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