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SOCI 301 - Exam 6 Questions and Correct
Answers
Kimmel and Mahler - Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia, and
Violence: Random School Schoolings Ans: Analyze the causes of
random shootings in American secondary schools in the 1980s
and 1990s
Four Key Points:
- The shootings were not a national problem but a series of local
problems that occurred in "red states" or countries
- Most of the boys who opened dire were mercilessly and routinely
bullied and teased and that their violence was retaliatory against
the threats to manhood
- That white boys in particular might be more likely than African
American boys to randomly open fire
- The specific content of the teasing and bullying is homophobia
Kimmel and Mahler: Pop Culture Explanations for School Shootings
Ans: - Violent Video Games
- Glorification of Violence in popular music / movies
- The internet
- Availability of Firearms
However:
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- Both young violence, and school violence have actually been
decreasing since 1980.
- Juvenile violence involving guns have been in decline
(school shooting rates are going up but overall violence has been
going down - therefore these are unreasonable explanations)
Kimmel and Mahler - Psychological explanations for school
shootings Ans: - History of childhood abuse
- Absent fathers
- Dominant mothers
- Violence in childhood
- Unstable family environment
- Mothers' fear of their children
However:
- Almost all the shooters came from intact and relatively stable
families, with no history of child abuse
- If they had psychological problems at all, they were relatively
minor and the boys flew under the radar of any school official of
family member who might have noticed something wrong
Kimmel and Mahler - Commonality of School Shootings Ans:
These studies all missed gender
- They used broad terminology as though girls equally patriciate in
this violence
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All the school shootings were committed by boys
- Masculinity is the single greatest risk factor in school violence
Kimmel and Mahler - Two waves of school shootings Ans: 1982 -
1991: most school shootings were non-random (targeted victims),
urban, and involved visible minorities with handguns
1992 - 2002: 22 of 23 shootings were committed by White
students in suburban schools, most often with armed rifles rather
than handguns
Kimmel and Mahler - Findings Ans: Nearly all had stories of being
constantly being bullied, beat up, and most significantly, gaybaited
- Not because they were gay, but because their performance of
masculinity did not line up with the hegemonic norm of
masculinity
- Peer harassment was the most significant cause of school
shootings
They had a desire to get back at those who have hurt them
Local cultures have an influence
- How they create gender performance
Kimmel and Mahler - Why boys and not girls? And why only white
boys? Ans: - There is a boy culture in the US that is extremely
violent
© 2025 All rights reserved
SOCI 301 - Exam 6 Questions and Correct
Answers
Kimmel and Mahler - Adolescent Masculinity, Homophobia, and
Violence: Random School Schoolings Ans: Analyze the causes of
random shootings in American secondary schools in the 1980s
and 1990s
Four Key Points:
- The shootings were not a national problem but a series of local
problems that occurred in "red states" or countries
- Most of the boys who opened dire were mercilessly and routinely
bullied and teased and that their violence was retaliatory against
the threats to manhood
- That white boys in particular might be more likely than African
American boys to randomly open fire
- The specific content of the teasing and bullying is homophobia
Kimmel and Mahler: Pop Culture Explanations for School Shootings
Ans: - Violent Video Games
- Glorification of Violence in popular music / movies
- The internet
- Availability of Firearms
However:
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
- Both young violence, and school violence have actually been
decreasing since 1980.
- Juvenile violence involving guns have been in decline
(school shooting rates are going up but overall violence has been
going down - therefore these are unreasonable explanations)
Kimmel and Mahler - Psychological explanations for school
shootings Ans: - History of childhood abuse
- Absent fathers
- Dominant mothers
- Violence in childhood
- Unstable family environment
- Mothers' fear of their children
However:
- Almost all the shooters came from intact and relatively stable
families, with no history of child abuse
- If they had psychological problems at all, they were relatively
minor and the boys flew under the radar of any school official of
family member who might have noticed something wrong
Kimmel and Mahler - Commonality of School Shootings Ans:
These studies all missed gender
- They used broad terminology as though girls equally patriciate in
this violence
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
All the school shootings were committed by boys
- Masculinity is the single greatest risk factor in school violence
Kimmel and Mahler - Two waves of school shootings Ans: 1982 -
1991: most school shootings were non-random (targeted victims),
urban, and involved visible minorities with handguns
1992 - 2002: 22 of 23 shootings were committed by White
students in suburban schools, most often with armed rifles rather
than handguns
Kimmel and Mahler - Findings Ans: Nearly all had stories of being
constantly being bullied, beat up, and most significantly, gaybaited
- Not because they were gay, but because their performance of
masculinity did not line up with the hegemonic norm of
masculinity
- Peer harassment was the most significant cause of school
shootings
They had a desire to get back at those who have hurt them
Local cultures have an influence
- How they create gender performance
Kimmel and Mahler - Why boys and not girls? And why only white
boys? Ans: - There is a boy culture in the US that is extremely
violent
© 2025 All rights reserved
