Criminology SOC 4410 Exam 2 Review

A collection of key criminology terms and their definitions to aid in exam preparation.

Superfactors of Personality

Three key traits that influence personality: Constraint, Negative emotionality, Positive emotionality.

Human Ecology

The study of the interdependence among people within the natural environment, as proposed by Robert Park.

Biosocial Criminology

A subfield that examines the interaction of biological and social factors to explain crime.

Centrifugal Movement

A theory of city growth; refers to cities expanding outward from the center.

Concordance Rates

Rates that refer to the likelihood that twins will share a trait; compared between identical and fraternal twins.

Implicit Bias

Bias that occurs unconsciously, often without intention, affecting judgment or behavior.

Somatotypes

Three types of body shapes identified by Sheldon: endomorph (soft, round), mesomorph (muscular), ectomorph (tall, thin).

Concentric Zones Model

E. Burgess's theory of city growth depicting five zones, where Zone 2 is the most impacted by poverty and instability.

Social Disorganization

The inability of a community to achieve common values or maintain social control, often leading to crime.

Cultural Transmission

The process by which delinquent traditions and values are passed down through generations.

Differential Social Organization

Structural conditions leading to weak social control, characterized by poverty, racial and ethnic diversity, and high residential turnover.

Social Capital

The networks of relationships that enable collective action and social cohesion in communities.

Cognitive Landscapes

Normative ideas about behavior based on the socialization experiences of a community.

Collective Efficacy

The combination of social cohesion and trust within a community and the willingness to act for the common good.

Anomie

A social condition where norms are absent or in conflict, leading to deviance, as discussed by Durkheim.

Relative Deprivation

The awareness among disadvantaged groups of their inequality compared to others.

Tabula Rasa

The idea that individuals are born as a 'blank slate' and that personality is shaped by experience.

Reinforcement

An event that follows a behavior and increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Self-Control

The extent to which individuals can resist immediate temptations and control their impulses.

Amplification Effect

The phenomenon where labeling someone as deviant can lead to an increase in deviant behavior.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true by the simple virtue of the prophecy being made.

Macro-level Theories

Theories focusing on large-scale social processes, such as societal trends affecting crime rates.

Micro-level Theories

Theories focusing on individual behavior and small group dynamics that lead to criminal activity.

Routine Activities Theory

A theory that posits crime occurs when a motivated offender encounters a suitable target in the absence of a capable guardian.

Social Bond Theory

Hirschi's theory suggesting that strong social bonds to family and community discourage crime.

Low Self-Control Theory

Gottfredson and Hirschi's theory that low self-control is a key factor in criminal behavior, stemming from ineffective parenting.

Reintegrative Shaming

A form of shaming that promotes community forgiveness and allows for offenders to reintegrate into society.