SOC 2700 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Social Fact, Deterrence Theory, Ecological Study

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 2700
• Professor: Reza Barmaki

Document Summary

Utilitarianism: a view that punishment should be balanced and fair, and that crime is a rational choice. Emphasized that behavior is purposeful and not motivated by supernatural forces. A more moderate and just approach to penal sanctions. People want to achieve pleasure and avoid pain therefore if crime provides pleasure pain must be used to prevent crime. A branch of social science that see behavior as a product of social, biological, psychological, and economic forces. Has two main elements (1) human behavior is a function of external forces that are beyond individual control (social, political, historical, etc. ) and (2) human activity can be verified by scientific principles. Phrenology= studied the shape of the skull and bumps on the head to determine whether these physical attributes were linked to criminal behavior, believed that external cranial characteristics dictate which areas of the brain control physical activity.