The suspension of moral beliefs to commit deviant acts is a:

• A. strain adaptation
• B. role conflict
• C. technique of neutralization
• D. primary deviance

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key terms in the problem. 'Suspension of moral beliefs to commit deviant acts' refers to a psychological or sociological process where individuals temporarily set aside their usual moral standards to engage in behavior that is considered deviant or unacceptable by society.
2. Step 2: Review the provided options and their meanings: 'strain adaptation' refers to how individuals respond to social strain or pressure; 'role conflict' involves conflicting expectations from different social roles; 'primary deviance' is the initial act of rule-breaking before being labeled deviant; 'technique of neutralization' involves justifying or rationalizing deviant behavior to reduce guilt or moral conflict.
3. Step 3: Recognize that the 'technique of neutralization' specifically describes the process where individuals neutralize their moral beliefs to justify deviant acts, making it the best fit for the definition given in the problem.
4. Step 4: Confirm that the other options do not directly describe the suspension of moral beliefs but rather different sociological concepts related to deviance and social behavior.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct term for the suspension of moral beliefs to commit deviant acts is the 'technique of neutralization.'