Crime Key Studies

A set of vocabulary flashcards identifying major sociological studies of crime, their associated theoretical perspectives, and the research methods used by the authors.

Merton's (1938) strain theory

Functionalist perspective; research method: Work of other sociologists.

Becker's (1963) interactionist perspective

Interactionist perspective; research method: Work of other sociologists.

Heidensohn's (1985) control theory

Feminist perspective; research method: Data from her study of delinquent girls and secondary sources.

Carlen's (1988) class and gender deal

Feminist perspective; research method: Unstructured interviews.

Cohen's (1955) subcultural theory

Functionalist perspective; research method: Work of other sociologists.

Davis and Moore's (1945) theory of stratification

Perspective: Functionalist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Marx's theory of social class

Perspective: Marxist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Weber's theory of social class

Perspective: NA; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Weber's theory of power and authority

Perspective: NA; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Devine's (1992) Affluent Workers revisited

Perspective: NA; Research method: Intensive (unstructured) interviews.

Townsend's (1979) relative deprivation theory

Perspective: NA; Research method: Face to face survey.

Murray's (1984) New Right perspective on poverty

Perspective: New Right; Research method: Secondary sources including statistics.

Walby's (1990) theory on patriarchy

Perspective: Feminist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Parsons

Perspective: Functionalist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Zaretsky

Perspective: Marxist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Delphy and Leonard

Perspective: Radical feminist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Oakley

Perspective: Feminist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Rapoport and Rapoport

Perspective: NA; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Willmott and Young

Perspective: Functionalist; Research method: Survey; Face-to-face structured interviews.

Parsons

Perspective: Functionalist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Durkheim

Perspective: Functionalist; Research method: Work of other sociologists.

Bowles and Gintis

Perspective: Marxist; Research method: Interviews and secondary data.

Willis

Perspective: Marxist; Research method: Case study; Participant observation.

Ball

Perspective: NA; Research method: Case study; participant observation and interviews.

Ball, Bowe and Gewirtz

Perspective: NA; Research method: Interviews and secondary data.

Halsey, Heath and Ridge

Perspective: NA; Research method: Face to face survey.