"Why should people conform? After all, it's so much more fun and rewarding to deviate from society's norms and laws?" An advocate of which of the following theories would agree most strongly with this statement?

"Why should people conform? After all, it's so much more fun and rewarding to deviate from society's norms and laws?" An advocate of which of the following theories would agree most strongly with this statement?

• A. anomie theory
• B. control theory
• C. subculture theory
• D. problem-behavior proneness

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is how social controls influence why people conform. Social control theory argues that conformity is encouraged by the bonds and expectations that hold people in the social order—attachments to others, commitments, involvement, and shared beliefs. An advocate of this view would say that conformity isn’t just a personal choice; it’s reinforced by real costs and rewards in everyday life. If you deviate, you risk losing trust, status, relationships, and opportunities, so even if deviating seems tempting, the social consequences make conformity the more rational path. That perspective fits best with the statement because it centers on the idea that conformity is maintained by the weight of social controls, rather than by an inherent attraction to deviance. By contrast, anomie theory emphasizes norm breakdown and increased deviance under strain; subculture theory highlights deviant norms within particular groups; and problem-behavior proneness focuses on individual predispositions toward multiple deviances. These theories shift the focus away from the idea that social controls are the primary force producing conformity, making them less aligned with the line of reasoning in the statement.

The main idea being tested is how social controls influence why people conform. Social control theory argues that conformity is encouraged by the bonds and expectations that hold people in the social order—attachments to others, commitments, involvement, and shared beliefs. An advocate of this view would say that conformity isn’t just a personal choice; it’s reinforced by real costs and rewards in everyday life. If you deviate, you risk losing trust, status, relationships, and opportunities, so even if deviating seems tempting, the social consequences make conformity the more rational path. That perspective fits best with the statement because it centers on the idea that conformity is maintained by the weight of social controls, rather than by an inherent attraction to deviance.

By contrast, anomie theory emphasizes norm breakdown and increased deviance under strain; subculture theory highlights deviant norms within particular groups; and problem-behavior proneness focuses on individual predispositions toward multiple deviances. These theories shift the focus away from the idea that social controls are the primary force producing conformity, making them less aligned with the line of reasoning in the statement.