Most Sociological Studies of Deviance Focus on Elements of an Individual's

question 29

Multiple Choice

Most sociological studies of deviance focus on elements of an individual's background that would predispose her to act in deviant ways. What is the key problem with such an approach?

• A) It leans too much on depictions of deviance in the media.
• B) It cannot explain why some people with very similar backgrounds act differently.
• C) It requires a great deal of statistical analysis.
• D) It focuses too much on the emotional appeal of certain types of crime.
• E) It requires psychiatric evaluations.

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Definitions:

ERPs

Event-Related Potentials, which are measured brain responses that are the direct result of a specific sensory, cognitive, or motor event.

Stimuli

External or internal factors that elicit a response from a biological organism, which can be sensory, such as light and sound, or psychological, such as events or conditions that provoke reactions.

Endorphins

Natural chemicals produced by the body that interact with opiate receptors in the brain to reduce pain and boost feelings of pleasure or euphoria.

Evolutionary Advantage

A characteristic that enhances the survival or reproduction of organisms that possess it, relative to those that do not.