishment through informal or formal a)sanctions. b)rewards. c)shunning. d)deviance.

a)sanctions.

What nation has the highest rate of incarceration? a)the United States b)Mexico c)France d)Honduras

a)the United States

The psychologist Stanley Milgram, in interpreting the unexpected results of his famous experiment, suggested that volunteers had continued to administer what they thought were electric shocks to people because a)they were submitting to the experimenter as an authority figure: a scientist and seeker of knowledge. b)they enjoyed hurting people. c)of the physical environment in which the experiment was taking place. d)it was likely that each participant would recognize a bond of solidarity with the control group.

a)they were submitting to the experimenter as an authority figure: a scientist and seeker of knowledge.

Bernie Madoff's actions represent the largest case of ______ in history. a)white-collar crime b)index crime c)victimless crime d)violent crime

a)white-collar crime

Social control allows people to a)work together to achieve goals. b)behave however they want to behave. c)live without rules. d)evolve biologically.

a)work together to achieve goals.

Because of differential justice, ______ are at a disadvantage in the justice system. a)the wealthy b)African Americans c)women d)Caucasian males

b)African Americans

Which of the following characterizations of organized crime are true? a)It deals strictly in victimless crimes, such as gambling and prostitution. b)It provides upward mobility for groups of people trying to escape poverty. c)It is like a large corporation, only illegal. d)It can take over legitimate businesses.

b)It provides upward mobility for groups of people trying to escape poverty. c)It is like a large corporation, only illegal. d)It can take over legitimate businesses.

Social control can best be described as the techniques and strategies for preventing ______ behavior in any group or society. a)desired b)deviant c)unnecessary d)social

b)deviant

The sociologist Edwin Sutherland argued that people who are exposed to attitudes that are favorable to crime often violate the law. This process, in which attitudes influence criminal behavior, is known as a)positive sanctioning. b)differential association. c)anomie. d)stigmatization.

b)differential association.

According to feminist criminologists, many of the existing approaches to deviance and crime were developed with only ______ in mind. a)women b)men c)the poor d)children

b)men

When an illegal activity such as prostitution or gambling is controlled by a group devoted to illegal businesses, the activity is an example of a)social stigmas. b)organized crime. c)social control. d)differential association.

b)organized crime.

Corporate laws regarding taxation govern the behavior of a)a particular category of people. b)social institutions. c)all members of society.

b)social institutions.

Breaking in line at the movies, wearing flip-flops to a five-star restaurant, and being late for an appointment are all examples of a)stigmas. b)lawlessness. c)deviance. d)victimless crime.

c)deviance.

Daniel Bell coined the term "ethnic succession" to describe a)how parents pass biological traits to their children. b)the transfer of organized crime leadership from one immigrant culture to another. c)how people transmit social ideas about obedience and conformity within a culture. d)immigrants who return to their countries of birth.

b)the transfer of organized crime leadership from one immigrant culture to another.

What is organized crime? a)criminal behavior committed by highly organized individuals b)the work of a group that regulates relations among criminal enterprises involved in illegal activities c)a form of crime that exists in movies but is not present in today's society d)crime that professional criminals engage in and approach as a job

b)the work of a group that regulates relations among criminal enterprises involved in illegal activities

Many people object to the term "victimless crimes" because they say that a)people cannot stop themselves from committing these crimes. b)these crimes do cause problems for others. c)there are no such things as crime or deviance in society. d)these crimes do not hurt offenders or society.

b)these crimes do cause problems for others.

Shaw and McKay's 1969 study of Chicago found high levels of social problems in areas a)where ethnic groups had become established. b)without local community connections. c)just being built. d)with high levels of church and community center attendance.

b)without local community connections.

What did Émile Durkheim claim as the most important function of punishing deviants? a)It entertains the public and thus contributes to social stability. b)It satisfies people's deep-seated "blood lust" and thus prevents family violence. c)It helps define acceptable behavior and thus contributes to social stability. d)It helps the deviants realize the error of their ways and thus reduces deviance.

c)It helps define acceptable behavior and thus contributes to social stability.

Which of the following statements represents social disorganization theory? a)Crime and deviance increase when neighborhoods implement neighborhood watch programs. b)The crime rate increases when neighborhoods become more affluent. c)Social problems increase when neighborhoods have deteriorating buildings and declining populations. d)A strengthening of communal relationships leads to increased crime rates.

c)Social problems increase when neighborhoods have deteriorating buildings and declining populations.

The FBI Uniform Crime Reports data show a)reports on crimes like white collar crime and victimless crime. b)an exact, accurate picture of crime in the country. c)an indication of the level of certain crimes. d)complete reliability because the data were collected using the scientific method.

c)an indication of the level of certain crimes.

Which of the following is considered a white-collar crime? a)smoking marijuana b)larceny c)bribery d)gambling

c)bribery

Social control tries to encourage a)deviant behavior that violates basic norms. b)people to disobey authority figures. c)conformity and obedience and the following of social norms. d)wealth through the collection of taxes.

c)conformity and obedience and the following of social norms.

Feminist criminologists contend that a)cultural views make women more difficult to prosecute. b)women are incapable of committing serious crimes. c)deviance and crime tend to flow from economic relationships. d)men and women are treated fairly and equally.

c)deviance and crime tend to flow from economic relationships

When sociologist William Chambliss observed the Saints and the Roughnecks, he concluded that a)the groups had been labeled correctly based on their behavior. b)labeling did not affect the two groups' behavior at all. c)social class played an important role in the varying fortunes of the two groups. d)social class did not play a role in the fortunes of the two groups.

c)social class played an important role in the varying fortunes of the two groups.

According to control theorists, we usually obey laws because a)our bodies produce chemicals that encourage obedience. b)we consciously think about the sanctions for not obeying. c)socialization develops our self-control. d)we do not think about our relationships with others.

c)socialization develops our self-control.

Erving Goffman coined the term stigma to describe a)a division of labor based on gender. b)a system of rules that encourage obedience. c)the labels society places on some people. d)the positive sanctions earned with good behavior.

c)the labels society places on some people.

According to Merton's strain theory of deviance, which of the following statements is not true about persons referred to as "rebels"? a)They feel alienated from society's dominant means and goals. b)They might join a revolutionary political organization, for example. c)They might seek a dramatically different social order. d)They are likely to conform to prevailing social norms and customs.

d)They are likely to conform to prevailing social norms and customs.

In sociological terms, a crime is a)an action that cannot earn sanctions. b)the obedient behavior of an individual. c)the conformity to social norms. d)a violation of criminal law for which some governmental authority applies formal penalties.

d)a violation of criminal law for which some governmental authority applies formal penalties.

Émile Durkheim used the term ______ to describe the loss of direction felt by individuals in a society when social control of individual behavior has become ineffective. a)obedience b)deviance c)stigma d)anomie

d)anomie

Obedience can best be defined as a)refusing to obey orders. b)going along with one's peers because it seems like the right thing to do. c)doing what everyone else is doing to fit in. d)following the commands of a perceived authority.

d)following the commands of a perceived authority.

When a school principal suspends a student, the principal is using or applying a)informal social control. b)differential association. c)conformity. d)formal social control.

d)formal social control.

Which theory attempts to explain why certain people are viewed as deviants and criminals, while others who engage in similar behavior are not? a)social disorganization b)differential association c)modeling d)labeling

d)labeling

The sociologist Howard Becker made the statement that "deviant behavior is behavior that people so label." He is associated with which approach to deviance? a)social disorganization theory b)anomie theory c)differential association theory d)labeling theory

d)labeling theory

According to Edwin Sutherland's theory about cultural transmission and how it affects behavior, a person a)experiences deviance but suppresses it to appease society. b)cannot learn by socialization but is born with certain tendencies. c)is born with criminal behavioral leanings and realizes them when exposed to others. d)learns criminal behavior by interacting with others.

d)learns criminal behavior by interacting with others.

Transnational crime a)has not been recognized by the United Nations. b)occurs within the borders of one country. c)is impossible to police. d)occurs across multiple national borders.

d)occurs across multiple national borders.

Examples of positive deviance include a)actions of executives to embezzle money from their companies. b)the theft of food from a store that is part of a huge chain. c)the refusal to cross the street at designated areas. d)protests against the government to demand equal rights for all.

d)protests against the government to demand equal rights for all.

The practice of attempting to identify criminal suspects based only on the person's race is called a)transnational crime. b)deviance. c)cultural transmission. d)racial profiling.

d)racial profiling.

Another name for the labeling theory is the a)Milgram experiment. b)anomie theory of deviance. c)fight-or-flight response. d)societal-reaction approach.

d)societal-reaction approach.

The term "differential justice" can best be defined as the type of a)justice that is impartial, fair, and appropriate. b)justice that is administered in different states of the United States. c)punishment that is administered, depending on the crime that is committed. d)treatment that different races, ethnic groups, or social classes get from the criminal justice system

d)treatment that different races, ethnic groups, or social classes get from the criminal justice system

Supporters of decriminalization believe that prostitution, smoking marijuana, and illegal gambling are ______ crimes. a)professional b)white-collar c)organized d)victimless

d)victimless