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