Exam 6: Deviance

David Rosenhan argues that misdiagnosis is particularly a problem for psychologists,as a diagnosis of a mental illness is as influential on the patient as it is on his or her relatives and friends.It should not surprise anyone that the diagnosis acts as a(n):

Your professor was raised during a time when derogatory language and condescending thoughts were often written in public bathroom stalls.In contemporary society,people utilize social media as an enhanced form of condescending attacks known as:

Shortly after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon,there were a number of attacks on Arab Americans (and people who were mistakenly identified as Arab Americans),because their identity had become stigmatized.What sort of stigma was this?

Which of these factors makes sociologists question the relationship between youth and crime?

What did Robert Merton call a prediction that came true only because the prediction was made?

In what aspects of stigma are symbolic interactionists interested?

There are many competing and often incompatible ideas about how to best deal with criminal behavior.Deterrence,revenge,incapacitation,and rehabilitation are all believed by some to have merit.Discuss the ways in which these different methods for dealing with deviance reflect the different ways in which society views criminals.

A person arrived at a company party dressed in a bunny costume,only to discover that the party was not a costume party.Although he had been tricked by a co-worker,from then on everyone saw him as crazy and eccentric,and eventually he came to think of himself in this way too.The initial mistake at the party is an example of:

When studying deviance,sociologists often focus on the most obvious and extreme forms of deviant behavior.What are the consequences of this approach?

According to Chapter 6,in colonial America,corporal punishments like branding or amputation were commonly used.What were these punishments designed to do?

Why do functional theorists suggest that deviance helps to clarify moral boundaries and affirm social norms?

In his structural strain theory,Robert Merton argues that people who do not have the financial or cultural means to achieve the goals that society sets out for them (for example,financial success)are more likely to adopt deviant behavior.Explain the different ways in which,according to Merton,these people deal with their limited resources and express their deviant behavior.

Chapter 6 describes several ways in which the Uniform Crime Report may present an inaccurate picture of the demographics of crime.Describe the sources of bias that lead to these inaccuracies.Are these biases better explained by conflict theory or functionalism? Justify your answer.

Under what circumstances does a deviant label lead from primary to secondary deviance?

Many people,especially young women,worry about maintaining a tan.Sometimes,if they do not have the time to tan naturally,they go to a tanning salon or use chemicals to simulate a tan.In some cultures,this might seem bizarre,which can help us realize that:

Because laws represent the interests of those in power,crimes committed by the upper classes are typically treated more leniently than crimes committed by the lower classes.This argument is consistent with:

What did David Matza do differently than the "nuts and sluts" approach of studying the powerless and impoverished?

In the United States,what do legislatures,police,courts,and prisons make up?

If you decided that you could never get into a good school and therefore could never get a good job,you might decide to sell crack cocaine instead as a way to make a living.According to Robert Merton,what sort of deviant would you be?

Many Americans are outraged by the number of illegal immigrants who enter the country every year,despite the fact that some studies show that such immigrants are,on the whole,economically beneficial.What function would this anger serve in our society?