Deck 10: Evaluating and Integrating Theory

Question 1

If an understanding of the broad spectrum of crime is one of two goals for theory development in criminology, what is the other goal?

A) Accepting the fact that crime is here to stay
B) Getting offenders to see themselves better
C) Crossing the micro-macro gap
D) Seeing how various policy responses might fare

Answer 1

Seeing how various policy responses might fare

Question 2

New ideas in criminological theory usually come from where?

A) Definitions
B) Images
C) Language
D) All of the above

Answer 2

All of the above

Question 3

Of the following, which statement best reflects the most important growing need in theory development which theorists are becoming more cognizant of?

A) The need to be policy relevant
B) The need to be empirically tested
C) The need for general or grand theory
D) The need for starting over from scratch

Answer 3

The need to be empirically tested

Question 4

Singular theory assessment is a phrase which best refers to what?

A) Theory testing
B) Theory competition
C) Theoretical elaboration
D) Theoretical integration

Question 5

Besides evaluating or assessing criminological theories on the empirical support found for them, what other way do most scholars evaluate or assess theories?

A) In terms of their political ideology
B) In pure conceptual and logical contexts
C) On grounds of who has published the most
D) On the basis of the theory developer's prestige

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT one of the standard ways of developing criminological theory?

A) On the basis of personal victimization experiences
B) Through explanations of novel sources or causes
C) Through theoretical elaboration
D) Through theoretical integration

Question 7

What is the easiest way to quickly determine which criminological theories are receiving empirical support?

A) Look it up in a government database somewhere
B) Do extensive intra- and inter-library research
C) See which ones are guiding research and practice
D) Spend a lifetime studying criminology

Question 8

Theory competition involves what?

A) Testing a theory to determine whether it provides an acceptable explanation of crime
B) The comparison of two or more theories
C) Combining concepts and statements from two or more theories
D) Determining whether a theory is generalizable to females

Question 9

Which of the following statements best characterizes the empirical support which has been found for psychological theories, such as those emphasizing personality tendencies?

A) Invalidated and rarely taken seriously
B) Limited support
C) Strong support and the basis for policy for all offenders

Question 10

Which of the following statements best characterizes the degree of empirical support which has been found for strain theory in criminology?

A) None
B) Limited
C) Moderate
D) Strong

Question 11

Which of the following statements best characterizes the degree of empirical support which has been found for social disorganization theory in criminology?

A) None
B) Limited
C) Moderate
D) Strong

Question 12

Which of the following statements best characterizes the degree of empirical support which has been found for control theory in criminology?

A) None
B) Limited
C) Moderate
D) Strong

Question 13

Conflict and critical theories of crime do not normally enjoy much empirical support except when they do what?

A) Abandon their commitment to socialism or communism
B) Focus on law formation and not law breaking
C) Consider things from the victim's point of view
D) Are congruent with a deterrence policy

Question 14

Which of the following conclusions is true concerning the current assessment of subcultural theories in criminology?

A) They have never really been tested.
B) They have been extensively tested.
C) They have always provided guidance to other theories.
D) They are a necessary part of all other theories.

Question 15

Which of the following statements is the definition of theoretical elaboration?

A) An approach which calls for combining complementary but distinct ideas
B) An approach where known facts are connected to new ideas
C) An approach involving the systematic comparison of theories
D) An approach that extends a theory with new variables

Question 16

What variable is the most frequently added (new) to a criminological theory that doesn't have it to begin with?

A) Coping with strain
B) Relative deprivation
C) The delinquent peer effect
D) Capitalist war-mongering

Question 17

The two ways in which theoretical integration occurs are sequential and __________.

A) conceptual fusion
B) didactic
C) parsimonious
D) propositional

Question 18

Which theorist or theory claims that it is readily suited to fuse or absorb concepts from other theories?

A) Merton's strain theory
B) Akers's social learning theory
C) Quinney's conflict theory
D) Hagan's power-control theory

Question 19

Which way of doing theory development is most likely to cross levels of explanation and link group-level factors with societal or structural factors?

A) Theory testing
B) Theory competition
C) Theoretical elaboration
D) Theoretical integration

Question 20

Who developed the integrated theory known as control balance theory?

A) Elliott
B) Krohn
C) Thornberry
D) Tittle

Question 21

Falsification of theory is the primary goal of theory testing.

Question 22

Most theories in criminology are either completely accepted or completely rejected.

Question 23

A criminological theory may be supported by empirical research in one country at a certain time, but not in another country at a different time.

Question 24

New ideas in criminology are usually drawn only from images.

Question 25

Singular theory assessment is a phrase which best refers to theory integration.

Question 26

Criminologists have found very little support for deterrence theory so the deterrence model is never used to create criminal justice policy.

Question 27

Theoretical elaboration involves adding new variables while theoretical integration involves mixing variables.

Question 28

Theoretical integration which can sometimes cross levels of analysis, like the micro-macro gap, usually involves conceptual fusion.

Question 29

Integrated theories always receive strong empirical support in criminology.

Question 30

Sequential or proposition integration is more complex and difficult than conceptual fusion.

Question 31

Theory is typically furthered in three ways, however, original theory is the least utilized process whereby theory is generated.

Question 32

Haynie's (2001) elaborated theory incorporated social control theories along with the properties of social networks.

Question 33

Most criminologists oppose integrated theories.

Question 34

Theoretical competition assists in a variety of ways such as in disregarding variables that have weak performance and helps better inform criminal justice policy and practices.

Question 35

Haynie remains the only researcher that has offered integrating criminological theories?

Question 36

_______________ _______________ is the process whereby new theories and refinements of existing theories are made

Question 37

_______________ occurs when a theory is tested and invalidated.

Question 38

_______________ is still considered the dominant theoretical perspective in criminal justice policy and practices.

Question 39

Krohn argued that the strength of the social network is attributable to its _______________.

Question 40

In _______________ integration the propositions of one theory are simply linked to the propositions of another theory.

Question 41

Theory testing is also referred to as __________ __________ __________.

Question 42

When factors are known to be connected with crime and are connected to new ideas, this is a process termed _________ __________.

Question 43

Theory can generally be extended in one of three ways: theoretical integration, emergence of original theory, and __________ __________.

Question 44

________ ____________ are grand perspective that are proposed to account for all types of crime and deviance across time and space.

Question 45

Theory competition involves ______ and _______ comparison of two or more theories.

Question 46

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Theoretical integration

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 47

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Theoretical overlap

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 48

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Theoretical elaboration

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 49

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Singular theory assessment

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 50

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Theory competition

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 51

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 52

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Multiplexity

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 53

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Conceptual fusion

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 54

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Density

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 55

Match the terms with the definition and/or description

-Theory construction

A) Considered the simplest approach to evaluating theory
B) Comparison of two or more theories
C) Refers concepts and variables across individual theories that account for the same variation in same or similar dependent variables
D) A process when factors known to be connected to crime are connected to new ideas
E) Ratio of actual social relationships to the total number of possible relationships in a network
F) Focused on specific concepts being regrouped or absorbed under a larger concept
G) Does not require introduction of totally new ideas is only a process of building on existing theory by considering new variables to add
H) Term used to refer number of relationships that two or more individuals have in common
I) Logical practice consequence of routine activity theory that works to promote guardianship and reduce attractiveness of potential victims
J) A complex process of merging similar ideas while verbalizing and demonstrating them differently

Question 56

Explain why theory testing is important in criminology?

Question 57

Make the case that criminologists need to focus more (or less) on theoretical integration. Explain why.

Question 58

What attracts people to the development of general or grand theory?

Question 59

How is theory testing related to theory building?

Question 60

How does theoretical elaboration differ from theoretical integration?