Merton's Strain Theory

What perspective is Merton speaking from?

functionalist

What does the strain theory state?

crime comes as a result of the strain that people feel when they can’t achieve the goals that everyone else have so they use illegitimate alternative means to achieve them.

What is value consensus?

an idea that order of society depends on a widespread agreement of the individuals within the society - everyone has the same values and share same belies about whats right and wrong

whta did merton say about life chances

people have different life chances e.g social class therefore they don’t have the same opportunities to realise that they share the same goals

Why did Merton say American society was unbalanced?

greater importance was attached to success rather to the means in which success was attained

What tends to happen in the search for sucess?

rules in society are abandoned therefore anomie occurs

What are Mertons 5 reactions to strain and describe them

1. conformity -people try achieve their goals by conforming to society using legitimate means e.g working hard to get promotion at work

2. ritualism - people give up on their goals (abandon conventional success goals) but still go through the motions and events of their life, exhibit enthusiasm for rules, unable to innovate e.g just turning up to work everyday

3. innovation - people realise they cannot achieve their goals through legitimate ways so they innovate their means (often through crime) to achieve them e.g robbing a bank rather than working in one

4. retreatism - people who drop out of society and abandon/ GIVE UP success goals and the means of achieving them, they retreat from mainstream society e.g dropping out of school and becoming a drug addict

5. rebellion - individuals who REJECT success goals and the usual means of achieving them BUT replace them with different goals, may be part of a new rising social class, they ae deviant because they want a new society e.g dropping out of work to engage in terrorist activities

what are 4 critisisma of Merton?

• Merton could not explain why those with opportunities and resources to achieve these goals still turn to crime

• Merton could not explain why if so many opportunities are limited, more people aren’t turning to crime

• Merton only explain utilitarian crimes commited by the working class

• Merton wrongly assumes that there is value consensus