f theory - Mertons strain theory

• what is mertons strain theory

  Contemporary development of durkheims anomie ideas.

  Merton argues crime and deviance occur due to strain and tension of people wanting to achieve shared goals of society but cannot
• What did merton do?

  Study american society and dream, understanding its importance yet not everyone has the same opportunities
• What is 'strain to anomie'

  Faced by working class, a gap between goals of achieving money and success due to hardships like poverty and lack of qualifications.

  With no legitimate reasons of achieving the goal people turn to crime
• what are the five adaptions to a 'strain to anomie'

  1. conformity
  2. innovation
  3. ritualism
  4. retreatism
  5. rebellion
• What is conformity

  Someone who follows the rules working hard to achieve goals of society
• examples of conformity

  working hard in uni to get a good job
• who are those in conformity

  Likely middle class with socially approved goals and means
• What is innovation

  Someone accepting goals of society but have no legitimate ways of achieving it
• Examples of innovation

  No qualifications so turn to crime
• Who is in innovation

  Likely working class with socially approved goals and means
• what is ritualism

  Someone who rejects goals of society but goes through motions of work
• Examples of ritualism

  People who arent bothered about promotions
• Who is likely to be in ritualism

  Likely lower middle class with no socially approved goals but have means
• What is retreatism

  Rejecting goals and means of achieving it - give up and withdraw from society
• Examples of retreatism

  drug addicts
• Who mostly likely are in retreatism

  Likely working class with no socially approved means or goals
• What is rebellion

  Reject goals and replace with radically different new ones
• Examples of rebellion

  BLM protests want radical change
• Who are most likely in rebellion

  rising class who replace socially accepted goals and means with new ones
• Evaluation for mertons strain theory

  Merton assumes peoples motivation for crimes are individual, ignoring group crimes

  Doesnt explain why some who achieved goals of society commit crime

  Some people may have different goals HOWEVER most people dont

  Fails to explain non-utilitarian crimes

  Marxists argue he doesnt explain ruling class are responsible for these goals, benefitting capitalism