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Sociology of deviance - Quiz
Contributed by: Burrows
  • 1. Sociology of deviance is a subfield of sociology that examines behaviors and actions that are considered outside societal norms and standards. It focuses on understanding why certain behaviors are labeled as deviant, how these labels are applied, and the impact of societal reactions on individuals and groups. This field explores the social construction of deviance, the role of power dynamics in defining norms, and the implications of deviant behavior for social control and inequality. Sociologists of deviance seek to challenge and deconstruct conventional ideas about what is considered 'normal' in society, and to understand how these perceptions shape social interactions, institutions, and structures.

    What is the difference between crime and deviance?
A) Deviance is worse than crime.
B) Crime is only committed by certain groups.
C) There is no difference.
D) Deviance refers to behavior that violates social norms, while crime refers to behavior that breaks laws.
  • 2. Which theory suggests that deviance is a result of societal strains and opportunities for deviant behavior?
A) Labeling theory.
B) Strain theory.
C) Conflict theory.
D) Control theory.
  • 3. What is the term for the process by which an individual's status is transformed into a deviant identity?
A) Differential association theory.
B) Control theory.
C) Anomie theory.
D) Labeling theory.
  • 4. What is the term for a theory that suggests individuals conform to social expectations based on their bonds with others and institutions?
A) Labeling theory.
B) Social control theory.
C) Strain theory.
D) Conflict theory.
  • 5. According to social control theory, what is the role of informal social institutions in preventing deviance?
A) They have no impact on deviance.
B) They provide social relationships that deter individuals from deviant behavior.
C) They actively promote deviant behavior.
D) They impose harsh punishments on deviant individuals.
  • 6. What is secondary deviance?
A) Behavior that occurs in response to being labeled as deviant.
B) Deviance that is officially punishable by law.
C) Deviance that is accepted by society.
D) Less serious deviant acts.
  • 7. What role do social norms play in defining deviant behavior?
A) They are irrelevant to deviance.
B) They encourage all behavior equally.
C) They are only applicable to certain groups.
D) They establish boundaries of acceptable behavior.
  • 8. According to the control theory, what prevents individuals from engaging in deviant behavior?
A) Strain and societal pressures.
B) Strong social bonds and attachments.
C) Adherence to rigid rules.
D) Labeling by society.
  • 9. How does the conflict theory view deviance?
A) As a psychological disorder.
B) As a form of social inequality and power dynamics.
C) As a natural human instinct.
D) As a result of societal strains.
  • 10. Which sociological theory views deviance as a normal and necessary part of social organization?
A) Structural functionalism
B) Symbolic interaction
C) Labeling theory
D) Conflict theory
  • 11. Who proposed the normative theory of suicide that includes four important functions of deviance?
A) Robert Merton
B) Émile Durkheim
C) Karl Marx
D) Max Weber
  • 12. Which sociological theory focuses on the interaction and interpretation of symbols in understanding deviance?
A) Symbolic interactionism
B) Structural functionalism
C) Rational choice theory
D) Conflict theory
  • 13. What type of suicide occurs when a person experiences too much social regulation?
A) Altruistic suicide
B) Anomic suicide
C) Egoistic suicide
D) Fatalistic suicide
  • 14. Which type of deviance involves creating new goals and means that differ from those of society?
A) Innovation
B) Conformism
C) Ritualism
D) Rebellion
  • 15. How many types of neutralization are identified in the theory?
A) Four
B) Six
C) Five
D) Three
  • 16. What process do courts rely on to resolve cases?
A) Mediation between the defendant and victim
B) An adversarial process with plea bargaining
C) Community service assignments
D) Public voting
  • 17. Which type of deviance is characterized by rejecting both cultural goals and means, leading individuals to 'drop out'?
A) Innovation
B) Retreatism
C) Rebellion
D) Conformism
  • 18. What is the panopticon an example of, according to Foucault?
A) A method for promoting free will.
B) A template for modern prisons using discipline.
C) An ancient form of punishment.
D) A model for democratic governance.
  • 19. Who utilized the theory of bourgeois control over social junk and social dynamite?
A) Karl Marx
B) Jock Young
C) George Rusche
D) Steven Spitzer
  • 20. What is one factor that influences police decision-making to make an arrest?
A) The suspect's financial status
B) If the offence is serious
C) The weather conditions
D) The time of day the crime occurs
  • 21. Which type of suicide occurs due to a lack of social integration?
A) Anomic suicide
B) Egoistic suicide
C) Altruistic suicide
D) Fatalistic suicide
  • 22. Which type of deviance involves accepting societal goals but rejecting the means to achieve them?
A) Ritualism
B) Retreatism
C) Conformism
D) Innovation
  • 23. According to Karl Marx, what causes conflict and thus deviant behavior among the proletariat?
A) Alienation
B) Cultural differences
C) Lack of education
D) Economic inequality
  • 24. Who was among the first to develop the Theory of Biological Deviance?
A) Cesare Lombroso
B) Charles Darwin
C) Karl Marx
D) Michel Foucault
  • 25. What occurs when one is too socially integrated according to Durkheim?
A) Altruistic suicide
B) Anomic suicide
C) Egoistic suicide
D) Fatalistic suicide
  • 26. What is a disadvantage of resolving most court cases through plea bargaining?
A) It puts less powerful people at a disadvantage
B) It guarantees harsher sentences
C) It leads to longer trial durations
D) It increases the cost of legal proceedings
  • 27. Who developed the concept of primary and secondary deviation?
A) Travis Hirschi
B) Robert Crutchfield
C) Edwin Lemert
D) Walter C. Reckless
  • 28. Which form of justice focuses on defining boundaries of acceptable behaviors?
A) Punitive justice (retribution & deterrence)
B) Rehabilitative justice (rehabilitation & societal protection)
C) Preventive justice
D) Restorative justice
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