Deck 40: Show Me the Money: Cybershrews and On-Line Money Masochists

Question 1

In terms of sexual deviance, one of the most sociologically significant aspects of the Internet is that it

A) allows White supremacist groups to share propaganda and recruit new members.
B) serves as a social consolidation mechanism, bringing people together with the same interests.
C) provides an advertising outlet for sexual goods and services.
D) encourages cyberstalking and harassment.

Answer 1

serves as a social consolidation mechanism, bringing people together with the same interests.

Question 2

Durkin's methodology for his research consisted of all of the following EXCEPT:

A) examining online materials from homepages, message forums, Yahoo groups and blogs.
B) about 500 pages were printed out for analysis.
C) interviewing 100 subjects online anonymously and confidentially.
D) the data were analyzed to discover themes, characteristics, and tendencies.

Answer 2

interviewing 100 subjects online anonymously and confidentially.

Question 3

As reported by Durkin, the phenomenon of "money slavery" involves

A) males giving money or gifts to women they meet online in exchange for being degraded, humiliated or blackmailed.
B) females giving money or gifts to men they meet online in exchange for being degraded, humiliated or blackmailed.
C) beautiful young women become fantasy sex "slaves" to an online community of male customers with whom they chat online.
D) women who become hooked by the fast and easy money associated with sex scams on the Internet and who cannot stop their criminal activities.

Answer 3

males giving money or gifts to women they meet online in exchange for being degraded, humiliated or blackmailed.

Question 4

Most initial contacts between participants in the money slave exchange appear to be made through the

A) online ads placed by the money slaves wishing to make contact with money mistresses.
B) the money mistresses' web pages.
C) various online forums and blogs.
D) various personal contacts gotten in local clubs.

Question 5

Some money mistresses provide services such as the following:

A) escorts for sexual encounters in return for a monetary tribute.
B) virtually nothing is expected after receiving tribute.
C) "blackmail services" wherein the slave shares discrediting information with his mistress, who then requires him to pay money to avoid having this information revealed.
D) None of the above.

Question 6

While money mistresses appear to be motivated by financial considerations,

A) they are also sexually aroused by their acts of dominating slaves.
B) sexual interests seem to motivate the money slaves.
C) humiliation and degradation without sexual arousal is the norm for money slaves.
D) money mistresses seem unaware of the sexual arousal slaves experience when making a payment of money.

Question 7

The online world of money mistresses and slaves is ripe with opportunities for fraud, deception and deceit, and includes all of the following EXCEPT

A) money mistress may receive money from slaves, but do not reciprocate with email or chat time.
B) money mistresses may deceive slaves by posting photos of others in their profiles or web sites.
C) some slaves can also deceive by failing to pay tribute as promised.
D) some slaves can in fact be fronts for larger crime organizations and engage in fraud.

Question 8

Social controls like sanctions on the Internet include all of the following, in the case of money slaves and mistresses, EXCEPT

A) money slaves have formed discussion groups to share information on detecting and avoiding frauds
B) some money mistresses have posted the online identities, real names, or phone numbers of slaves who have not paid money as promised in forums.
C) in a few cases, money slaves and mistresses have gone to the police with complaints of fraud and deception
D) some money mistresses have rewarded desirable slave behaviors by giving public acknowledgement to money slaves who pay large amounts of money

Question 9

How is the research conducted in Durkin's study of online masochism? Why is research using the internet important to the study of deviance? How have online communities influenced deviant behavior? Given that online postings are fluid and often changing, should researchers use online postings as a primary source of data? Explain why or why not.

Question 10

After reading Durkin's research about online money slaves and mistresses, define the roles of each and their different motivations. Also explain how the money slaves and mistresses must collaborate and cooperate with each other in order for the relationship to work.

Question 11

After reading Durkin's research about online money slaves and mistresses, discuss the types of social control exercised by online money slaves and mistresses to deal with those who deceive or engage in fraud while presenting themselves in these roles. What types of deceptive practices and strategies for dealing with deception are discussed in the research?