Sociology Exploring the Architecture of

Everyday Life 11th Edition Newman

Test Bank
Visit to Download in Full: https://testbankdeal.com/download/sociology-exploring-the-
architecture-of-everyday-life-11th-edition-newman-test-bank/
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

Test Bank
Chapter 8

1. A relativist perspective on deviance maintains that definitions of deviance are

*a. socially constructed.
b. inscrutable.
c. absolute labels.
d. clearly identifiable.

2. The belief that the “rightness” or “wrongness” of an act lies within the act itself, and so is
independent of both time and culture, is a characteristic of which perspective on deviance?
a. deterrence
b. abolitionist
c. relativist
*d. absolutist

3. According to the text, those who take an absolutist approach to deviance often have perceptions of
“what deviants are like” that rely on
a. empirical research.
*b. stereotypes.
c. impartial.
d. unbiased.

4. Which of the following would be considered an absolutist perspective on abortion?

a. Judge not lest ye also be judged.
*b. Abortion is always wrong, regardless of the circumstances.
c. While never a decision to be made lightly, abortion may be the best option under some
circumstances.
d. Beliefs about abortion are social constructs.

5. Cross-cultural research suggests that definitions of deviance

a. are the same across cultures.
b. have stayed constant over time.
*c. vary across cultures.
d. change only when major events occur.

6. Which of the following would be considered a relativist view of abortion?

a. Judge not lest ye also be judged.
b. Abortion is always wrong, regardless of the circumstances.
c. The decision to abort is often made under duress.
*d. Beliefs about abortion are social constructs.

7. The relativist approach to deviance draws from which two sociological perspectives?
a. social learning and cultural empiricism
b. labeling and structural functionalist
c. ecological and strain theory
*d. symbolic interactionism and the conflict perspective
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

8. When determining whether deviance has occurred, sociologists typically look for the presence of
three elements. Which of the items below is NOT one of those elements?
a. expectation
b. violation
c. reaction
*d. juris

9. Sociologists from the conflict perspective would say that definitions of and responses to deviance are
often a form of social control exerted by
a. less powerful people and groups over those more powerful.
b. unbiased people with good intentions.
*c. more powerful people and groups over those less powerful.
d. the general population.

10. Deterrence theory on deviance argues that in order to be effective in preventing individuals from
engaging in unwanted conduct, punishments must be
a. rational and economical.
b. rehabilitative and legislative.
*c. swift and severe.
d. panoptically labeled.

11. Which of the following statements about capital punishment is true?

*a. There is little empirical evidence to support the idea that it deters people from engaging in crimes.
b. States with the death penalty have lower homicide rates.
c. Compared to other racial and ethnic groups, white non-Hispanics are disproportionately sentenced to
death.
d. The overwhelming majority of people in the United States say they do not support capital
punishment.

12. A number of Catholic priests have been found guilty of child molestation. Clergy sexual abuse
scandals are sociologically interesting because
*a. the perpetrators didn’t fit the stereotypical image of a child molester.
b. many of the perpetrators were found to be mentally disordered.
c. the monetary fallout was so severe.
d. the majority of victims continue to suffer medical problems.

13. According to Edwin Sutherland’s theory of deviance,

a. people learn from their mistakes only when they are punished.
b. people become deviant only after they have been labeled “deviant” by others.
*c. people learn deviant patterns of behavior from the people with whom they associate on a regular
basis.
d. people rationally consider the potential benefits and costs before engaging in deviance.

14. Edwin Sutherland argued that people learn deviant patterns of behavior primarily from
a. the mass media.
b. corrupt corporations.
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

*c. friends and family.

d. influential politicians.

15. What is the basic premise of Merton's strain theory?

a. Some people get caught for committing deviant acts while others do not.
b. The likelihood that one will commit a deviant act increases when negative sanctions for deviance are
harsh.
*c. The likelihood that one will commit a deviant act increases when there is a strain or contradiction
between culturally defined goals and access to legitimate ways to attain them.
d. People who commit deviant acts have not internalized culturally defined goals.

16. According to Robert Merton’s strain theory, people commit deviant acts because they
*a. lack access to legitimate means to achieve their goals.
b. possess a deviant identity.
c. have been taught that these acts are normal.
d. have determined that the benefits outweigh the costs.

17. Criminal research has consistently found a correlation between _____and _____ crime.
a. race; violent
*b. unemployment; property
c. gender; white-collar
d. income; cyber

18. According to deterrence theory, people commit deviant acts because they have
a. no legitimate means to achieve their goals.
b. been labeled “deviant” by others.
c. been taught that these acts are normal.
*d. determined that the benefits outweigh the costs.

19. What basic assumption underlies deterrence theory?

a. Deviance is not absolute, but socially defined.
b. The desire to violate social norms is a normal aspect of development.
*c. People rationally consider the costs and benefits of behavior before they act.
d. People who commit deviant acts are inherently flawed.

20. Which of the following statements is the most accurate about capital punishment?
a. The threat of capital punishment has reduced murders in most states.
b. Highly publicized executions have been shown to deter homicides in states with the death penalty.
*c. The majority of U.S. citizens support the death penalty.
d. Capital punishment is increasing worldwide, for both moral and practical reasons.

21. Which statement is consistent with labeling theory?

*a. A deviant is one to whom a deviant label has been successfully applied.
b. A deviant is one who seeks to redefine definitions of right and wrong.
c. People are more likely to engage in deviance when social norms and values change rapidly.
d. Some acts are deviant in all circumstances.
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

22. Today, which of these individuals would draw the strongest expression of American outrage?
*a. a foreign terrorist
b. a vegetarian
c. a lesbian
d. a drug addict

23. Kelly Michaels was a 22-year-old preschool worker who was charged with child molestation but
eventually exonerated. She is still seen as a child molester. Which theory of deviance would explain why
Ms. Michaels is still considered a child molester?
*a. labeling theory
b. strain theory
c. deterrence theory
d. conflict theory

24. Which of the following is an example of deviant labeling?

*a. pictures of “deadbeat dads” on city billboards
b. capital punishment
c. the Catholic Church’s “one drop” rule
d. “gifted and talented” programs for bright students

25. In her study of former mental patients, Nancy Herman found that former mental patients were
a. likely to return to the hospital.
b. likely to commit crimes.
*c. viewed as “defective” by others.
d. able to return to their lives with no difficulty.

26. According to the textbook, what is the definition of criminalization?

a. the assumption that deviance is socially created by collective human judgments and ideas
b. the assumption that all human behavior can be considered either inherently good or inherently bad
*c. defining problematic behaviors as illegal acts requiring punishment
d. defining problematic behaviors as medical problems requiring treatment

27. Research shows that states with the death penalty have
a. lower homicide rates than states without the death penalty.
*b. higher homicide rates than states without the death penalty.
c. similar homicide rates to states without the death penalty.
d. reduced their homicide rates since reintroducing the death penalty.

28. Which of the following nations has the highest incarceration rate?
a. Sweden
b. Japan
c. Iran
*d. the United States

29. Which of the following statements about antidepressants is true?

a. They were not manufactured in the United States until 1990.
b. They are illegal in European Union member nations.
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

*c. The number of conditions for which they are prescribed has expanded over the years.
d. They are not considered pharmaceuticals.

30. What is one reason for the growth in the U.S. inmate population during the past few decades?
a. the proliferation of alternatives to incarceration
*b. the development of “get tough on crime” policies
c. the increase in deterrence programs
d. the decline in crime rates

31. All of the following reasons explain why ex-convicts are likely to return to prison EXCEPT
a. being labeled “ex-convict” makes it difficult to find legitimate employment.
b. funding for rehabilitation and job training programs in many prisons has been reduced or eliminated.
*c. most ex-convicts are sociopaths who can't be rehabilitated.
d. parole may be revoked for minor rule violations.

32. How do conflict theorists understand the criminal justice system?

a. It maintains social order by specifying the consequences for rule violations.
*b. It is an instrument of social control used by powerful groups.
c. It is negotiated in an ongoing manner through microinteraction in society.
d. All of the above

33. According to conflict theorists, the acts most likely to be criminalized are those that
a. represent a physical threat to collective safety.
b. represent a physical threat to individual safety.
*c. threaten the economic or political control of elite groups.
d. challenge core beliefs propagated by religious groups in society.

34. An upper-class man who is arrested for soliciting a prostitute may be sentenced to an education
program, like “john’s school.” A prostitute is likely to be sentenced to jail time. Which theoretical
perspective best explains this disparity in sentencing?
a. structural-functionalist
b. symbolic interactionist
c. labeling
*d. conflict

35. Which kind of crime poses the greater economic threat to Americans?
a. street crime
b. welfare crime
*c. corporate crime
d. violent crime

36. Harsh criminal punishment for white collar criminals has been directed mostly at _____ rather than
_____.
*a. individuals; corporations
b. corporations; individuals
c. government agencies; private companies
d. private companies; government agencies
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

37. Compared to street crimes, people are more likely to view injuries related to corporate crime as
a. direct.
b. serious.
c. harmful.
*d. unintentional.

38. A temperance culture is one that

a. encourages citizens to use prescription drugs to solve personal problems.
b. tolerates alternative lifestyles and behaviors.
c. discourages its citizens from using alcohol.
*d. values self-control and industriousness in its citizens.

39. Which drug is NOT mentioned on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s website?
a. marijuana
b. heroin
c. oxycodone
*d. alcohol

40. What is the primary reason tobacco use has yet to be criminalized in the United States?
a. Its use is associated with too few financial and physical repercussions.
b. Much of the research is anecdotal and has yielded inconsistent results.
*c. Many states and large companies depend on revenue from it.
d. Ventilation and air purification systems required in public spaces have been effective at offsetting its
detrimental effects.

41. What is the definition of medicalization?

a. the assumption that deviance is socially created by collective human judgments and ideas
b. the assumption that all human behavior can be considered either inherently good or inherently bad
c. the belief that people weigh costs and benefits before acting
*d. defining problematic behaviors as medical problems that require treatment

42. The number of prescriptions written for _____ is growing faster than any other drug.
*a. ADHD treatment
b. asthma medication
c. antibiotics
d. analgesics

43. Prozac was originally designed to treat which disorder?

*a. depression
b. obesity
c. schizophrenia
d. attention deficit disorder

44. Which type of drug is routinely used by students to improve academic performance?
a. antidepressants
b. sedatives
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

*c. stimulants
d. hallucinogens

45. Which of the following is a social consequence of the medicalization of deviance?

*a. Deviance becomes an individual problem and is also depoliticized.
b. More deviants are committed to mental wards, thereby increasing public safety.
c. Rates of mental disorder diagnoses decrease.
d. Deviance becomes more stigmatized.

46. A Dallas Morning News investigation discovered that high-ranking U.S. military commanders have
tried to discredit and intimidate subordinates who reported security and safety violations by ordering
them to undergo psychiatric evaluations or by sending them to a mental ward. Which theoretical
orientation best explains what occurred?
a. dramaturgy
*b. conflict perspectives
c. structural-functionalist perspectives
d. deterrence theory

47. The idea that individuals will be less likely to engage in a deviant act if they believe that the potential
costs for the act outweigh the benefits is a key component of
*a. deterrence theory.
b. Rasputinism.
c. a self-fulfilling prophecy.
d. labeling theory.

48. George maintains that making punishments swift and harsh will reduce violent crime. He might cite
which theory to support his position?
a. panopticism
b. amalgamation
*c. deterrence
d. labelling

49. Instead of judging whether an act should or shouldn't be considered deviant, sociologists examine
a. only the empirically observable facts that pertain to guilt or innocence.
b. the role of psychopathology in deviance.
c. the relationship between genes and environment (epigenetics).
*d. how definitions of deviance are created and transmitted, as well as patterns related to deviance.

50. Which behavior is considered deviant but not criminal?

a. identity theft
*b. talking to oneself in public
c. manslaughter
d. robbery

51. Structural-functionalist perspectives on deviance draw our attention to the roles political and
economic power play in our understandings of what is “right” and what is “wrong.”
a. True
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

*b. False

52. For those who take a relativist perspective on deviance, deviance is a human social construction.
*a. True
b. False

53. When a person has been successfully labeled as deviant, his/her other qualities are overshadowed.
*a. True
b. False

54. According to a relativist perspective on deviance, behavior is either inherently good or bad.
a. True
*b. False

55. A person who is incarcerated for a crime he did not commit would NOT be considered deviant.
a. True
*b. False

56. In the United States, individual perceptions of, and attitudes about, deviance and social harm are
always rooted in sound empirical research.
a. True
*b. False

57. In order to conduct sound empirical research on deviance, sociologists must often set aside their
personal beliefs about what is right and what is wrong.
*a. True
b. False

58. Capital punishment is probably the most well-known example of labeling theory.
a. True
*b. False

59. In general, poor people are more likely than affluent people to be arrested, charged, and convicted
of crimes.
*a. True
b. False

60. In the United States, property crime presents the greatest threat to public safety.
a. True
*b. False

Type: E
61. What are “stand your ground” laws? Why are they controversial?
*a. Answers vary

Type: E
62. Provide three examples of how definitions of deviance can change over time.
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 11th edition

David M. Newman

*a. Answers vary

Type: E
63. Identify a recent example of a large corporation engaging—intentionally or unintentionally—in an
activity or practice that caused appreciable economic or social harm. Describe the incident as well as the
public and legal reaction. Using what you have learned in this chapter, explain the events.
*a. Answers vary

Type: E
64. Compare and contrast the absolutist and relativist definitions of deviance. Provide examples to
illustrate the differences between the two. Critique both definitions. Which do you prefer and why?
*a. Answers vary

Type: E
65. Identify one government policy that is based on labeling theory. Describe how this policy can
permanently stigmatize the individual(s) labeled as deviant.
*a. Answers vary

Type: E
66. A psychologist diagnoses a young girl with “conduct disorder.” How might this diagnosis affect the
child’s relationships with others? In what ways might it become a self-fulfilling prophecy?
*a. Answers vary

Type: E
67. Discuss the criminalization of deviance from the conflict perspective. Compare and contrast the
experiences of an affluent person and a person of low socioeconomic status in today’s criminal justice
system.
*a. Answers vary

Type: E
68. Describe how powerful groups might use psychiatric diagnoses to their advantage.
*a. Answers vary

Type: E
69. What is the difference between white-collar crime and street crime? Why is white-collar crime
perceived by many as less threatening to society?
*a. Answers vary

Type: E
70. Over the last 50 years, the proportion of the U.S. population with a diagnosable “mental illness” has
increased markedly, as have prescriptions for drugs intended to treat psychological conditions. How
would a sociologist explain this?
*a. Answers vary