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CHAPTER ONE
What Is Deviant Behavior?
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which statement about the definition of deviance is TRUE?
a) Almost all persons in a society will agree on the nature of deviant behavior.
b) Definitions of deviant behavior are determined by consensus among a nation‟s
religious groups.
c) There is often a great deal of disagreement among people as to who or what
they consider deviant.
d) Few persons in a society are concerned about the definition of deviance.
Answer: c
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
2. In 1965, sociologist J. L. Simmons asked a sample of people from the general
public who they thought were deviant. Which conclusion can be reached based on
Simmons‟ results?
a) Only those considered to be “bad people,” such as drug addicts, prostitutes, or
criminals, were seen as deviant.
b) There was a great deal of consensus among those polled as to who was deviant
and who was not.
c) Perceptions of deviance fell clearly into four main categories.
d) Almost anyone, in someone else‟s eyes, can be considered deviant in some way.
Answer: d
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze It
3. Among sociologists, there is
a) much personal involvement in illegal deviant behavior.
b) a growing awareness that deviance is best studied by criminologists.
c) widespread agreement about what behavior should be considered deviant.
d) a lack of consensus about what kinds of behavior should be seen as deviant.
Answer: d
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Easy
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Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
4. Compared to the others, which group is most capable of avoiding being falsely,
erroneously, or unjustly labeled as deviant?
a) Affluent people
b) People living below the poverty line
c) People in positions of power
d) People who are socially powerless
Answer: c
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
5. Denis relies on a wheelchair because of his cerebral palsy. Would he be considered
“deviant” according to some definitions offered by sociologists?
a) Yes, because the mere fact of using a wheelchair violates formal norms
b) No, because deviance only applies to people who break laws or commit violent
acts
c) Yes, because people with disabilities are often devalued by society
d) No, because his positive/negative “deviance ratio” is imbalanced
Answer: c
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
6. Which statement about deviance is TRUE?
a) Deviance should include only important violations of norms.
b) All sociologists agree that deviance includes mundane, routine, and normal
violations of formal norms.
c) Deviance is considered a “fringe topic” by most sociologists.
d) Sociologists do not agree on a precise definition of deviance.
Answer: d
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
7. Which types of people are examples of positive deviants?
a) Saints, intellectuals, and geniuses
b) Sex workers and professional gamblers
c) People who are badly scarred, blind, or mutilated
d) Murderers, rapists, and kidnappers
Answer: a
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
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Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
8. Sociologists who are influenced by the positivist perspective of absolutism tend to
view deviant behavior as an attribute that _____________.
a) is dictated by those in power
b) fades over time
c) varies according to one‟s culture
d) inheres in the individual
Answer: d
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
9. Sociologists who endorse the role of power in the definition of deviance have
discovered that people who are wealthy and powerful
a) are rarely deviant.
b) typically can avoid being labeled as deviant.
c) are welcoming toward most types of deviant behavior.
d) ignore most forms of deviant behavior.
Answer: b
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
10. According to sociologists who study the role of power in the definition of deviance,
deviance is any act that
a) violates the criminal law.
b) violates deeply held moral values.
c) powerful people consider to be a violation of some social rule.
d) involves the behavior of people living below the poverty line.
Answer: c
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
11. Sociological definitions of deviance fall into two opposing perspectives, the positivist
and the _____________.
a) traditional
b) feminist
c) constructionist
d) modernist
Elitestudyvault
Elitestudyvault
,Elitestudyvault
CHAPTER ONE
What Is Deviant Behavior?
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which statement about the definition of deviance is TRUE?
a) Almost all persons in a society will agree on the nature of deviant behavior.
b) Definitions of deviant behavior are determined by consensus among a nation‟s
religious groups.
c) There is often a great deal of disagreement among people as to who or what
they consider deviant.
d) Few persons in a society are concerned about the definition of deviance.
Answer: c
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
2. In 1965, sociologist J. L. Simmons asked a sample of people from the general
public who they thought were deviant. Which conclusion can be reached based on
Simmons‟ results?
a) Only those considered to be “bad people,” such as drug addicts, prostitutes, or
criminals, were seen as deviant.
b) There was a great deal of consensus among those polled as to who was deviant
and who was not.
c) Perceptions of deviance fell clearly into four main categories.
d) Almost anyone, in someone else‟s eyes, can be considered deviant in some way.
Answer: d
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze It
3. Among sociologists, there is
a) much personal involvement in illegal deviant behavior.
b) a growing awareness that deviance is best studied by criminologists.
c) widespread agreement about what behavior should be considered deviant.
d) a lack of consensus about what kinds of behavior should be seen as deviant.
Answer: d
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Easy
Elitestudyvault
,Elitestudyvault
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
4. Compared to the others, which group is most capable of avoiding being falsely,
erroneously, or unjustly labeled as deviant?
a) Affluent people
b) People living below the poverty line
c) People in positions of power
d) People who are socially powerless
Answer: c
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
5. Denis relies on a wheelchair because of his cerebral palsy. Would he be considered
“deviant” according to some definitions offered by sociologists?
a) Yes, because the mere fact of using a wheelchair violates formal norms
b) No, because deviance only applies to people who break laws or commit violent
acts
c) Yes, because people with disabilities are often devalued by society
d) No, because his positive/negative “deviance ratio” is imbalanced
Answer: c
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
6. Which statement about deviance is TRUE?
a) Deviance should include only important violations of norms.
b) All sociologists agree that deviance includes mundane, routine, and normal
violations of formal norms.
c) Deviance is considered a “fringe topic” by most sociologists.
d) Sociologists do not agree on a precise definition of deviance.
Answer: d
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
7. Which types of people are examples of positive deviants?
a) Saints, intellectuals, and geniuses
b) Sex workers and professional gamblers
c) People who are badly scarred, blind, or mutilated
d) Murderers, rapists, and kidnappers
Answer: a
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Elitestudyvault
, Elitestudyvault
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
8. Sociologists who are influenced by the positivist perspective of absolutism tend to
view deviant behavior as an attribute that _____________.
a) is dictated by those in power
b) fades over time
c) varies according to one‟s culture
d) inheres in the individual
Answer: d
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
9. Sociologists who endorse the role of power in the definition of deviance have
discovered that people who are wealthy and powerful
a) are rarely deviant.
b) typically can avoid being labeled as deviant.
c) are welcoming toward most types of deviant behavior.
d) ignore most forms of deviant behavior.
Answer: b
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
10. According to sociologists who study the role of power in the definition of deviance,
deviance is any act that
a) violates the criminal law.
b) violates deeply held moral values.
c) powerful people consider to be a violation of some social rule.
d) involves the behavior of people living below the poverty line.
Answer: c
Learning Objective: 1.1 Identify your personal definitions of deviant behavior.
Topic: Conflicting Definitions
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
11. Sociological definitions of deviance fall into two opposing perspectives, the positivist
and the _____________.
a) traditional
b) feminist
c) constructionist
d) modernist
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