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functionalist approach Flashcards

1
Q

what type of sociologist is Durkheim?

A

a functionalist

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2
Q

what does Durkheim claim?

A

small amounts of crime are necessary for society to function and maintain boundaries based on value consensus

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3
Q

what year did Durkheim introduce his theory?

A

1947

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4
Q

what does value consensus mean?

A

share ideas/values about what is considered to be right and wrong

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5
Q

what does the functionalist perspective of crime and deviance seek to explain?

A

crime by looking at the nature of society, rather than at individuals

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6
Q

what do most functionalist thinkers argue?

A

that crime contributes to social order, even though it seems to undermine it

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7
Q

what is the first main aspect of Durkheims theory of crime?

A

a limited amount of crime is inevitable and necessary

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8
Q

what is the second main aspect of Durkheims theory on crime?

A

crime has positive functions

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9
Q

according to Durkhiem why does crime have positive functions?

A

a certain amount of crime. contributes to the well-being of a society

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10
Q

what is the third main aspect of Durkheims theory on crime?

A

too much crime is bad for society and can help bring about its collapse hence institutions of social control being necessary

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11
Q

why does Durkihem say crime is inevitable and a normal aspect of life?

A

not every member of society can be equally committed to the collective sentiments.

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12
Q

why is not every member of society committed to the collective sentiments?

A

individuals are exposed to different influenced and circumstances, it was ‘impossible for them to all be alike’

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13
Q

who say that deviance would still exists in a ‘society of saints’ populated by ‘perfect’ individuals?

A

Durkheim

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14
Q

why does Durkheim believe that crime would still exists in a ‘society of saints’?

A

standards of behaviour would be so high that the slightest slip would be regarded as a serious offence

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15
Q

what is an example of people braking the ‘law’ in a ‘society of saints’?

A

not cutting the grass and letting it exceed the maximum grass height (8 inches)

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16
Q

what are the three positive functions of a certain amount of crime in a society according to Durkhiem?

A

1.boundary maintenance
2.social solidarity
3.adaptation and change

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17
Q

what does boundary mean according to Durkhiem?

A

publicity of crimes to remind public of the boundaries between right and wrong. seeing people punished deters, the public from committing crimes

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18
Q

what is social solidarity

A

the cohesion and interdependence among individuals in a society that ensures social order and stability. It’s the feeling of belonging to a larger social group, a sense of being part of something larger than oneself.

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19
Q

in contemporary society what do news papers help to preform?

A

publicity function, with their often-lurid accounts of criminal acts

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20
Q

what does Durkheim mean by crime leading to adaptation and change?

A

after horrific crimes society can pull together actions to condemn actions

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21
Q

what is an example of crime strengthening social cohesion?

A

when particularly horrific crimes have been committed the whole community joins together in outrage and the sense of belonging to a community is strengthened

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22
Q

what does Durkheim mean by crime causing social change?

A

crime preforms a crucial service in helping the law to reflect the wishes of the population and legitimising social change

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23
Q

why dies Durkheim argue that crime is necessary for social change to occur?

A

because all societies change began with some form of deviance

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24
Q

why does Durkheim argue that too much or too little crime is dysfunctional?

A

too much would mean social order would break down, too little would mean there would be no sufficient capacity for positive social change

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25
what is on of the main problems with Durkheim theory that too much or too little crime is dysfunctional?
it does not specify precisely how much crime a society needs, or what types of crime
26
what is Durkheims view of punishment?
to control crime and to maintain the collective sentiments
27
in Durkheims words what is punishment?
'serves to heal the wounds done to the collective sentiments'
28
who came up with 'strain theory'?
Robert Merton
29
what type of theorist is Merton?
a functionalist
30
what does Merton mean by strain theory?
crime is a result of a strain between the legitimate goals and lack of opportunities to achieve those goals
31
what is anomine?
a state of normlessness, or break down of shared norms and values
32
when does Metron say crime occurs?
when there aren't enough legitimate opportunities for people achieve the normal success goals of a society so turn to crime to achieve success
33
when was strain theory first developed?
1940s
34
why did Merton conduct strain theory?
to explain the rising crime rates in the USA during the 1940s
35
why was strain theory discovered?
on the basis Merton argued that cultural system of the USA was built on the "American Dream"
36
what is the American dream?
a set of meritocratic principles which assured the American public that the equality of opportunity was available to all regardless of class, gender, ethnicity
37
what did the American dream encourage individuals to do?
peruse a goal of success which was measured in terms of the acquisition of wealth and material possessions
38
how were people expected to achieve the American dream?
through legitimate means such as education and work
39
what are the 5 adaptations to strain theory?
1. conformity 2. innovation 3. ritualism 4. retreatism 5. rebellion
40
what does ritualism mean?
using the same socially approved means to achieve less exclusive goals (modest)
41
what does retreatism mean?
to reject both the cultural goal's and the means to obtain them, then find a way to escape it
42
what does rebellion mean?
to reject the cultural goals and means, them work to replace them
43
what does conformity mean?
pursing cultural goals through socially approved means
44
what does innovation mean?
using socially unapproved or unconventional means to obtain approved goals, e.g dealing drugs/stealing
45
where is there a higher rate of crime according to Merton?
among lower/working classes
46
what did Merton claim that the American society promoted?
Material success as a 'legitimate goal', and encouraged self-disciple and hard work as the 'legitimate means'
47
what did merton say the working class view the American Dream as?
an ideology, masking the fact that the legitimate opportunities are not available to all
48
why do people feel pressure to achieve the 'dream'?
to avoid being branded for failure
49
what do critics say about Merton relying on official statistics?
he over-estimates the extent of working class crime and underestimates tje extent of middle class, or white collar crime
50
what is white collar crime?
financially motivated, non-violent crimes committed by individuals, businesses, or government
51
why do critics argue strain theory only explains economic crime?
it doesn't explain reasoning for violent crime
52
what do marxists say about Mertons strain theory?
they point out the lack of equality of opportunity is at the heart of the Capitalist system (elites make the system work for them which disadvantages the lower classes)
53
how do functionalists view society?
as a whole, with the different components of society
54
why is crime inevitable?
humans have free will inequality inadequate socialisation
55
what is inadequate socialisation?
not everyone is taught the same norms and values
56
what did Cohen 1955 come up with?
status frustration
57
what is status frustration?
males are annoyed they cannot achieve goals or society legitimately as they have no qualification or job opportunities
58
why does people that experience status frustration join deviant subcultures?
to give them 'status' snd 'success' in hierarchy as they cannot do so when competing with middle class
59
what is a subculture?
a group that differs from general consensus. they have a unique set of beliefs and values (nonconformists)
60
what is an example of a subculture?
punk rokers (1970)
61
what are punk rockers?
anti-establishment through music, clothes, behaviours
62
who discovered the deviant subculture?
Cloward & Ohlin
63
what doe Cloward & Ohlin agree with Merton on?
that people have unequal access to legitimate opportunity
64
how does Cloward and Ohlin differ from Merton?
they say thay people also have unequal access to illegitimate opportunity as it depends on their locality
65
what do criminal subcultures provide?
apprenticeships for utilitarian crimes (money)
66
where do criminal subcultures typically exist?
areas with stable criminal cultures. with hierarchies of professional criminals (drug dealers)
67
what is a conflict subculture?
exist in areas of poverty and high population turnover. there is social disorganisation and only loosely organised gangs
68
what is a retreats subculture?
areas where there are no criminal networks (countryside). formed of people who fail in both legitimate and illegitimate means and may turn to drug use (junkies)
69
what type of crime does Cloward and Ohlin ignore?
crimes of the wealthy
70
who does Cloward and Ohlin focus on?
working class males
71
what does Marshall argue in relation to Cloward and Ohlin?
they have exaggerated criminal opportunities for young people
72
what do post modernists believe delinquency is a result of?
peer pressure and not committed as part of a subculture
73
what is collective conscience?
shared beliefs
74
why join gangs?
to gian a sense of belonging in a community, lack of education, boredom, locality

sociology- Crime & Deviance (7 decks)

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