Sociological theories

Question 1

What is capitalism

Answer 1

A political system in which a country’s industry is controlled by private owners

Question 2

What is communism

Answer 2

All property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives the same.

Question 3

What is a revolution

Answer 3

A forcible overthrow of a government in a social order

Question 4

What is means of production

Answer 4

Facilities and resources for producing goods

Question 5

What is relation in production

Answer 5

Social structures that regulate the relationships between humans in production

Question 6

What is false class consciousness

Answer 6

Working class don’t realise they are exploited by the ruling class and contribute to their own exploitation

Question 7

How do marxist see society

Answer 7

Characterised by poverty caused by the structure of society

Question 8

What is the bourgeoisie

Answer 8

Ruling class

Question 9

What is the proletariat

Answer 9

Working class

Question 10

How are laws biased in marxist view

Answer 10

They protect the interests of the wealthy and criminalise the poor

Question 11

What is a selective law system

Answer 11

The working class is more likely to be arrested and punished

Question 12

How does capitalism make people feel

Answer 12

Alienated and frustrated, engaging in crime to vent their age

Question 13

Marxism focusing on social class

Answer 13

Ethnicity, age and gender aren’t considered. Working class males commit more crime than females

Question 14

Marxism cannot explain certain crimes

Answer 14

White collar crimes by the middle class

Question 15

Capitalist societies crime rates

Answer 15

Not all have high rates, Japan doesn’t but USA does so there must be other factors

Question 16

What is the American dream

Answer 16

The idea that everyone has an equal opportunity for success and prosperity through hard work

Question 17

What is blocked opportunities

Answer 17

Lack of access to legitimate means for achieving goals

Question 18

What is strain

Answer 18

A situation where one role is a source of tension and distress

Question 19

What is an anomie

Answer 19

A breakdown of social norms values and expectations

Question 20

What is innovation

Answer 20

Using socially unapproved means to obtain culturally approved goals

Question 21

Merton’s strain not explaining crime

Answer 21

Only explains economic crime, not violent crime

Question 22

Merton strain middleclass crime

Answer 22

Cannot account for middle class crimes who don’t have blocked opportunities

Question 23

Merton overestimating working class crime

Answer 23

Not all working class individuals commit crime when they do have blocked opportunities.

Question 24

What is interactionalism (labelling theory)

Answer 24

Crime is a social construction that labels people into being a criminal.

Question 25

How does someone become a criminal according to labelling theory

Answer 25

Commits a low level crime, get labelled as criminal, deviancy amplification to fulfil label, self fulfilling prophecy , criminal becomes their master status.

Question 26

Interactionalism not explaining the orignal crime

Answer 26

Individual commits a crime to be labelled. Cannot explain the root cause.

Question 27

Interactionalism not everyone who is deviant gets labelled.

Answer 27

Some are more able to negotiate themselves and still be viewed in a positive light, but are still criminal.

Question 28

What does right realism follow

Answer 28

Political ideologies of conservative and right wing views

Question 29

Right realist views on crime

Answer 29

Crime is caused by a growing underclass that depends on the welfare state for survival.

Question 30

What is rational choice theory (right realism)

Answer 30

Weigh benefits and drawbacks before committing a crime, such as enjoying sexual gratification and being unlikely to be caught leads to rape.

Question 31

Broken window theory (right realism)

Answer 31

General neglect of an area leads to further crime as it is more tolerated, causing more serious crime to develop.

Question 32

According to right realism, where do the underclass come from

Answer 32

Single parent households with a lack of social bonds

Question 33

Right realism oversimplifying motivations

Answer 33

Assumes all crime is for economic reward, doesnt explain vandalism, drunk and disorderly that have no monetary reward

Question 34

Right realism stigmatising

Answer 34

Criminalises poverty and scapegoats the poor for all crime

Question 35

Right realism ignoring corporate crime

Answer 35

Middle class commits white collar crime and the idea of wealthy people committing crime

Question 36

Right realism downplaying societal factors

Answer 36

Blames poor people and the individual as a rational chooser

Question 37

Right realism research support

Answer 37

Flood-page found children from a single parent background were more likely to offend

Question 38

Right realism application

Answer 38

Policies such as zero tolerance and prison sentences shows its value

Question 39

What is left realism based on

Answer 39

Political ideology of left wing views, fault of societal structures not individuals

Question 40

What three left realism concepts cause crime

Answer 40

Relative deprivation Marginalisation Subcultures

Question 41

What is relative deprivation

Answer 41

Feel deprived of education, housing and wealth compared to others, promoted in media by showing better lives

Question 42

What is marginalisation

Answer 42

Groups lack representation and power and fee excluded, leading to frustration as they cannot achieve mainstream goals

Question 43

What is subcultures

Answer 43

Joining marginalised individuals to make their own norms such as slang clothing poor manners and skipping work or school

Question 44

Left realism not explaining those not in relative deprivation

Answer 44

Wealthy commit white collar crimes when they arent deprived