1.2 Merton's Strain Theory

• What are two criticisms of Merton's Strain Theory?

  Too deterministic, WC experience the most strain, yet they don't all deviate

  It assumes that there's a value consensus- that everyone strives for money success
• What are two strengths of Merton's Strain Theory?

  WC crime rates are higher as they have less opportunity to obtain wealth legitimately

  He explains that most crime is property crime because American society values wealth so highly
• Rebellion

  Individuals reject the existing society's goals and means, but they replace them with new ones in a desire to bring about revolutionary change and create a new kind of society
• Retreatism

  Individuals reject both the goals and the legitimate means and become dropouts
• Ritualism

  Individuals give up on trying to achieve the goals, but have internalised the legitimate means and so they follow the rules for their own sake
• Innovation

  Individuals accept the goal of money success but use 'new' illegitimate means such as theft/fraud to achieve it
• Conformity

  Individuals accept the culturally approved goals and strive to achieve them legitimately
• What are the 5 types of adaptations to the strain of anomie?

  Conformity

  Innovation

  Ritualism

  Retreatism

  Rebellion
• What does Merton cause the pressure to deviate?

  The strain to anomie
• How does the lack of opportunity cause crime & deviance?

  The strain between the cultural goal of money success and the lack of legitimate opportunities to achieve produces frustration and this causes them to resort to crime & deviance
• Which 2 things straining does Merton think cause deviance?

  -The goals that a culture encourages individuals to achieve

  -What the institutional structure of society allows them to achieve legitimately
• What are cultural factors?

  The strong emphasis on success goals and the weaker emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them
• What are structural factors?

  Society's unequal opportunity structure
• What two elements does merton's theory combine?

  Structural factors & cultural factors
• What do strain theories argue?

  People engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means