Sociology of deviance - Test
  • 1. Sociology of deviance is a subfield of sociology that examines behaviors and actions that are considered outside societal norms and standards. It focuses on understanding why certain behaviors are labeled as deviant, how these labels are applied, and the impact of societal reactions on individuals and groups. This field explores the social construction of deviance, the role of power dynamics in defining norms, and the implications of deviant behavior for social control and inequality. Sociologists of deviance seek to challenge and deconstruct conventional ideas about what is considered 'normal' in society, and to understand how these perceptions shape social interactions, institutions, and structures.

    What is the difference between crime and deviance?
A) Deviance is worse than crime.
B) Deviance refers to behavior that violates social norms, while crime refers to behavior that breaks laws.
C) There is no difference.
D) Crime is only committed by certain groups.
  • 2. Which theory suggests that deviance is a result of societal strains and opportunities for deviant behavior?
A) Conflict theory.
B) Control theory.
C) Labeling theory.
D) Strain theory.
  • 3. What is the term for the process by which an individual's status is transformed into a deviant identity?
A) Anomie theory.
B) Labeling theory.
C) Control theory.
D) Differential association theory.
  • 4. What is the term for a theory that suggests individuals conform to social expectations based on their bonds with others and institutions?
A) Labeling theory.
B) Social control theory.
C) Conflict theory.
D) Strain theory.
  • 5. According to social control theory, what is the role of informal social institutions in preventing deviance?
A) They actively promote deviant behavior.
B) They impose harsh punishments on deviant individuals.
C) They provide social relationships that deter individuals from deviant behavior.
D) They have no impact on deviance.
  • 6. What is secondary deviance?
A) Less serious deviant acts.
B) Deviance that is accepted by society.
C) Deviance that is officially punishable by law.
D) Behavior that occurs in response to being labeled as deviant.
  • 7. What role do social norms play in defining deviant behavior?
A) They are only applicable to certain groups.
B) They are irrelevant to deviance.
C) They encourage all behavior equally.
D) They establish boundaries of acceptable behavior.
  • 8. According to the control theory, what prevents individuals from engaging in deviant behavior?
A) Adherence to rigid rules.
B) Strain and societal pressures.
C) Labeling by society.
D) Strong social bonds and attachments.
  • 9. How does the conflict theory view deviance?
A) As a natural human instinct.
B) As a psychological disorder.
C) As a form of social inequality and power dynamics.
D) As a result of societal strains.
  • 10. Which sociological theory views deviance as a normal and necessary part of social organization?
A) Conflict theory
B) Labeling theory
C) Symbolic interaction
D) Structural functionalism
  • 11. Who proposed the normative theory of suicide that includes four important functions of deviance?
A) Karl Marx
B) Robert Merton
C) Max Weber
D) Émile Durkheim
  • 12. Which sociological theory focuses on the interaction and interpretation of symbols in understanding deviance?
A) Conflict theory
B) Symbolic interactionism
C) Rational choice theory
D) Structural functionalism
  • 13. What type of suicide occurs when a person experiences too much social regulation?
A) Anomic suicide
B) Egoistic suicide
C) Altruistic suicide
D) Fatalistic suicide
  • 14. Which type of deviance involves creating new goals and means that differ from those of society?
A) Ritualism
B) Rebellion
C) Innovation
D) Conformism
  • 15. How many types of neutralization are identified in the theory?
A) Six
B) Five
C) Three
D) Four
  • 16. What process do courts rely on to resolve cases?
A) Community service assignments
B) An adversarial process with plea bargaining
C) Public voting
D) Mediation between the defendant and victim
  • 17. Which type of deviance is characterized by rejecting both cultural goals and means, leading individuals to 'drop out'?
A) Rebellion
B) Conformism
C) Innovation
D) Retreatism
  • 18. What is the panopticon an example of, according to Foucault?
A) A template for modern prisons using discipline.
B) An ancient form of punishment.
C) A method for promoting free will.
D) A model for democratic governance.
  • 19. Who utilized the theory of bourgeois control over social junk and social dynamite?
A) Karl Marx
B) Jock Young
C) Steven Spitzer
D) George Rusche
  • 20. What is one factor that influences police decision-making to make an arrest?
A) The time of day the crime occurs
B) The suspect's financial status
C) If the offence is serious
D) The weather conditions
  • 21. Which type of suicide occurs due to a lack of social integration?
A) Fatalistic suicide
B) Altruistic suicide
C) Anomic suicide
D) Egoistic suicide
  • 22. Which type of deviance involves accepting societal goals but rejecting the means to achieve them?
A) Retreatism
B) Innovation
C) Conformism
D) Ritualism
  • 23. According to Karl Marx, what causes conflict and thus deviant behavior among the proletariat?
A) Alienation
B) Economic inequality
C) Cultural differences
D) Lack of education
  • 24. Who was among the first to develop the Theory of Biological Deviance?
A) Michel Foucault
B) Karl Marx
C) Charles Darwin
D) Cesare Lombroso
  • 25. What occurs when one is too socially integrated according to Durkheim?
A) Altruistic suicide
B) Egoistic suicide
C) Fatalistic suicide
D) Anomic suicide
  • 26. What is a disadvantage of resolving most court cases through plea bargaining?
A) It leads to longer trial durations
B) It increases the cost of legal proceedings
C) It guarantees harsher sentences
D) It puts less powerful people at a disadvantage
  • 27. Who developed the concept of primary and secondary deviation?
A) Travis Hirschi
B) Walter C. Reckless
C) Edwin Lemert
D) Robert Crutchfield
  • 28. Which form of justice focuses on defining boundaries of acceptable behaviors?
A) Punitive justice (retribution & deterrence)
B) Rehabilitative justice (rehabilitation & societal protection)
C) Preventive justice
D) Restorative justice
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