SOCI 206 Midterm Exam Practice Questions PDF

SOCI 206 – Midterm Exam - Practice Questions for Right/Wrong and Fear of Harm Chapters: 1. What is the main topic of discussion in the text written by Mike Larsen and Michael Ma? a. The internalization of social norms and addiction b. The study of criminology c. The legal...

SOCI 206 – Midterm Exam - Practice Questions for Right/Wrong and Fear of Harm Chapters: 1. What is the main topic of discussion in the text written by Mike Larsen and Michael Ma? a. The internalization of social norms and addiction b. The study of criminology c. The legalization of recreational cannabis d. The relationship between parents and children 2. What is the focus of criminology, according to the text? a. The study of legal rights b. The study of wrongdoing c. The study of oral health d. The study of policing and law 3. What is an example of a social norm discussed in the text? a. Eating vegetables b. Brushing teeth c. Recreational cannabis consumption d. Going to bed at a timely hour 4. What is the ultimate penalty in the criminal justice system? a. Fines b. Community Service c. Loss of freedom d. Probation 5. What is a feature of prison sentencing and its relation to law-observing behaviour according to the text? a. Alignment and internalization of values b. Empathy c. Manufactured consent d. Deterrence 6. According to the text, what is one of the key problems with the concept of freedom as it is understood by the criminal justice system? a. The concept of freedom is not important in the criminal justice system b. The concept of freedom is not attainable c. The freedom is not equal or fair d. The concept of freedom suggests that a criminal freely chooses to commit crimes regardless of social determinates or context. 7. In Chapter One, what is one of the main questions being addressed in the text? a. What is wrong with coercion? b. How does the state act in our best interest? c. How was the concepts of consent and freedom invented? d. What is the nature of human productivity? 8. According to the text, what is the relationship between parents and the state? a. Parents act as the state in terms of coercion and consent. b. The state is like a parent in terms of acting in our best interest. c. Parents and the state have different roles in terms of coercion and consent. d. The text does not address the relationship between parents and the state. 9. According to the text, what is the importance of Michel Foucault's work on discipline and the internalization of rules? a. It explores the themes of freedom of choice in the context of criminal justice b. His work emphasizes the need for self-regulation and self-policing in healthcare c. His work shows how institutional settings can create ways of thinking and ways of structuring our conduct d. His work illustrates the need for an extension of policing powers and social control 10. What is the main concern of the text regarding the use of mugshots? a. That they are taken without consent and destroyed after charges are dropped b. That they remain in police files even if charges are dropped c. That they can be shared without the person's consent d. That they can be used for online public shaming 11. What do the author’s think about rules and prohibitions? a. They are not necessary for safety b. They are a necessary limitation on the rule of consent c. They are a necessary restriction on the freedom to act d. They are a necessary support for wellbeing 12. What is the main argument made about mugshots in the text? a. They are a fair and just way to document arrested individuals. b. They are a coerced photograph of someone who may not be convicted of any crime. c. They should be destroyed because they were taken during a moment of crisis. d. They are a necessary tool for police to use in their investigations. 13. What does the text argue about rules and prohibitions in the context of law? a. They are unnecessary and do not provide safety. b. They are state supported and provide a sense of rules-based safety. c. They are only necessary in certain situations, like in the context of boxing. d. They are a necessary evil that must be accepted. 14. What is are some issues debated by Locke and Hobbes in the text? a. The existence of gods and divine justice b. The idea of a social contract, freedom, and human nature c. The concept of social collaboration without formal rules d. Locke believed in innate human characteristics while Hobbes believed in the rights of elite members of society. 15. According to the text, what is the main problem with the concept of rights? a. People never know their rights b. Rights are not recognized by society c. It is difficult for people to assert and exercise their rights d. The concept of rights only applies to some people 16. As discussed in the text, what document describes individual rights? a. The Bill of Rights b. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms c. The Constitution d. The Human Rights Act 17. According to the text, how can a person access the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada? a. By reading it online b. By speaking with a Charter agent c. By going through a lengthy process of preparing arguments d. By contacting their municipality 18. What is the main premise behind laws according to the text? a. Laws are created to restrict people from certain behaviour b. Laws are created to compel people to behave in a moral and ethical manner c. Laws are created to benefit people in a self-centered manner d. Laws are created to preserve order in a fractured society 19. According to the text, what is the debate between Locke and Hobbes about? a. The debate about the nature of human beings b. The debate about the role of police in society  c. The debate about the rights to property d. The debate about the arbitrariness of laws 20. According to the text, what is the main reason why people share the sidewalk with one another? a. Because of laws b. Because of the fear of punishment c. Because of internalized social norms d. Despite laws, people cooperate with one another in an extra-legal way Below you will find three essay questions. One of these questions will appear in the Midterm Exam held on Wednesday. In preparation for the Midterm Exam, please prepare an answer for each question. Each answer should have a minimum of 300 words; there is no maximum. These questions test your comprehension of the course material. An understanding of the in-class lectures and discussions are important for answering this question. However, your ability to read, retain, and retrace the arguments presented in our book is equally important for answering these questions. You must use full sentences and a strong paragraph structure. A. In our text and class discussions we discussed the fear of harm. What are the key features of this discussion? Please refer to both the text and class discussion in your answer. Your answer must present a cohesive summary describing the key issues. B. Fung Ling and Harpreet both live in the same neighbourhood. Recently, they both filled out self-report surveys on fear of crime and sense of safety. The results show that Fung Ling is significantly more concerned about crime, potential victimization, and their own personal safety than Harpreet is. Drawing on what you have learned in class so far, explain three factors that might account for this difference in perspective. Your answer should refer to course concepts and issues discussed in our textbook. C. Given our readings and class discussions, please explain the relationship between social norms, individual freedom, and state coercion. Your answer might try to: Explain how social norms are established and maintained, both formally and informally. Discuss the effectiveness of deterrence in shaping behavior and its limitations. Examine the tension between society's desire for individual freedom and its acceptance of coercive measures to maintain order. Provide an example of how changing social norms have led to changes in law or social policy. Use specific concepts and examples from our course material to support your arguments Multiple Choice Answers: 1. Answer: b) The study of criminology 2. Answer: b) The study of wrongdoing 3. Answer: b) Brushing teeth 4. Answer: C) Loss of freedom 5. Answer: D) Deterrence 6. Answer: D) The concept of freedom suggests that a criminal freely chooses to commit crimes regardless of social determinates or context. 7. Answer: A) What is wrong with coercion? 8. Answer: B) The state is like a parent in terms of acting in our best interest. 9. Answer: c) His work shows how institutional settings can create ways of thinking and ways of structuring our conduct 10. Answer: c) That they can be shared without the person's consent 11. Answer: d) They are a necessary support for wellbeing 12. Answer: b) They are a coerced photograph of someone who may not be convicted of any crime. 13. Answer: b) They are state supported and provide a sense of rules-based safety. 14. Answer: b) The idea of a social contract, freedom, and human nature 15. Answer: c) It is difficult for people to assert and exercise their rights 16. Answer: b) The Charter of Rights and Freedoms 17. Answer: c) By going through a lengthy process of preparing arguments 18. Answer: a) Laws are created to restrict people from certain behaviour 19. Answer: a) The debate about the nature of human beings 20. Answer: d) Despite laws, people cooperate with one another in an extra-legal way Practice Questions for Media and Causation Chapters: 1. In the chapter on Media, Larsen and Ma offer studies that show that the consumption of violent news media, which includes reporting on wars (e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Middle East, or North Africa), acts of terrorism, mass shooting, or other horrific violence, has given rise to a more violent society. a) True b) False 2. Why is it important for criminologists to study news media representation? a) To determine whether the consumption of violent media increases violent or anti- social behavior b) To understand the social construction of crime and how our understanding of it is shaped by social context, including the media c) To assess the role of media in shaping our understanding of the world, our perspectives, and opinions d) To determine whether media is the only way that people access matters of crime and justice 4. According to the text, what is one of the recent historical examples of moral panic? a) Social preoccupation with video games and their corrosive effects on youth b) Public concern about the effects of smoking and social behaviour c) Fear of watching TV shows and their impact on mental health d) Concerns about climate change and its impact on social relationships e) None of the above 6. According to the text, what is the impact of citizen reporting on the representation of crime and justice? a) It does not have any impact b) It leads to a self-referential media loop c) It has created a qualitative difference in how events are interpreted and acted upon d) It has reduced the role of participant observers in news coverage e) It has increased the unending demands to create content 7. What are the examples of videos that have become extremely important in the legal prosecution and public's prosecution of the case in the court of public opinion? a) The 1992 case of Rodney King's beating b) The killing of George Floyd c) The killing of Eric Garner d) The Facebook live recording of Philando Castile e) All of the above 10. Marshall Mcluhan's famous 1964 comment about the “medium being the message” suggests that contemporary news media can provide a transparent window onto the world with very little interpretation or interference. One such example is the contemporary crowdsource use of YouTube, Facebook Live, and/or Twitter to provide instantaneous and un-mediated news reporting that viewers can access directly. a) True b) False 11. What is the main preoccupation of criminology? a) Understanding crime causes b) Reducing crime rates c) Investigating criminal behavior d) Implementing punishment 12. What does the example of the jokey sign in front of a bookstore illustrate? a) The causation of the extinction of dinosaurs b) The importance of careful examination of causal claims c) The limitations of criminological theories d) The causal relationship between reading and dinosaur extinction 13. What is the connection between the quest for causation and the correctional impulse in criminology? a) The quest for causation in criminology is unrelated to the correctional impulse b) The correctional impulse is the primary reason for the quest for causation in criminology c) Understanding the root causes of crime can inform prevention and correction efforts d) The correctional impulse can cause deviant behavior 14. Which of the following statements best summarizes the authors' view on criminology's preoccupations? a) Criminologists should focus solely on street crime and property theft. b) Criminologists' preoccupations with certain types of crime are a reflection of societal power dynamics. c) Criminologists' preoccupations are not problematic and should be maintained. d) Criminologists should focus more on the criminal justice system and less on the causes of crime. 15. What is the connection between the pursuit of causation and the correctional impulse? a) There is no connection. b) The pursuit of causation leads to a focus on punishment and retribution. c) The pursuit of causation is a direct response to high crime rates. d) The pursuit of causation is closely connected to the desire to prevent crime. 16. What is the main point of the conversation regarding causation between Larsen and Ma? a) The fruitless difficulty in understanding the connection between decision-making and criminal behavior. b) The importance of following legal and regulatory regimes. c) The role of biology in explaining criminal behavior. d) The superiority of sociological theories over psychological theories. e) The pitfalls of criminological thinking. 17. According to our conversation regarding the causes of crime, why is it difficult to understand decision-making or the choice to commit crime? a) Because biological factors are uncontrollable. b) Because social conditions can give rise to numerous different decisions or outcomes. c) Because the differences between subject positions and social entitlements are too extreme. d) Because there are too many factors that influence behavior. e) Because people are not aware of the consequences of their actions. 18. What is the difference between the approach that is often used in courts and critical criminological theories with regards to blame and responsibility? a) Courts focus on sociological theories, while criminological theories focus on biological theories. b) Courts focus on multiple causes, while criminological theories focus on singular causes. c) Courts focus on guilt and responsibility, while criminological theories focus on biological factors. d) Courts focus on behavioral modification, while criminological theories focus on socialization. e) Courts focus on individual responsibility, while critical criminological theories take a broader perspective. 19. What are some of the factors that influence behaviour, according to the text? a) Genetics, neurotransmitters, and physiology. b) Geography, culture, upbringing, experiences, and resources. c) Strain, subculture, and conditioning. d) Personal preferences and the preferences of those around us. e) All of the above. ------------------ Short Essay Questions: Instructions: Below you will find two essay questions. I will ask one of these two questions during the Friday portion of the Midterm Exam. Therefore, you must prepare and be ready to answer either question. Your response should be a minimum of 300 words; there is no maximum. These questions test your comprehension of the course material. An understanding of the in-class lectures and discussions are important for answering this question. However, your ability to read, retain, and retrace the arguments presented in our book is equally important for answering these questions. You must use full sentences and a strong paragraph structure. 1. There has been considerable debate and concern about the idea that playing violent video games like Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty can encourage players to act violently in real life. Explain the hidden hypothesis behind this idea. Is there merit to this concern? Please refer to the key issues and research that are discussed by Larsen and Ma and try to make your answer reflect the nuance of these discussions. 2. The chapter titled, “The Quest for Causation,” discusses the importance of understanding the causes of crime while being cautious in making grand claims of causation. The pursuit of causation has led to various theories in criminology, but the authors emphasize the need to consider broader social conditions that give rise to criminal behaviour. Using the example of Debra Leo's life course narrative, what are some of the factors that influence an individual's ability to make free will decisions, according to the authors? How do the authors' perspective on the issue of causation differ from the conventional view that criminal behaviour is the result of individual choice? Your answer MUST refer to the examples, theories, and discussions found in the text and in our class meetings. Please use the example of Debra Leo to illustrate your answer. Your answer will benefit from reference to the guiding questions provided to your discussion group. Multiple Choice Answers: 1. Answer: b) False 2. Answer: b) To understand the social construction of crime and how our understanding of it is shaped by social context, including the media 3. Answer: d) A situation in which an issue becomes distorted, oversimplified, and amplified by media coverage and political reaction. 4. Answer: a) Social preoccupation with video games and their corrosive effects on youth. 5. Answer: a) Moral panics lead to calls for officials to do something, which often takes the form of intensified regulation and criminalization. 6. Answer: c) It has created a qualitative difference in how events are interpreted and acted upon. 7. Answer: e) All of the above. 10. Answer: b) False 11. Answer: a) Understanding crime causes 12. Answer: b) The importance of careful examination of causal claims 13. Answer: c) Understanding the root causes of crime can inform prevention and correction efforts 14. Answer: b) Criminologists' preoccupations with certain types of crime are a reflection of societal power dynamics. 15. Answer: d) The pursuit of causation is closely connected to the desire to prevent crime. 16. Answer: e) The conversation between Larsen and Ma focuses on the pitfalls of criminological thinking, particularly the quest for singular causes and straightforward explanations for complex and contextualized events and behaviors. 17. Answer: b) According to our conversation, social conditions can give rise to numerous different decisions or outcomes, which makes it difficult to understand decision-making or the choice to commit crime. 18. Answer: e) The difference between the approach that is often used in courts and critical criminological theories with regards to blame and responsibility is that courts focus on individual responsibility, while criminological theories take a broader perspective. 19. Answer: e) According to the conversation between Larsen and Ma, some of the factors that influence behavior include genetics, neurotransmitters, physiology, geography, culture, upbringing, experiences, resources, strain, subculture, conditioning, personal preferences, and the preferences of those around us.