Question

1. Act One describes the experience of Melanie who, upon seeing the Fieldston campus, got upset. As Angela Vassos explains:

"And I went over to talk to her, as did Lisa. And she jumped up and she said, we've got to get out of here. We've got to get out of here. We've got to get out of here. And I thought it was a joke at the beginning. I didn't realize, you know?And it really was-- I mean, she went white, like completely white, you know? Blood drained from her face. And her friend was holding her and saying, calm down, Melanie. Calm down, Melanie. So it was just an awful situation. None of us had anticipated such a strong reaction."

Arguably, Melanie's reaction to the much more affluent Fieldston campus was caused by a sudden realization of the social inequality she was a part of. The feeling caused by this sudden realization may be described by Durkheim as ___________________, or a sense of normlessness or a lack of control.

Question 1 options:

A.anomie

B. primary deviance

C. labeling

D. conflict

Answer 1

Primary deviance refers to minor transgressions that do not result in the transgressor being labeled as deviant. It has nothing to do with Melanie's reaction.

Option B) primary deviance is incorrect.

Labeling is a social phenomenon in which people behave according to the labels used to refer to them in society. No such label is apparent in Melanie's case.

Option C) labeling is incorrect.

In sociology, conflict can never be explained as a sense of normlessness.

Option D) conflict is incorrect.

Durkheim's concept of anomie best describes the sense of normlessness felt by Melanie. It is a feeling of lack of control experienced by an individual when there is a disintegration of social standards.

Option A) anomie is correct.