FIRST EXAM STUDY GUIDE
Sociology 2404: Deviant Behavior
Fall 2008
Professor Michael Huighes
What kinds of things are important for this and other exams?
1. CONCEPTS are important; these are the special terms defined and discussed in
lectures and readings.
2. THEORIES AND MAJOR IDEAS that are discussed in readings and lectures are
important; these are the various theories and frameworks for understanding deviance and
categories of deviance.
3. MAJOR RESEARCH FINDINGS are important; these are the results of research and
data collection efforts by researchers and government agencies. These findings are
discussed in lectures and readings. Of particular importance are studies that provide
evidence relevant to the validity of theories and major ideas.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Most exam questions will come from areas listed above as
important for exams and from the material referenced in this study guide. However, exam
questions may be derived from any assigned reading material or any presentation made
during class time. NAMES of persons mentioned in the textbook would be the subject of
exam questions only if these names appear are part of class presentations.
A. READINGS
Chapters 1 through 3 include much material on theories of deviance and crime. For each
theory noted below, it is important that you know the key ideas. These are noted in the
text and were highlighted in the lectures. What are the key ideas? Each theory proposes
that some factor of set of factors can be used to explain deviance and/or crime. What are
these factors, and how do they explain deviance or crime? (In one case, control theory,
the focus is on explaining conformity. For that theory, know what the factors are and how
they explain conformity.) Also, it is important to know the key pieces of evidence (if any)
that were presented in the text or lecture that support or refute key elements of a theory.
Chapter 1. The following issues and topics are important for the exam:
What is deviance and who is deviant?
Consensus on the deviant character of actions.
Classical and neo-classical theories (“The Classical School”).
Positivism and deviance.
Physical characteristics and deviance.
Positivist theories (“The Positivist School”).
