Key Word Definitions Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
0
Q

Chivalry thesis

A

The view that the criminal justice system is biased in favour of women so that they are less likely to be charged than men

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
1
Q

Anomie

A

Durkheim: Means normlessness. Argues that anomie arises when there is a rapid social change because existing norms become unclear or outdated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Action theories

A

See individuals as having free will and choice, and the power to create society through their interactions and actions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Anomie

A

Means normlessness. Durkheim argues that anomie arises when there is rapid social change because existing norms become unclear or outdated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Case study

A

Research that examines a single case or example, such as a single school, family or workplace, often using several methods or sources.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Close ended question

A

Questions in a survey that allow a limited choice of answers from a pre set list.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Collective conscience

A

Referring to the shared norms, values and beliefs that make social life and cooperation between individuals possible

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Comparative method

A

Research method that compares two social groups that are alike apart from one factor. Durkheim uses this when describing suicide.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Content analysis

A

A method of analysing the content of documents and media output to find out how often different types of people or events appear.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Control group

A

Unlike the experimental group that control group is not exposed to the variable under investigation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Critical criminology

A

A Neo Marxist approach that combines ideas from traditional Marxism and labelling theory to explain crime in capitalist society.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Determinism

A

The idea that humans have no free will and that their thoughts and behaviour are shaped or caused by factors outside themselves.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Deviance amplification spiral

A

Is the process whereby attempts to control deviance actually produce an increase in deviance, leading to greater attempts at control and still higher levels of deviance.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Disciplinary power

A

According to Foucault, it’s he typical for, of control in modern society. It is based on self surveillance and self discipline as a means of introducing conformity. It’s model is the panopticon prison.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Environmental crime prevention

A

A crime reduction strategy associated with Wilson and Kelling’s broken windows article.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Ethnomethodology

A

An interpretivist approach developed by Garfinkel, it rejects the idea of an external social structure and sees society as a social construct Members use common sense knowledge to achieve a sense of order.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Experiments

A

A laboratory experiment is a test carried out in controlled conditions in an artificial setting to establish a cause and effect relationship between two or more variables.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Green crimes

A

Are crimes against the environment and the human and non human animals within it. Primary green crimes involve the destruction of the earths resources. Secondary green crimes involves he breaking of laws aimed at preventing or regulating environmental disasters.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Hawthorne effect

A

Where the subjects know that they are being observed and begin to behave differently. Thereby undermining the study’s validity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Hypothesis

A

An untested theory or explanation expressed as a statement.

20
Q

Informed consent

A

Where those taking part in a study have agreed to do so and understand the purpose of the study.

21
Q

Interactionism

A

A perspective focusing on small scale interactions between individuals and groups. They seek to understand the meanings that social actors give to actions and situations.

22
Q

Interpretivism

A

Focus on how we construct our social worlds through the meanings we create and attach to events. They favour qualitative data. Believe we have free will, conscienceness and choice

23
Q

Interview schedule

A

The list of questions to be asked in am interview.

24
Q

Labelling

A

The process of attaching a definition or meaning to an individual or group.

25
Q

Left realism

A

Regarded rime as a real problem, particularly for disadvantaged groups,who are more likely to be victims. To tackle to problem of crime they argue for structural reforms to reduce inequality and for democratic policing

26
Q

New right

A

Political perspective. Whose supporters believe in self reliance and individual choice rather than dependence on the state.

27
Q

Non participant observation

A

A primary research method where the observer records events without taking part in them.

28
Q

Operationalisation

A

The process of turning a sociological concept or theory into something measurable.

29
Q

Participant observation

A

A primary research method in which the sociologist studies a group by taking a role within it and participating in its activities.

30
Q

Phenomenology

A

An interpretivist approach developed by Schutz. He argues that we makes sense of the world through shared concepts called typifications. Meanings are potentially unstable and unclear, but typifications clarify them, allowing us to communicate. In doing so they give the role the appearance of being nature, orderly and real, but in fact is simply a construction produced by typifications.

31
Q

Pilot study

A

A small scale trial run, usually of a social survey, conducted before the main study. It’s basic aim is to iron out any problems so that he necessary changes can be made before the main study is carried out.

32
Q

Polerisation

A

A process that results in the creation of two opposite extremes.

33
Q

Positivism

A

The belief that society is made up of social facts that can be studied scientifically to discover laws of cause and effect.

34
Q

Qualitative date

A

Information usually expressed in words

35
Q

Quantitative data

A

Information in numerical form.

36
Q

Right realism

A

Sees crime as a real problem. Politically, right realists are conservatives who favour a tougher approach to crime. They focus on situational and environmental crime prevention strategies such as target hardening and zero tolerance policing as a means of deterrence.

37
Q

Risk society

A

According to Beck we live in late modern society. The risks are increasingly global rather than local such as climate change leading beck to describe late modern society as global risk society.

38
Q

Self report studies

A

Ask individuals to disclose the crimes of antisocial behaviour for which they have been responsible.

39
Q

Social survey

A

Any research method that involves systematically collecting information from a group of people by asking them questions.

40
Q

Structural theories

A

Are deterministic theories that see individuals as entirely shaped by the way society is structured or organised.

41
Q

Triangulation

A

The use of two or more different methods or sources of data so that they complement each other, the strengths of one countering the weaknesses of the other and vice versa.

42
Q

Victim surveys

A

Ask individuals o say what crime they hav been victims of usually during the last 12 months. The best know victim survey is the British crime survey.

43
Q

Voluntarism

A

Is the idea that humans have free will and can exercise choice in how they act rather than their behaviour being determined or shaped by external forces such as the social structure.

44
Q

Zemiology

A

Literally means the study of harms. In criminology it is concerned with why some harms come to be defined as crimes and others do not.

45
Q

Conglomerate

A

Company who owns lots of other businesses.

46
Q

Vertical integration

A

Ownership along the production chain

47
Q

Horizontal integration

A

Concentration of ownership in one media area. Eg. One company owning lots of different newspapers.