CRIM 103 MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE
Social construction of a crime - Answers - defining a crime as social and political in
nature, which makes the definitions of crime embody human values + moral beliefs
about right and wrong
consensus theory vs. conflict theory - Answers - Consensus theory is defined in a
manner broadly agreed upon by society
Conflict theory suggests that crime is determined by the powerful and rich, who define it
in ways that promote and maintain their position
Why is crime a social construct - Answers - 1. create laws that reflect our sense of
right/wrong
2. may be an old behaviour but a new crime
3. definitions of crime vary
4. may be illegal at one time or place, but not in another
violence vs. physical violence - Answers - violence: an intentional act of threatened,
attempted, or actual physical harm directed towards a non consenting person
physical violence: intentional act that causes physical injury regardless of how minor
onto a non consenting person
motivation - Answers - the main distinction between instrumental and reactive violence
instrumental vs. reactive violence - Answers - instrumental: goal oriented to gain an
identifiable object (money, power, arousal), associated with premeditated acts carried
out in an unemotional fashion, little to no relationship to the victim
reactive: usually occurs in response to frustration, perceived insult or an act of
aggression, no goal except to harm, spontaneous act while emotions are running high,
relationship with the victim.
Macrotheory vs microtheory - Answers - Macrotheory: large scale theories that use
society as a whole or broad groups as the unit of analysis, large scale theory that
explains phenomena at a societal level
Microtheory: small scale theory that explains phenomena at an individual level (small
group of offenders or individual crime) attempts to answer why some people are more
likely than others to commit crime
Scientific theory vs informal theory - Answers - Scientific theory: must be testable +
empirically validated, must be subject to scientific method to determine if the evidence
supports it
, informal: often based off of nothing more than anecdotal observations and our
subjective impressions of the world
From a psychological perspective theories should explain? - Answers - Inter individual
differences: variations that exist between 2+ people
Intra individual differences: variations occurring with the same person
Descriptive designs - Answers - gives information about individual factors or variables,
rages from "close up" to "big picture" examinations, case study.
limitations: rarely a way to verify scientifically, provides no info about interactions of
different variables
Correlational designs - Answers - examines relations between 2+ variables:
longitudinal research design:
longitudinal research design: - Answers - involves making several observations of the
same study participants over a period of time, once pattern of variable is understood
you could predict future events.
limitations: expensive and time consuming, 3rd variables
Classic experimental design - Answers - 2 groups, and random assignment.
pros: permits casual inferences (logical conclusion made when experimental results
show that one variable is responsible for changing another), if all variables are held
constant
cons: trying to hold all extraneous factors that might otherwise prevent us from drawing
casual inferences
quasi experimental design - Answers - a research design that incorporates some of the
features of a true experiment, can be utilized when random assignment isnt possible,
ex: comparing a group of people with head injury to control group who are injury free to
see if they differ with criminal behaviour
meta analyses - Answers - method of analysis that involves combining results of many
students on a particular subject to generate a statistical estimate of the overall
magnitude of their findings, value rests on having clear inclusion criteria outlining which
studies are to be included, powerful way to summarize and understand significance of
research findings
behavioural genetics - Answers - field of study that is concerned with understanding the
influence of genetics on the expression of characteristics and behaviours
Social construction of a crime - Answers - defining a crime as social and political in
nature, which makes the definitions of crime embody human values + moral beliefs
about right and wrong
consensus theory vs. conflict theory - Answers - Consensus theory is defined in a
manner broadly agreed upon by society
Conflict theory suggests that crime is determined by the powerful and rich, who define it
in ways that promote and maintain their position
Why is crime a social construct - Answers - 1. create laws that reflect our sense of
right/wrong
2. may be an old behaviour but a new crime
3. definitions of crime vary
4. may be illegal at one time or place, but not in another
violence vs. physical violence - Answers - violence: an intentional act of threatened,
attempted, or actual physical harm directed towards a non consenting person
physical violence: intentional act that causes physical injury regardless of how minor
onto a non consenting person
motivation - Answers - the main distinction between instrumental and reactive violence
instrumental vs. reactive violence - Answers - instrumental: goal oriented to gain an
identifiable object (money, power, arousal), associated with premeditated acts carried
out in an unemotional fashion, little to no relationship to the victim
reactive: usually occurs in response to frustration, perceived insult or an act of
aggression, no goal except to harm, spontaneous act while emotions are running high,
relationship with the victim.
Macrotheory vs microtheory - Answers - Macrotheory: large scale theories that use
society as a whole or broad groups as the unit of analysis, large scale theory that
explains phenomena at a societal level
Microtheory: small scale theory that explains phenomena at an individual level (small
group of offenders or individual crime) attempts to answer why some people are more
likely than others to commit crime
Scientific theory vs informal theory - Answers - Scientific theory: must be testable +
empirically validated, must be subject to scientific method to determine if the evidence
supports it
, informal: often based off of nothing more than anecdotal observations and our
subjective impressions of the world
From a psychological perspective theories should explain? - Answers - Inter individual
differences: variations that exist between 2+ people
Intra individual differences: variations occurring with the same person
Descriptive designs - Answers - gives information about individual factors or variables,
rages from "close up" to "big picture" examinations, case study.
limitations: rarely a way to verify scientifically, provides no info about interactions of
different variables
Correlational designs - Answers - examines relations between 2+ variables:
longitudinal research design:
longitudinal research design: - Answers - involves making several observations of the
same study participants over a period of time, once pattern of variable is understood
you could predict future events.
limitations: expensive and time consuming, 3rd variables
Classic experimental design - Answers - 2 groups, and random assignment.
pros: permits casual inferences (logical conclusion made when experimental results
show that one variable is responsible for changing another), if all variables are held
constant
cons: trying to hold all extraneous factors that might otherwise prevent us from drawing
casual inferences
quasi experimental design - Answers - a research design that incorporates some of the
features of a true experiment, can be utilized when random assignment isnt possible,
ex: comparing a group of people with head injury to control group who are injury free to
see if they differ with criminal behaviour
meta analyses - Answers - method of analysis that involves combining results of many
students on a particular subject to generate a statistical estimate of the overall
magnitude of their findings, value rests on having clear inclusion criteria outlining which
studies are to be included, powerful way to summarize and understand significance of
research findings
behavioural genetics - Answers - field of study that is concerned with understanding the
influence of genetics on the expression of characteristics and behaviours
