American sociologist Dr. Robert Merton is considered by many scholars as one of the founding fathers of modern sociology. Dr. Merton is best known for coining the phrases “role model” and “self-fulfilling prophecy” which has become common terms in American culture. Show
Anomie Dr. Merton expanded on the work of French sociologist Émile Durkheim on anomie with his theory on deviance and social strain. Anomie in the simplest terms is a lack of social or ethical norms in an individual or group. When Dr. Merton was developing his theory on deviance, he analyzed American culture, structure, and anomie. Dr. Merton believed that all United States citizens believed and strived for the “American Dream”; however, the ways in which citizens obtain the “American Dream” of success are not the same, simply because not all citizens have the same opportunities and advantages. Dr. Merton believed that this leads to deviance in achieving the “American Dream” by some who turn to illegal activity while still believing in the dream of success but using illegal means to obtain the dream by such activity as illegal drug dealing to achieve financial success. Dr. Melton also suggested that for some they drop out of society becoming drug addicts or drifters realizing the “American Dream” is unattainable for them and this can lead to deviant behavior. Dr. Merton expanded research on anomie in his deviance theory, is widely used today in criminology when studying Strain Theory. Robert Agnew on Strain Theory and the American Society for Criminology Merton’s Deviance Criteria “A cardinal American virtue, 'ambition,' promotes a cardinal American vice, 'deviant behavior.” ….Robert K. Merton Dr. Merton believed there are two criteria that promote deviant behavior.
Dr. Merton believed that there are five types of deviance based on his criteria:
The strain that society places on achieving the “American Dream”, leads to deviance according to Dr. Merton theory. There are plenty of examples of Dr. Merton’s theory in today’s news headlines with criminal cases involving banking investors, politicians, organized crime, etc. The need for greed to achieve the “American Dream” has caused many too intentional break laws to achieve financial success. Merton’s Legacy Sadly, Dr. Merton passed in 2003, but his legacy lives on through his criminology work that he has left us with anomie and strain theory. The challenge for today’s criminologist continues through scientific research for a better understanding as to the causes of crime in our society so that policy-makers, mental health professionals, and law enforcement leaders have current information to help make our society safer. About the Author: Mark Bond worked in law enforcement and has been a firearms trainer for more than 29 years. His law enforcement experience includes the military, local, state, and federal levels as a police officer and criminal investigator. Mark obtained a BS and MS in Criminal Justice, and M.Ed in Educational Leadership with Summa Cum Laude Honors. As a lifelong learner, he is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education with a concentration in college teaching. Mark is currently an assistant professor of criminal justice at American Military University. The Functionalist Perspective on DevianceFunctionalism claims that deviance help to create social stability by presenting explanations of non-normative and normative behaviors. Learning Objectives Describe the functionalist view of deviance in society Key TakeawaysKey Points
Key Terms
What function does deviance play in society? This is a question asked by sociologists subscribing to the school of structural functionalism. Structural functionalism has its roots in the very origins of sociological thought and the development of sociology as a discipline. Though precursors of structural functionalism have been in existence since the mid-1800's, structural functionalism was solidified by Émile Durkheim in the late nineteenth century. A structural functionalist approach emphasizes social solidarity, divided into organic and mechanical typologies, and stability in social structures. Structural functionalists ask "How does any given social phenomenon contribute to social stability?" This question cannot be answered without investigating deviance. Functions of Crime: This is a short clip from the "Functions of Crime" segment of their new seven-part DVD "Short Cuts to Sociology: Crime and Deviance. "  Émile Durkheim: Durkheim formally established the academic discipline and, with Karl Marx and Max Weber, is commonly cited as the principal architect of modern social science and father of sociology. For the structural functionalist, deviance serves two primary roles in creating
social stability. First, systems of recognizing and punishing deviance create norms and tell members of a given society how to behave by laying out patterns of acceptable and unacceptable behavior. In order to avoid unsettling society, one must be aware of what behaviors are marked as deviant. Second, these social parameters create boundaries between populations and enable an "us-versus-them" mentality within different groups. Deviance allows for the majorities to unite around their normativity,
at the expense of those marked as deviant. Conversely, being marked as deviant can actual bolster solidarity within the marked community, as members take pride and ownership in their stigmatized identity and create cohesive units of their own (for example, members of the LGBT community unifying around Pride). Strain Theory: How Social Values Produce DevianceStrain theory states that social structures within society may pressure citizens to commit crimes. Learning Objectives Apply Merton's typology of deviance to the real world and give examples for each type Key TakeawaysKey Points
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Social strain theory was developed by famed American sociologist Robert K. Merton. The theory states that social structures may pressure citizens to commit crimes. Strain may be structural, which refers to the processes at the societal level that filter down and affect how the individual perceives his or her needs. Strain may also be individual, which refers to the frictions and pains experienced by an individual as he or she looks for ways to satisfy individual needs. These types of strain can insinuate social structures within society that then pressure citizens to become criminals. Social Strain Theory: Five types of deviance. In his discussion of deviance Merton proposed a typology of deviant behavior that illustrated the possible discrepancies between culturally defined goals and the institutionalized means available to achieve these goals. A typology is a classification scheme designed to facilitate understanding. In this case, Merton was proposing a typology of deviance based upon two criteria: (1) a person's motivations or his adherence to cultural goals; (2) a person's belief in how to attain his goals. According to Merton, there are five types of deviance based upon these criteria:
What makes Merton's typology so fascinating is that people can turn to deviance in the pursuit of widely accepted social values and goals. For instance, individuals in the U.S. who sell illegal drugs have rejected the culturally
acceptable means of making money, but still share the widely accepted cultural value in the U.S. of making money. Thus, deviance can be the result of accepting one norm, but breaking another in order to pursue the first. In this sense, according social strain theory, social values actually produce deviance in two ways. First, an actor can reject social values and therefore become deviant. Additionally, an actor can accept social values but use deviant means to realize them. Illegitimate Opportunity Structures: Social Class and CrimeIllegitimate opportunity structures are the rules that operate within deviant subcultures. Learning Objectives Explain how illegitimate opportunity structures function in different subcultures Key TakeawaysKey Points
Key Terms
American sociologists Richard Cowan and Lloyd Ohlin extended Robert K. Merton's
social strain theory to directly address juvenile delinquency and social class. If you recall, social strain theory develops a typology of deviance in which an individual can deviate on two planes. An individual can be deviant by refusing to accept social norms or an individual can deviate by accepting social norms but using deviant means to achieve their realization. In the context of the U.S., in which prosperity is a social value, one could deviate by rejecting the notion of wealth.
Alternatively, one could deviate by aspiring to a wealthy lifestyle but earning one's living as a pickpocket. Goths: Goths are an example of a subculture: A group of people with a culture that differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong. Cowan and Ohlin used juvenile delinquency as a case study to explore this theory of illegitimate opportunity structures. In a criminal subculture, youth learn to use crime for material gain. This subculture usually forms in areas where there is an established organization of adult crime that provides an illegitimate opportunity structure for youths to learn how to
behave criminally for material success. In a conflict subculture, youth learn to form gangs as a way to express frustration about the lack of normative opportunity structures in their neighborhood. New initiates into the gang will learn how to engage in conflict or gang activities to express frustrations by watching gang leadership. Thus, gangs become a subculture of their own, in contradistinction to the normative, peaceful model of youth behavior. Finally, in a retreatist subculture youth
learn to reject both legitimate and illegitimate opportunity structures. These individuals are thought to be "double failures" in that they engage in conduct that is neither normative and accepted by society at large nor deviant but accepted by a subculture. Licenses and AttributionsCC licensed content, Shared previously
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What theory makes reference to cultural goals?Merton's anomie theory is that most people strive to achieve culturally recognized goals. A state of anomie develops when access to these goals is blocked to entire groups of people or individuals. The result is a deviant behaviour characterized by rebellion, retreat, ritualism, innovation, and/or conformity.
What theory makes reference to cultural goals and institutionalized means to achieve them quizlet?According to strain theory, society socialize their members in the desire and cultural goals. Many people are in able to achieve these goals and socially except always thought is, by institutionalized means.
What are cultural goals and institutionalized means according to Merton's strain theory?Strain Theory of Deviance
Strain theory, developed by sociologist Robert Merton, posits that when people are prevented from achieving culturally approved goals through institutional means, they experience strain or frustration that can lead to deviance.
What is Merton's theory called?Strain theory is a sociology and criminology theory developed in 1938 by Robert K. Merton. The theory states that society puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goals (such as the American dream), though they lack the means.
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What theory makes reference to cultural goals and institutionalized means to achieve them?
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