Sociology Chapter 7 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is the definition of deviance?

Any behavior that conforms to cultural norms.

Any behavior, belief, or condition that violates significant cultural norms. (correct)

Any behavior that is approved by society.

Any act of crime.

What is crime?

Behavior that violates criminal law and is punishable with fines or jail terms.

Define juvenile delinquency.

A violation of law or the commission of a status offense by young people.

What is social control?

Systematic practices developed by social groups to encourage conformity. Signup and view all the answers

What is internal social control?

The process of internalizing the norms of society. Signup and view all the answers

What is external social control?

Society's effort to bring those who step outside the lines back into line. Signup and view all the answers

What does Edwin Sutherland suggest about deviance?

Deviance is learned through association with others. Signup and view all the answers

What are the functions of deviance?

Promotes social change. Signup and view all the answers

How does deviance clarify rules?

By punishing deviant behavior, society reaffirms its commitment to the rules. Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean that deviance unites a group?

People unite in opposition to deviant behavior perceived as a threat to societal solidarity. Signup and view all the answers

How does deviance promote social change?

By violating norms, deviance can highlight injustices and lead to change. Signup and view all the answers

What is civil disobedience?

Nonviolent action that seeks to change a policy or law by refusing to comply with it. Signup and view all the answers

What are inner containments?

Self-control, a sense of responsibility, and resistance to diversions. Signup and view all the answers

What are outer containments?

Supportive family and friends, reasonable social expectations, and supervision. Signup and view all the answers

What does Social Bond Theory propose?

The probability of deviant behavior increases when a person's ties to society are weakened. Signup and view all the answers

What are the elements of Hirschi's concept of social bond?

Commitment to conformity. Signup and view all the answers

What is labeling theory?

No act is inherently deviant; deviance is a matter of social definition. Signup and view all the answers

What is primary deviance?

Engaging in isolated acts of deviance. Signup and view all the answers

Define secondary deviance.

Deviance as a lifestyle and personal identity. Signup and view all the answers

What is a stigma?

An undesirable characteristic or label used by others. Signup and view all the answers

What role do moral entrepreneurs play according to Howard Becker?

They create the rules about what constitutes deviant behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What are the stages of deviance according to the Three Stages of Deviance?

Secondary deviance. Signup and view all the answers

What is a felony?

A major crime such as rape or homicide, usually punishable by more than a year of imprisonment. Signup and view all the answers

Define misdemeanor.

A minor crime typically punished by less than one year in jail. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Uniform Crime Report?

The major source of information on crimes reported in the United States. Signup and view all the answers

What defines violent crime?

Actions involving force or the threat of force against others. Signup and view all the answers

What are property crimes?

Crimes including burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Signup and view all the answers

What is organized crime?

A business operation that supplies illegal goods and services for profit. Signup and view all the answers

What constitutes occupational (white-collar) crime?

Illegal activities committed by people in their professional context. Signup and view all the answers

Define corporate crime.

Illegal acts committed by corporate employees on behalf of the corporation. Signup and view all the answers

What is political crime?

Illegal acts involving the abuse of power by officials or acts against the government. Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of property crimes are not reported to the police?

61% Signup and view all the answers

What does discretion mean in the context of the criminal justice system?

The ability to decide how to handle situations involving offenders. Signup and view all the answers

What is punishment?

Any action designed to deprive a person of value due to an offense. Signup and view all the answers

What is retribution?

An act of moral vengeance where society makes the offender suffer. Signup and view all the answers

Define rehabilitation.

A program for reforming the offender to prevent future offenses. Signup and view all the answers

What is social exchange theory?

A theory based on the assumption that self-interest motivates interactions. Signup and view all the answers

What is Strain theory?

People feel strain when they cannot achieve cultural goals through approved means. Signup and view all the answers

What are the five adaptations to cultural goals identified by Merton?

Conformity Signup and view all the answers

What are illegitimate opportunity structures?

Circumstances providing opportunities for illegitimate activities. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three gang types according to the gang typology?

Criminal, conflict, and retreatist gangs. Signup and view all the answers

What does social dynamite refer to?

Persons marginalized by society, such as gang members and rioters. Signup and view all the answers

What does social junk refer to?

Members of stigmatized groups that are costly to society but relatively harmless. Signup and view all the answers

What does deviance and capitalism refer to?

Deviance and crime as functions of the capitalist economic system. Signup and view all the answers

What does Marxist theory suggest?

Capitalism produces haves and have-nots, leading to different types of crime. Signup and view all the answers

What is the critical approach?

The belief that laws protect the power and privilege of the capitalist class. Signup and view all the answers

Define privilege according to Krisberg.

The possession of what is valued by a social group in a given historical period. Signup and view all the answers

What does Quinney suggest about crime?

Powerful individuals define and criminalize behavior that threatens their interests. Signup and view all the answers

What has been the impact of the emancipation theory of female crime?

Encouraged feminist scholars to explore gender, deviance, and crime. Signup and view all the answers

How does the liberal feminist approach explain female crime?

As a rational response to gender discrimination in families and workplaces. Signup and view all the answers

What is the radical feminist view on female crime?

Crime originates from patriarchy and social forces shaping women's lives. Signup and view all the answers

Define Marxist feminist approach.

Women are exploited by capitalism and patriarchy. Signup and view all the answers

What situational factors contribute to crime?

The place of crime, suitable targets, and availability of deterrents. Signup and view all the answers

What personal factors affect criminal behavior?

The rewards individuals may gain from their criminal actions. Signup and view all the answers

What is a major strength of rational choice theory?

It explains why high-risk youths do not consistently engage in delinquent acts. Signup and view all the answers

What does control theory (social bonding) propose according to Walter Reckless?

Society produces pushes and pulls toward criminal behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What are inner containments in control theory?

Self-control, responsibility, and resistance to diversions. Signup and view all the answers

What are outer containments in control theory?

Supportive family, social expectations, and supervision. Signup and view all the answers

What does Travis Hirschi's social bond theory hold?

Probabilities of deviant behavior increase when ties to society are weakened. Signup and view all the answers

What are the four factors of Hirschi's social bond theory?

Attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief in conventional values. Signup and view all the answers

What does labeling theory state?

Deviance is a socially constructed process based on labels. Signup and view all the answers

How does the process of labeling occur?

Through moral entrepreneurs establishing rules based on their perspectives. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Concepts of Deviance and Crime

Deviance: Behavior, belief, or condition violating significant cultural norms within a society.
Crime: Behavior violating criminal laws, punishable by fines, jail, or other sanctions.
Juvenile Delinquency: Legal violations or status offenses committed by youth.
Social Control: Practices by social groups encouraging adherence to norms and discouraging deviance.

Internal Social Control: Norms become internalized through socialization, influencing personal views of right and wrong.
External Social Control: Society’s mechanisms (e.g., law enforcement) to regulate behavior and rein in deviance.

Theories of Deviance and Labeling

Sutherland’s Learning Theory: Deviance is learned through interactions with others espousing law-breaking attitudes over law-abiding ones.
Labeling Theory: Deviance results from social definition; labels can influence identity and behavior (primary vs. secondary deviance).

Functions and Impacts of Deviance

Clarifies Rules: Punishment of deviance reinforces societal norms and their meanings.
Unites Groups: Collective opposition to deviance strengthens social bonds and group solidarity.
Promotes Social Change: Deviance can challenge and reform societal norms through actions like civil disobedience.

Social Bond Theory: Weakness or absence of societal ties increases the likelihood of deviant behavior. Four key elements are:
- Attachment to people
- Commitment to conformity
- Involvement in conventional activities
- Belief in societal values

Deviance Stages

Primary Deviance: Initial, isolated deviant acts without labeling.
Secondary Deviance: Embracing a deviant identity post-labeling.
Tertiary Deviance: Reframing deviant behavior as acceptable.

Crime Categories

Felony: Severe crimes (e.g., homicide) with harsher penalties.
Misdemeanor: Minor crimes resulting in less severe punishments.
Uniform Crime Report: Main data source for crime statistics in the U.S.

Types of Crime

Violent Crime: Crimes involving force (e.g., murder, rape).
Property Crimes: Include burglary, theft, and arson.
Organized Crime: Illegal businesses that profit from illicit activities.
White-Collar Crime: Non-violent crimes committed for financial gain in professional settings.
Political Crime: Actions aimed at undermining governmental authority or challenging the state.

The Role of Power in Crime

Marxist Theory: Crime arises from capitalist inequality; the powerful shape laws to protect interests.
Social Dynamite vs. Social Junk: Differentiates between marginalized groups with potential for deviance versus stigmatized groups considered less threatening.

Feminist Perspectives on Deviance

Emancipation Theory: Explores the relationship between gender and crime, critiqued for oversimplifying female criminality.
Liberal Feminism: Argues that women's crime reflects gender discrimination and limited opportunities.
Radical Feminism: Attributes women's crime to patriarchal structures manipulating social conditions.
Marxist Feminism: Links women’s crimes to both capitalism and patriarchal oppression.

Factors Influencing Crime

Situational Factors: Contexts influencing the likelihood of crime, e.g., environment and available targets.
Personal Factors: Individual motivations for engaging in criminal behavior.

Rational Choice and Control Theories

Rational Choice Theory: Suggests youths weigh the risks versus rewards before engaging in delinquency.
Control Theory: Proposes that inner and outer controls can protect against deviance.

Recent Theoretical Considerations

Illegitimate Opportunity Structures: The concept that deviance requires access to illegitimate means alongside cultural goals.
Cloward and Ohlin’s Gang Types:
- Criminal gangs focus on income-generating crimes.
- Conflict gangs prioritize reputation through violence.
- Retreatist gangs resort to substance abuse as they reject both legitimate and illegitimate means.

Concluding Concepts

Crisis in Capabilities: Highlighting economic and political power dynamics that define behaviors as criminal based on who holds power in society.
Privilege: Defined variably across social contexts, including rights and material possessions, reflecting socioeconomic status and disparities.

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Description

This quiz provides flashcards for key terms from Chapter 7 of sociology. It covers important concepts such as deviance, crime, and juvenile delinquency, which are essential to understanding social norms and behaviors. Use these flashcards to enhance your comprehension of the chapter's content.