Chapter 4: Classical, Biological, and Psychological Theories of Crime

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. Logical consistency and ______ are the two pillars of science.

A. reason

B. empirical validity

C. scope of application

D. equivocal propositions

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. In terms of criminological theories, which of the following is true?

A. The theories use the terms crime and delinquency interchangeably.

B. Theories are broad groupings of paradigms.

C. More complex theories are valued more than more simple theories.

D. Theories are merely educated guesses.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Before explaining a certain phenomenon, a theory should first ______.

A. identify the theory’s scope of application

B. specify its major propositions

C. define what it is trying to explain

D. explain which level of analysis will be utilized

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Theories that attempt to explain law breaking are best thought of as having a(n) ______.

A. criminal approach

B. judicial approach

C. holistic approach

D. legalistic approach

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Theoretical Issues and Classification

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Which of the following can be defined as atypical and usually the violation of social norms?

A. crime

B. acts of delinquency

C. deviant behavior

D. social violations

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Theoretical Issues and Classification

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. Gottfredson and Hirschi argue that the subject matter of criminology should be universal and ______.

A. defined in an abstract way

B. defined in a concrete way

C. legalistically defined

D. surrealistically defined

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Theoretical Issues and Classification

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. The ______ perspective assumes society consists of groups with competing interests and values that do not agree on what behaviors should be regulated and punished by law.

A. universalistic

B. consensus

C. power

D. conflict

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Consensus Versus Conflict Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Who first coined the term criminology to refer to the scientific study of crime?

A. Edwin Sutherland

B. Travis Hirschi

C. Michael Gottfredson

D. Raffaele Garofalo

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Theoretical Issues and Classification

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. The ______ perspective assumes that members of society agree on which behaviors should be regulated and punished by law.

A. conflict

B. consensus

C. diversity

D. universalistic

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Consensus Versus Conflict Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. ______ behavior is “evil in itself.”

A. Rasa mala

B. Mala prohibita

C. Mala in se

D. Tabula mala

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Consensus Versus Conflict Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. ______ behavior is wrong because a rule or law says it is wrong.

A. Mala in se

B. Mala prohibita

C. Rasa mala

D. Tabula mala

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Consensus Versus Conflict Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. Which of the following argued that humans are inherently pure and good.

A. John Locke

B. Edwin Sutherland

C. Jean Jacques Rousseau

D. Thomas Hobbes

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Human Nature

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Which of the following believed in the doctrine of original sin, or the belief that humans are inherently selfish and hedonistic?

A. Charles Darwin

B. Edwin Sutherland

C. Thomas Hobbes

D. Raffaele Garofalo

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Human Nature

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. The term tabula rasa refers to the idea that humans are ______.

A. incapable of pure evil

B. neither inherently good nor bad

C. inherently selfish and hedonistic

D. creatures of destiny

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Human Nature

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. The positivist perspective assumes which of the following?

A. People have free will.

B. People are inherently evil.

C. People are governed by law of nature.

D. People have are a tabula rasa.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Free Will Versus Determinism

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. Which of the following perspectives assumes that humans rationally choose to commit crime after weighing the cost and benefit of the behavior?

A. classical perspective

B. Hobbesian perspective

C. conflict/critical perspective

D. positivist perspective

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Free Will Versus Determinism

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. If you created a theory that essentially said that crime is a result of biology, you would have created a theory consistent with the ______.

A. classical perspective

B. positivist perspective

C. Hobbesian perspective

D. conflict/critical perspective

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Consensus Versus Conflict Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. Which of the following focuses on the individual-level behaviors and characteristics and personal-level processes, such as friends and family?

A. prosocial theories

B. macro-level theories

C. micro-level theories

D. reductionist theories

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Consensus Versus Conflict Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. Which of the following refers to an individual’s tendency to engage in law breaking behavior?

A. crime

B. criminality

C. invariance

D. tabula rasa

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Change Versus Static

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. Which of the following focused on the developmental processes and changes that explain why some individuals continue in crime while others stop engaging in crime.

A. Terrie Moffitt

B. Travis Hirschi

C. Jean Jacques Rousseau

D. Edwin Sutherland

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Change Versus Static

Difficulty Level: Easy

21. During the 18th century, crime was equated with ______.

A. harmless behavior

B. mental illness

C. codification

D. sin

Learning Objective: 4-2: Discuss the differences between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Preclassical and Classical Theories of Crime

Difficulty Level: Easy

22. The Age of Reason emerged in the ______ against the backdrop of the Middle Ages.

A. 16th century

B. 17th century

C. 18th century

D. 19th century

Learning Objective: 4-2: Discuss the differences between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Age of Reason

Difficulty Level: Medium

23. Cesare Beccaria argued that the purpose of punishment should be ______.

A. deterrence

B. entertainment of the nobility

C. incapacitation

D. retribution

Learning Objective: 4-2: Discuss the differences between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cesare Beccaria (1738–1794)

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. The term mens rea refers to the ______.

A. fallibility of man

B. seriousness of the offense

C. offense type committed

D. intent of the offender

Learning Objective: 4-2: Discuss the differences between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cesare Beccaria (1738–1794)

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. Which of the following proposed the idea of the ”felicific calculus,” which considered humans like calculators figuring the costs and benefits in deciding on the best course of action.

A. Cesare Beccaria

B. Jeremy Bentham

C. John Locke

D. Edwin Sutherland

Learning Objective: 4-2: Discuss the differences between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Age of Reason

Difficulty Level: Medium

26. According to Cesare Beccaria, the most important aspect of punishment is the ______ of punishment.

A. type

B. severity

C. swiftness

D. certainty

Learning Objective: 4-2: Discuss the differences between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cesare Beccaria (1738–1794)

Difficulty Level: Easy

27. Charles Darwin wrote which of the following books in 1859, which introduced the theory of evolution and natural selection?

A. On the Crime and Punishment

B. On the Origin of Species

C. On the Proximate Cause of Crime

D. On the Purpose of Punishment

Learning Objective: 4-3: Explain and critique the major ideas of the early biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Charles Darwin (1809–1882)

Difficulty Level: Medium

28. One of the first theories to focus on biological variations to explain crime was ______, which relied on the measurement of skulls, and the examination of the brains of deceased people.

A. craniometry

B. evolution

C. physiognomy

D. social Darwinism

Learning Objective: 4-3: Explain and critique the major ideas of the early biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Pre-Darwin Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

29. ______ is considered the father of the positive school of criminology because he was the first person to apply the scientific method to the study of crime.

A. Cesare Beccaria

B. Cesare Lombroso

C. Charles Darwin

D. Herbert Spencer

Learning Objective: 4-3: Explain and critique the major ideas of the early biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)

Difficulty Level: Easy

30. The ______ test, the forefather of the IQ test, was developed at the beginning of the 20th century.

A. Binet

B. Comte

C. Goddard

D. Physiognomic

Learning Objective: 4-3: Explain and critique the major ideas of the early biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Henry Goddard (1866–1957)

Difficulty Level: Easy

31. After comparing crime data in Belgium, Holland, and France, ______ found that the level of crime varied across places, and concluded that something about places must affect crime.

A. Alfred Binet

B. August Comte

C. Emile Durkheim

D. Adolphe Quetelet

Learning Objective: 4-4: Explain and critique the major ideas of early social structural theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Adolphe Quetelet (1796–1874)

Difficulty Level: Medium

32. According to Emile Durkheim, the weakening of social norms, what he refers to as ______, results in increased crime levels.

A. anomie

B. deficiency

C. politicalization

D. social revolutions

Learning Objective: 4-4: Explain and critique the major ideas of early social structural theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Early Social Structural Theories

Difficulty Level: Medium

33. Willem Bonger developed a theory of crime based on the works of ______, which attributes crime to the characteristics of modern capitalist economies.

A. Alfred Binet

B. Emile Durkheim

C. Henry Goddard

D. Karl Marx

Learning Objective: 4-4: Explain and critique the major ideas of early social structural theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Willem Bonger (1876–1940)

Difficulty Level: Easy

34. One of the most studied chromosome abnormalities related to criminality is the XYY abnormality, often referred to as the ______.

A. superfemale

B. superhuman

C. supermale

D. supersoldier

Learning Objective: 4-5: Identify the progression of the development of biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cytogenetic Studies Examining XYY Chromosome Abnormality

Difficulty Level: Easy

35. Low levels of ______ have been found consistently to be related to criminal offending.

A. dopamine

B. estrogen

C. serotonin

D. testosterone

Learning Objective: 4-5: Identify the progression of the development of biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Neurotransmitters

Difficulty Level: Medium

36. The most famous version of psychoanalytic theory was developed by ______.

A. Henry Goddard

B. Emile Durkheim

C. Sigmund Freud

D. John Alexander

Learning Objective: 4-6: Explain and apply the modern psychological theories of crime in relation to today’s crime and delinquency outcomes.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Psychoanalytic Theories

Difficulty Level: Medium

37. Freud argued that the ______ acted as our moral conscience.

A. id

B. defense

C. ego

D. superego

Learning Objective: 4-6: Explain and apply the modern psychological theories of crime in relation to today’s crime and delinquency outcomes.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Psychoanalytic Theories

Difficulty Level: Medium

38. The ______ was developed in 1940 to detect psychological issues and abnormalities.

A. Binet Personality Inventory

B. California Personality Inventory

C. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

D. Psychopathological Personality Inventory

Learning Objective: 4-6: Explain and apply the modern psychological theories of crime in relation to today’s crime and delinquency outcomes.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Personality Theories

Difficulty Level: Medium

39. John Bowlby developed attachment theory, which emphasized the importance of attachment or bond between ______.

A. father and child

B. mother and child

C. man and woman

D. colleagues and peers

Learning Objective: 4-6: Explain and apply the modern psychological theories of crime in relation to today’s crime and delinquency outcomes.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Attachment Theory

Difficulty Level: Easy

40. ______ are people who do not feel shame or guilt and are incapable of forming attachments to others.

A. Imbeciles

B. Psychopaths

C. Superegos

D. Anomies

Learning Objective: 4-6: Explain and apply the modern psychological theories of crime in relation to today’s crime and delinquency outcomes.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Psychopathology (Mental Disorders)

Difficulty Level: Medium

True/False

1. Humans have only recently begun to try to explain why some people engage in crime.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Theoretical Issues and Classification

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. In science, more value is placed on theories with a larger scope of application.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Theoretical Issues and Classification

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Legalistic approach to defining criminology is problematic because the specific behaviors prohibited by law often vary across time and space.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Theoretical Issues and Classification

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. The conflict/critical perspective emerged in the 1980s.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Consensus Versus Conflict Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. The classical school perspective assumes that people have free will.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Free Will Versus Determinism

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. In recent years, the positivist perspective has adopted the position of soft-determinism.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Free Will Versus Determinism

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Proximate explanations of crime occur at a distance to the crime event (e.g., the age at which someone first began drinking to explain drinking in middle age).

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Distal Versus Proximate

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. The classical perspective dominated the field of criminology for almost two centuries.

Learning Objective: 4-2: Discuss the differences between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Age of Reason

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. According to Cesare Lombroso, criminals are evolutionary throwbacks.

Learning Objective: 4-3: Explain and critique the major ideas of the early biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Anomie is especially profound during periods of rapid social change, regardless of when such change is better or worse than previous conditions.

Learning Objective: 4-4: Explain and critique the major ideas of early social structural theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Early Social Structural Theories

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. While more sophisticated than early biological theories, the findings of the biological studies of the early 20th century (such as the family studies, twin studies, adoption studies, and studies of twins separated at birth) were criticized for not separating out the effects of environmental impact and genetics.

Learning Objective: 4-5: Identify the progression of the development of biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Modern Biological Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. Physiognomic studies focus on the genetic makeup and chromosome abnormalities.

Learning Objective: 4-5: Identify the progression of the development of biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Modern Biological Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. A high level of estrogen is associated with risk-taking, greater tolerance for pain, and preference for sensory stimuli.

Learning Objective: 4-5: Identify the progression of the development of biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Hormones

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. Hormones are chemicals that carry electric impulses/signals that the brain wishes to communicate.

Learning Objective: 4-5: Identify the progression of the development of biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Neurotransmitters

Difficulty Level: Medium

Essay

1. Identify the development of modern biological theories of crime related to family studies, adoption studies, and twin studies (both twins raised together and twins raised separately). When did these studies emerge? What led to the development of such theories? What were the key findings of each type of study? What were the criticisms of such studies?

Learning Objective: 4-5: Identify the progression of the development of biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Modern Biological Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Hard

2. Discuss the differences between the conflict and consensus perspectives. How does each perspective view society? How is each related to crime and criminality? Make an argument about which perspective is correct.

Learning Objective: 4-1: Understand the theoretical issues and differences across theory classification, and describe important theoretical and classification differences of the major theories used in explaining crime and delinquency.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Consensus Versus Conflict Perspectives

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. Explain the difference between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Learning Objective: 4-2: Discuss the differences between the preclassical school perspective and the classical theory of crime, especially in terms of the stance on human nature.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Preclassical and Classical Theories of Crime

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. Discuss the work of Cesare Lombroso and others who followed in his footsteps. Why is Cesare Lombroso important to the field of criminology? Be sure to discuss the works of Ernest Hooten and Charles Goring. What did each study? What were their major findings? What were the major criticisms of Lombroso, Hooten, and Goring’s work?

Learning Objective: 4-3: Explain and critique the major ideas of the early biological theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. Discuss the contributions of Emile Durkheim to the study of crime and criminality. Why is Durkheim important to the study of sociology and criminology? What was Durkheim’s view of society? When is crime likely? What support does he offer?

Learning Objective: 4-4: Explain and critique the major ideas of early social structural theories of crime.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Émile Durkheim (1858–1917)

Difficulty Level: Hard