Sociology Chapter 6 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is deviance?

Modes of action that do not conform to the norms and values accepted by a significant number of people in society.

What are the three parameters to recognize crime?

Time, Place, and public consensus.

What is criminal deviance and some examples?

Involves violating a criminal law and away from social norms. Examples include homicide, rape, robbery, and gambling.

What is non-criminal deviance and some examples?

Involves moving away from society's norms. Examples include using pornography, having a mental disorder, and binge drinking. Signup and view all the answers

Who linked physical characteristics to crime?

Cesare Lombroso. Signup and view all the answers

Who viewed muscular types as biological deviance?

William Sheldon. Signup and view all the answers

Biological and Psychological views located deviance in the __ while sociological locate deviance in the .

person, act Signup and view all the answers

What was Emile Durkheim's functionalist theory?

Deviance benefits society by enhancing conformity, strengthening social solidarity, safely releasing discontent, and inducing social change. Signup and view all the answers

What is Robert Merton's strain theory?

Deviance is caused by society stressing the importance of success without offering equal opportunities for achieving it. Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of functionalist theories about deviance?

Crime and deviance are produced by structural tensions and lack of moral regulation within society. Signup and view all the answers

What is Albert Cohen's functionalist theory?

Contradictions of society cause crime, happening through subcultures. Signup and view all the answers

What is R. Cloward and L. Ohlin's functionalist theory of crime?

Subcultural communities where chances of achieving legitimate success are slim. Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of reinforcement theories?

Deviance as a 'reward' & 'punishment'. We learn deviance from significant others. Signup and view all the answers

Who invented the differential association theory and what is it?

Edwin H. Sutherland. Deviance arises from association with other members of groups that carry an excess of pro or anti-deviant definitions. Signup and view all the answers

What is Travis Hirschi's control theory?

Crime is the outcome of the imbalance between impulses to criminal activity and controls to deter it. Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of symbolic interactions?

Deviance as a socially constructed phenomenon. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Labeling theory and who discovered it?

Howard S. Becker. Being labeled deviant by society leads people to see themselves as deviant and live up to the self-image. Signup and view all the answers

What is primary and secondary deviation?

Initial act of transgression, and individual accepts the label and sees oneself as deviant. Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of conflict theories?

Analyze crime and deviance in terms of structure of society, competing interests between social groups, and preservation of power. Signup and view all the answers

What was the conflict theory for William Chambliss?

Law enforcement favors the rich and powerful over the poor and weak. Signup and view all the answers

What was the conflict theory for Richard Quinney?

The dominant class produces deviance by making and enforcing laws, oppressing the subordinate class, and spreading crime ideology. Signup and view all the answers

What is the conflict theory for Marxists?

Deviance comes from the exploitative nature of capitalism. Signup and view all the answers

What is a white-collar crime?

Criminal activities carried out by those in professional jobs. Signup and view all the answers

Who coined the term 'White Collar Crime'?

Edwin Sutherland. Signup and view all the answers

What is corporate crime?

Offenses committed by large corporations. Signup and view all the answers

What are some examples of corporate crimes?

Enron, Martha Stewart, Global Communications. Signup and view all the answers

Who coined the term 'Organized Crime'?

Manuel Castells. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Understanding Deviance

Deviance refers to actions that do not conform to societal norms and values, including any act that violates established norms.
Key parameters for recognizing crime include time, place, and public consensus.

Types of Deviance

Criminal deviance involves violations of criminal law and social norms, such as homicide, rape, robbery, and gambling.
Non-criminal deviance consists of actions that stray from social norms, including the use of pornography, mental illness, and binge drinking.

Theoretical Perspectives on Deviance

Cesare Lombroso linked physical characteristics, particularly skull shape, to criminality.
William Sheldon associated certain body types with biological deviance.

Biological vs. Sociological Views

Biological and psychological perspectives locate deviance within the individual, whereas sociological views find it in societal acts.

Emile Durkheim's Functionalist Theory

Durkheim proposed that deviance benefits society by enhancing conformity, fostering social solidarity, safely releasing societal discontent, and encouraging social change.

Robert Merton's Strain Theory

Merton's strain theory suggests that deviance arises when society emphasizes success without providing equal opportunities for achievement.

Function of Structural Tensions

Functionalist theories emphasize that crime and deviance are produced by structural tensions and a lack of moral regulation in society.

Albert Cohen's Subculture Theory

Cohen argues that societal contradictions lead to crime occurring through the development of subcultures.

R. Cloward and L. Ohlin's Theory

This theory focuses on subcultural communities where opportunities for legitimate success are scarce, contributing to deviance.

Reinforcement Theories

Reinforcement theories highlight deviance as influenced by rewards and punishments, learned from significant others.

Differential Association Theory

Edwin H. Sutherland introduced this theory, which posits that deviance arises from associations with groups that promote pro or anti-deviant definitions.

Travis Hirschi's Control Theory

Hirschi's control theory explains that crime results from an imbalance between impulses to commit criminal acts and societal controls against them.

Symbolic Interactionism

Symbolic interactionists view deviance as a socially constructed phenomenon, emphasizing the meanings behind deviant behavior.

Labeling Theory

Howard S. Becker formulated the labeling theory, which asserts that being labeled as deviant leads individuals to internalize that label and act accordingly.
Primary deviation refers to the initial act of wrongdoing; secondary deviation occurs when the individual accepts the label and identifies as deviant.

Conflict Theories of Deviance

Conflict theories analyze crime and deviance through the lens of societal structure, highlighting competing interests among social groups and the dynamics of power and inequality.

William Chambliss' Conflict Theory

Chambliss proposed that law enforcement tends to favor the interests of the wealthy and powerful over those of the poor.

Richard Quinney's Perspective

Quinney argued that the dominant class creates deviance by crafting laws that oppress the subordinate class while promoting crime ideologies.

Marxist View on Deviance

Marxist theories contend that deviance is rooted in the exploitative nature of capitalism.

White Collar and Corporate Crime

White collar crime refers to criminal acts conducted by individuals in professional roles, a term coined by Edwin Sutherland.
Corporate crime encompasses offenses committed by large corporations, with examples including Enron, Martha Stewart, and Global Communications.
The term "organized crime" was coined by Manuel Castells.

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Test your knowledge with these flashcards from Sociology Chapter 6, focusing on the concepts of deviance and criminal behavior. Explore definitions, parameters of crime recognition, and examples of criminal deviance to enhance your understanding of societal norms. Perfect for revision before your exam!