Question 1

According to labeling theory,the labels people are given affect their own and others' perceptions of them.How does this process lead to more deviant behaviors? Provide an example to explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to labeling theory,the labels people are...

Question 2

Conflict theorists believe that society's definition of deviance is designed in such a way that people with the most power will be seen as most "normal" and even idealized by the rest of society.Those with the least power will more often be considered deviant and subject to the negative sanctions that come with a deviant identity.Give two examples of how laws can target people with less power and label their behaviors or lifestyles as deviant.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Conflict theorists believe that society's definition of...

Question 3

There are usually serious consequences when a politician is caught cheating on his spouse.In some cases,the politician is forced to resign from his office when his constituents loudly express their unhappiness with such behavior.According to Émile Durkheim,what function does this reaction serve?

Accepted Answer

A)  It helps to deter politicians from cheating in the future. 
B)  It helps to clarify moral boundaries and reinforce the idea that marital infidelity is wrong. 
C)  The public outcry helps rehabilitate the offender so he won't cheat in the future. 
D)  It helps protect the family members of the politician from scrutiny and media coverage.

Question 4

What do we call norm violations that are codified into law?

Accepted Answer

A)  crimes 
B)  taboos 
C)  violent crimes 
D)  mores

Question 5

Brooke is a PhD candidate in the field of nanophysics.She is aware that only 4 percent of physics professionals are women.Brooke has heard peers and even instructors say that this is because women struggle to comprehend complex mathematics.When Brooke scores below her male counterparts on an exam,she may be experiencing

Accepted Answer

A)  the stereotype promise. 
B)  a self-fulfilling prophecy. 
C)  tertiary deviance. 
D)  the stereotype threat.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of What did David Matza do differently than...

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

A)  Only those deviant individuals who embrace their deviant labels will be studied. 
B)  Only the deviant behaviors of the rich and powerful will be studied. 
C)  The values and norms of the powerful are left unexamined while the deviance of the poor is scrutinized. 
D)  Few, if any, of the most serious problems in a given society can be identified.

Question 8

Imagine that a powerful and influential person living in San Francisco decides to heavily tattoo her face with symbols.Would she be seen as deviant?

Accepted Answer

A)  No, powerful people are often allowed to do things others find strange. 
B)  Yes, face tattooing is always a deviant act. 
C)  No, there are several cultures in which face tattoos are common. 
D)  Yes, but only because she lives in the United States where face tattoos are not the norm.

Question 9

Jewish families as well as African Americans and Hispanics were not permitted to purchase houses in the suburb of Lakewood,California,when it was first built in 1950.However,within a few years,the developers reversed this policy and started selling homes to families regardless of religious faith or ethnicity.What does this tell us about stigma?

Accepted Answer

A)  Stigma leaves permanent marks on those it affects. 
B)  Stigma is only a problem in areas where money is involved. 
C)  Stigmatized identities can be overcome through passing. 
D)  Stigmatized identities change over time.

Question 10

Robert Merton advanced the idea that labeling can bring about self-fulfilling prophecies or inaccurate beliefs that,if repeated loudly and frequently enough,can become true.Compare the ideas of Merton and those of sociologist Elijah Anderson who believed that a self-fulfilling prophecy has contributed to racial conflict in the United States.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Robert Merton advanced the idea that labeling...

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A)  when the deviant label is applied by a large number of people 
B)  when the deviant label is applied by someone very powerful 
C)  when the deviant label is internalized 
D)  when the deviant label is applied later in life

Question 12

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 (financial success,for example)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.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In his structural strain theory,Robert Merton argues...

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

A)  a defining prophecy 
B)  a Thomas prediction 
C)  a self-fulfilling prophecy 
D)  a labeling prophecy

Question 14

How do sociologists define positive deviance?

Accepted Answer

A)  deviance that relates to a criminal record 
B)  deviance that actively harms someone physically 
C)  actions initially considered deviant, but later deemed appropriate 
D)  the acts that come with secondary deviance

Question 15

In what aspects of stigma are symbolic interactionists interested?

Accepted Answer

A)  how people manage their stigmatized identities on an everyday basis 
B)  which stigmas are fair and which are unjustly applied 
C)  how stigma always leads to positive life outcomes 
D)  how stigma leads to increased self-esteem

Question 16

In his book Streetwise,Elijah Anderson argues that young African American men are more likely to be arrested because they

Accepted Answer

A)  commit more flagrant crimes. 
B)  are more likely to engage in deviant behavior. 
C)  are more likely to be poor. 
D)  are perceived as more criminal than others.

Question 17

Deviance can be considered relative because whether a behavior is considered deviant depends upon the historical,cultural,and situational context in which it occurs.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

There are several ways in which gays and lesbians in the United States have chosen to manage their stigma.When gay rights activists chant the slogan,"We're here,we're queer,get used to it," what strategy are they using?

Accepted Answer

A)  passing 
B)  assimilation 
C)  bureaucratic mediation 
D)  in-group orientation

Question 19

Stealing avocados or almost any other agricultural product is a felony in California if the product is worth more than $100.A ________ would say that such laws target homeless people who have little power in society and are simply trying to eat.

Accepted Answer

A)  conflict theorist 
B)  functionalist 
C)  symbolic interactionist 
D)  follower of Robert Merton

Question 20

We have seen our country grow to house more inmates than any other country in the world today even though prisons were not introduced as a method of punishment until the nineteenth century.Who is benefiting financially from the incarceration of so many inmates?

Accepted Answer

The answer of We have seen our country grow to...

Exam 6: Deviance