Micro/Macro Theories Flashcards

Micro-Level Theories

• Includes choice theories, biological/psychological theories, differential association, social control, and general strain.

Rational Choice Theory

• Developed by Beccaria and Bentham.
• Individuals assess costs and benefits before acting.
• Emphasizes the need for swift, certain, and severe punishment.

Biological/Psychological Theories

• Biological determinism: behavior influenced by biological factors.
• Environmental determinism: behavior influenced by environmental factors.
• Cesare Lombroso posited that criminals are physically distinct from noncriminals.
• William Sheldon proposed body types (somatotypes) are linked to behavior, particularly the mesomorphic type.
• Biosocial theories consider neurological deficits, diet, and hormones.
• Psychological theories, including Freudian perspectives, explore the mental processes influencing behavior.

Differential Association

• Formulated by Edwin Sutherland.
• Involves nine propositions focusing on learning behaviors and norms from group interactions.
• The process: associations lead to attitudes, which then shape behaviors.
• Akers' Social Learning Theory emphasizes rewards and punishments in the learning process.

Propositions of Differential Association

• Behavior is learned through communication and intimate groups.
• Learning includes techniques of committing acts and motivations.
• Definitions favorable to law violations can influence behavior.
• Variability exists in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity of associations.
• Mechanisms of learning parallel other learning processes.
• Behavior cannot be solely explained by general needs and values.

Social Control Theories

• Includes Hirschi's Social Bonds, Sampson and Laub's Life Course Theory, Moffitt's Life Course Theory, and Sykes and Matza's Techniques of Neutralization.

Hirschi's Social Control Theory

• Bonds of conformity prevent socially unacceptable behavior.
• Four elements of social bonds: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief.

Sampson and Laub's Life Course Theory

• Studies the entire lifespan and transitional phases such as marriage and employment.

Moffitt's Life Course Theory

• Differentiates between life-course persistent offenders and adolescence-limited offenders.

Techniques of Neutralization Model

• Developed by Matza and Sykes.
• Individuals rationalize delinquent behavior using five techniques:
  • Denial of responsibility
  • Denial of injury
  • Denial of the victim
  • Condemnation of the condemner
  • Appeal to higher loyalties

General Strain Theory

• Formulated by Robert Agnew.
• Identifies three types of strain leading to criminal behavior:
  • Failure to achieve valued goals
  • Loss of positive stimuli
  • Presentation of negative stimuli
• Proposes three coping strategies: behavioral (actions), cognitive (reinterpretation), and emotional (lessening emotions).

Macro-Level Theories

• Focus on the broader social structure and societal factors affecting behavior.
• Includes anomie theory and social disorganization theory.

Sociological Positivist Theories

• Utilize scientific methods for understanding behavior, emphasizing observation, measurement, and empirical verification.

Determinism

• The view that factors outside conscious control influence behavior and decision-making.

Anomie Theories

• Comprise Merton's Strain Theory, Differential Opportunity Theory, and Subcultural Theory of Delinquency.

Anomie Theory

• Proposed by Emile Durkheim, it examines how societal structures impact the ability to adhere to societal norms.
• Anomie refers to social instability stemming from a breakdown of norms and values.

Merton's Strain Theory

• Highlights conflict when individuals aspire to attain cultural goals but lack legitimate means.
• Concept of the American Dream is central.
• Adaptations to strain include conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.

Social Disorganization Theory

• Investigates variations in delinquency rates across neighborhoods and geographic regions.

Centric Zone Model

• Maps urban areas to assess social disorganization across five zones:
  • Zone 1: Central Business District
  • Zone 2: Transitional Zone (high delinquency)
  • Zone 3: Working-Class Zone (multifamily housing)
  • Zone 4: Residential Zone (single-family homes)
  • Zone 5: Commuter Zone (suburbs, low density)

Social Disorganization and Delinquency Theory

• Developed by Shaw and McKay, it links high crime rates to neighborhood disorganization.
• Factors contributing to high crime include poverty, residential mobility, and racial diversity.

Sampson and Grove's Model of Social Disorganization

• Social disorganization leads to limited friendship networks, unsupervised peer groups, and low community participation.

Collective Efficacy Model

• Proposed by Sampson, Raudenbush, and Earls, it emphasizes social cohesion and the willingness of community members to intervene for the common good.

Social Disorganization and Reorganization

• Concepts include assimilation, invasion, conflict, and accommodation as components influencing community change.

Test your knowledge on micro and macro-level theories with these flashcards. This quiz covers various concepts, including choice theories, rational choice theory, and biological/psychological theories. Perfect for students looking to strengthen their understanding of these key sociological ideas.