SOC 2070 MIDTERM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
An objectivist's approach to deviant behaviour is recognized if the act...? - Answer -
inflicts any kind of harm, the societal reaction, the rarity of the act, and whether it
conflicts with societal norms.
What would a subjectivist say about the recognition of deviant behaviour? - Answer -
Deviance is a matter of perception (might be considered deviant in one society, but not
another)
What does a subjectivist question about deviance? - Answer -How do certain
phenomena come to be seen as deviant and others not?
What are the levels of social construction? - Answer -socioculture (beliefs and
ideologies), institutional (government, school, religion), interactional (family, friends),
and individual (our own identities)
What is a Moral Entrepreneur? - Answer -those who bring a problem to public
awareness and facilitate moral conversation (i.e. politicians, media, scientists)
What are some critiques of the objectivist approach to deviance? - Answer -harm =
degree
rarity = threshold
reaction = who is considered society?
norms = consensus
What would an objectivist say about the recognition of deviant behaviour? - Answer -
The presence of certain characteristics define deviance, behaviours or people with
those characteristics are deviant.
What is a folkway? - Answer -informal norm that if violated one might be considered
odd
What does Mores mean? - Answer -standards that are often seen as the foundation of
morality in a culture (i.e. incest or homosexuality)
What are the levels/types of constructionism? - Answer -radical and soft/contextual
What does radical mean in sense of levels of constructionism? - Answer -claims that
the world is characterized by endless relativism...it is the way it is
What does soft/contextual in sense of levels of constructionism? - Answer -emphasizes
the process by which certain social phenomena come to be perceived and reacted to in
particular way in a given society at a specific time in history
, What would a blend of objective and subjectivist approach sound like? - Answer -
Deviance is a phenomena that violates social norms, but is a result of social relations
that are constructed over time
What is formal social control? - Answer -Efforts made at an institutional level (i.e. rules)
that are drafted and enforced by institutions
What is informal social control? - Answer -Efforts made by family, friends, etc. (peer
pressure from friends or guilt from parents)
What are the two examples of spiritual theories that were discussed in class? - Answer
-Holy inquisition of 13th century and Witch hunts of 17th century
How were deviants recognized in the 13th century? - Answer -those who spoke our
against the church were considered possessed by the devil
How were deviants recognized in the 17th century? - Answer -Women who were ugly,
refused to play domestic roles, with mental illness were considered to be possessed or
witched
What is wrong with spiritual theories regarding deviance? - Answer -Spiritual theories
close down rational discussion. They're not measurable, testable, or observable
What is the deviant dance? - Answer -interactions, negotiations, and debates among
groups with different perceptions of a deviant behaviour for social control
What is social typing? - Answer -a three component process which changes the way
society certain people who are categorized as deviant
What are the three components of social typing? - Answer -description, evaluation, and
prescription
What is description in terms of social typing? - Answer -when a label is enforced
because of an observed or presumed behaviour or characteristic
What is evaluation in terms of social typing? - Answer -when judgement is attached by
virtue of the label that was previously attached from the description component
What is prescription in terms of social typing? - Answer -difference between treatment
of labelled and unlabelled (labelled treated worse)
What is retroactive in terms of social control? - Answer -treating a known deviant in a
certain way
What is preventative in terms of social control? - Answer -attempting to prevent
deviance in the first place
An objectivist's approach to deviant behaviour is recognized if the act...? - Answer -
inflicts any kind of harm, the societal reaction, the rarity of the act, and whether it
conflicts with societal norms.
What would a subjectivist say about the recognition of deviant behaviour? - Answer -
Deviance is a matter of perception (might be considered deviant in one society, but not
another)
What does a subjectivist question about deviance? - Answer -How do certain
phenomena come to be seen as deviant and others not?
What are the levels of social construction? - Answer -socioculture (beliefs and
ideologies), institutional (government, school, religion), interactional (family, friends),
and individual (our own identities)
What is a Moral Entrepreneur? - Answer -those who bring a problem to public
awareness and facilitate moral conversation (i.e. politicians, media, scientists)
What are some critiques of the objectivist approach to deviance? - Answer -harm =
degree
rarity = threshold
reaction = who is considered society?
norms = consensus
What would an objectivist say about the recognition of deviant behaviour? - Answer -
The presence of certain characteristics define deviance, behaviours or people with
those characteristics are deviant.
What is a folkway? - Answer -informal norm that if violated one might be considered
odd
What does Mores mean? - Answer -standards that are often seen as the foundation of
morality in a culture (i.e. incest or homosexuality)
What are the levels/types of constructionism? - Answer -radical and soft/contextual
What does radical mean in sense of levels of constructionism? - Answer -claims that
the world is characterized by endless relativism...it is the way it is
What does soft/contextual in sense of levels of constructionism? - Answer -emphasizes
the process by which certain social phenomena come to be perceived and reacted to in
particular way in a given society at a specific time in history
, What would a blend of objective and subjectivist approach sound like? - Answer -
Deviance is a phenomena that violates social norms, but is a result of social relations
that are constructed over time
What is formal social control? - Answer -Efforts made at an institutional level (i.e. rules)
that are drafted and enforced by institutions
What is informal social control? - Answer -Efforts made by family, friends, etc. (peer
pressure from friends or guilt from parents)
What are the two examples of spiritual theories that were discussed in class? - Answer
-Holy inquisition of 13th century and Witch hunts of 17th century
How were deviants recognized in the 13th century? - Answer -those who spoke our
against the church were considered possessed by the devil
How were deviants recognized in the 17th century? - Answer -Women who were ugly,
refused to play domestic roles, with mental illness were considered to be possessed or
witched
What is wrong with spiritual theories regarding deviance? - Answer -Spiritual theories
close down rational discussion. They're not measurable, testable, or observable
What is the deviant dance? - Answer -interactions, negotiations, and debates among
groups with different perceptions of a deviant behaviour for social control
What is social typing? - Answer -a three component process which changes the way
society certain people who are categorized as deviant
What are the three components of social typing? - Answer -description, evaluation, and
prescription
What is description in terms of social typing? - Answer -when a label is enforced
because of an observed or presumed behaviour or characteristic
What is evaluation in terms of social typing? - Answer -when judgement is attached by
virtue of the label that was previously attached from the description component
What is prescription in terms of social typing? - Answer -difference between treatment
of labelled and unlabelled (labelled treated worse)
What is retroactive in terms of social control? - Answer -treating a known deviant in a
certain way
What is preventative in terms of social control? - Answer -attempting to prevent
deviance in the first place
