Question 1

Durkheim argued that crime should be considered to be a normal element in any properly functioning society.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 2

Why did general strain theory decline in popularity?

Accepted Answer

Agnew suggests that there are at least four reasons why strain theory had declined in popularity:

It has tended to focus on lower-class delinquency.
It has neglected all but the most conventional goals (middle-class status and wealth)
It overlooked barriers to achievement other than social stratification (these might include gender, race, intelligence and many others)
It has found it difficult to explain why some people who experienced strain didn't turn to criminal activity. Arguably, strain and frustration are experienced by many who continue to conform.

Question 3

What is strain theory said to ignore?

Accepted Answer

A) young people 
B) victims of crime 
C) human agency 
D) white collar crime 
A) young people 
B) victims of crime 
C) human agency 
D) white collar crime C

Question 4

In his study of suicide, Durkheim argued that:

Accepted Answer

A) Rates of suicide were higher in Protestant than Catholic countries. 
B) Single people were more prone to suicide than those who were married. 
C) Suicide among military personnel was higher than among civilians. 
D) Suicide rates drop in times of war. 
E) Suicide rates were higher in times of economic crisis than stability. 
A) Rates of suicide were higher in Protestant than Catholic countries. 
B) Single people were more prone to suicide than those who were married. 
C) Suicide among military personnel was higher than among civilians. 
D) Suicide rates drop in times of war. 
E) Suicide rates were higher in times of economic crisis than stability.

Question 5

Mechanical solidarity is characterised by:

Accepted Answer

A) a relatively undifferentiated division of labour 
B) People living fairly common, shared lives in which work is generally identical and values 
C) a social order largely organised through similarity, and social norms enforced through retributive sanctions 
D) Societies where machines are very important to production 
E) retributive sanctioning serving to identify and exclude offenders and to treat them as outsiders 
A) a relatively undifferentiated division of labour 
B) People living fairly common, shared lives in which work is generally identical and values 
C) a social order largely organised through similarity, and social norms enforced through retributive sanctions 
D) Societies where machines are very important to production 
E) retributive sanctioning serving to identify and exclude offenders and to treat them as outsiders

Question 6

Durkheim thought that more the more crime in society the better.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Organic solidarity is characterised by

Accepted Answer

A) more complex formations where there is a relatively highly-differentiated division of labour 
B) social solidarity organised around difference rather than similarity 
C) people not using chemicals 
D) the primary function of law being to regulate the interactions between the different parts of society and between members 
A) more complex formations where there is a relatively highly-differentiated division of labour 
B) social solidarity organised around difference rather than similarity 
C) people not using chemicals 
D) the primary function of law being to regulate the interactions between the different parts of society and between members

Question 8

What did Merton argue caused 'strain to anomie'?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What did Merton argue caused 'strain to...

Question 9

What is the connection between strain theory and anomie?

Accepted Answer

A) strains occur in societies that are poor and underdeveloped 
B) anomie occurs where moral constraints are insufficient to limit individual desires for unattainable goals 
C) the connection shows that suicide rates are increasing 
D) anomie is a sort of disease resulting from too much strain 
A) strains occur in societies that are poor and underdeveloped 
B) anomie occurs where moral constraints are insufficient to limit individual desires for unattainable goals 
C) the connection shows that suicide rates are increasing 
D) anomie is a sort of disease resulting from too much strain

Question 10

How did Durkheim say that crimes are best understood?

Accepted Answer

A) as actions that must be eradicated from society 
B) violations of a moral code 
C) symptomatic of societal breakdown 
D) a danger to society 
A) as actions that must be eradicated from society 
B) violations of a moral code 
C) symptomatic of societal breakdown 
D) a danger to society

Question 11

Strain theory is based on the idea that:

Accepted Answer

A) people work too hard and make themselves ill 
B) ideas such as the 'American dream' raise unrealistic expectations 
C) crime can be caused by the push and pull of capitalism 
D) white collar crime is endemic 
A) people work too hard and make themselves ill 
B) ideas such as the 'American dream' raise unrealistic expectations 
C) crime can be caused by the push and pull of capitalism 
D) white collar crime is endemic

Question 12

In contemporary society crime, for Messner and Rosenfeld, is a product of:

Accepted Answer

A) poor parenting 
B) dominance of free-market economics 
C) society's elevation of material success above all other goals 
D) a cultural tendency toward anomie 
A) poor parenting 
B) dominance of free-market economics 
C) society's elevation of material success above all other goals 
D) a cultural tendency toward anomie

Question 13

For Durkheim crime plays a number of important functions, including:

Accepted Answer

A) it has an adaptive function in that it introduces new ideas and practices into society 
B) it allows society to imprison people 
C) it creates employment 
D) It also has a boundary maintenance function, reinforcing social values and norms 
A) it has an adaptive function in that it introduces new ideas and practices into society 
B) it allows society to imprison people 
C) it creates employment 
D) It also has a boundary maintenance function, reinforcing social values and norms

Question 14

What are the four deviant adaptations for those who don't conform according to Merton?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the four deviant adaptations for...

Question 15

'Anomie' is where moral constraints are insufficient effectively to limit individual desires.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

What positive function does punishing people have for society?

Accepted Answer

A) it helps to provide employment 
B) prisons can be helpful in terms of rehabilitation 
C) it reinforces legal and moral rules 
D) people can have revenge 
A) it helps to provide employment 
B) prisons can be helpful in terms of rehabilitation 
C) it reinforces legal and moral rules 
D) people can have revenge

Question 17

Robert Merton saw anomie as resulting from:

Accepted Answer

A) greed 
B) the absence of alignment between socially-desired aspirations, such as wealth, and the means available to people to achieve such objectives 
C) the growing availability of portable consumer goods 
D) the 'American dream' 
A) greed 
B) the absence of alignment between socially-desired aspirations, such as wealth, and the means available to people to achieve such objectives 
C) the growing availability of portable consumer goods 
D) the 'American dream'

Question 18

What are the pressures the 'American dream' exerts toward crime, according to Messner and Rosenfeld (2001)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the pressures the 'American dream'...

Question 19

Durkheim thought crime could be eradicated from society completely.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Under what circumstances did Cloward and Ohlin suggest that people will experience strains and tensions that lead to 'delinquent solutions'?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Under what circumstances did Cloward and Ohlin...

Exam 9: Durkheim, Anomie and Strain

Durkheim argued that crime should be considered to be a normal element in any properly functioning society.

Why did general strain theory decline in popularity?

What is strain theory said to ignore?

In his study of suicide, Durkheim argued that:

Mechanical solidarity is characterised by:

Durkheim thought that more the more crime in society the better.

Organic solidarity is characterised by

What did Merton argue caused 'strain to anomie'?

What is the connection between strain theory and anomie?

How did Durkheim say that crimes are best understood?

Strain theory is based on the idea that:

In contemporary society crime, for Messner and Rosenfeld, is a product of:

For Durkheim crime plays a number of important functions, including:

What are the four deviant adaptations for those who don't conform according to Merton?

'Anomie' is where moral constraints are insufficient effectively to limit individual desires.

What positive function does punishing people have for society?

Robert Merton saw anomie as resulting from:

What are the pressures the 'American dream' exerts toward crime, according to Messner and Rosenfeld (2001)?

Durkheim thought crime could be eradicated from society completely.

Under what circumstances did Cloward and Ohlin suggest that people will experience strains and tensions that lead to 'delinquent solutions'?

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