General Strain Theory Study Notes

General Strain Theory

Introduction to General Strain Theory

  • Developed by Robert Agnew in 1992 and expanded in 2001.
  • Aims to broaden the scope of Merton’s Strain Theory beyond solely economic goals.
  • Emphasizes the role of negative experiences and emotions in creating pressure for deviance.
  • The basic conceptual flow can be summarized as:
    • Strain leads to negative emotions (especially anger), which can result in crime or deviance.

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the core principles of Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST).
  • Identify the main types of strain that may lead to crime and deviance.
  • Apply GST to ways of understanding delinquency, crime, and coping strategies.
  • Critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of GST.

Definition of Strain

  • Strain refers to experiences or situations that individuals perceive negatively, generating emotional reactions that could incentivize criminal behavior as a potential coping mechanism.

Types of Strain

  1. Failure to achieve positively valued goals:
    • Example: Financial success, social status.
  2. Removal of positively valued stimuli:
    • Example: Loss of a loved one, relationship breakups.
  3. Presentation of negative stimuli:
    • Example: Experiences of abuse, neglect, or victimization.

Role of Negative Emotions

  • Strain is associated with producing negative emotional states such as frustration, anger, and depression.
  • Anger is particularly significant as it is linked to motivation for action, which may lead to criminal behavior.
  • The chosen coping strategy will influence whether individuals resort to crime or adopt alternative responses to deal with strain.

Coping Strategies

  • Cognitive Coping:
    • Involves mental reinterpretation of strain (e.g., convincing oneself that "it’s not that bad").
  • Behavioral Coping:
    • Involves lawful coping mechanisms such as engaging in exercise or seeking professional help.
  • Emotional Coping:
    • Involves methods for reducing negative emotions, which may be healthy (like meditation) or unhealthy (like substance abuse).
  • Criminal coping mechanisms are more probable when access to legal coping resources is limited.

Conditioning Factors Affecting Response to Strain

  • Factors influencing the response to strain include:
    • Self-esteem: The confidence one has in their worth.
    • Self-efficacy: Belief in one's ability to succeed.
    • Deviant values: Acceptance of behaviors against social norms.
    • Deviant peers: Association with individuals who engage in negative behaviors.
    • Low social control: Lack of community or social rules to guide behavior.
    • Negative emotionality: A predisposition towards experiencing negative emotions coupled with low constraint.

Applications of General Strain Theory (GST)

  • Explains:
    • Juvenile delinquency and involvement in gangs.
    • Understanding violent behaviors stemming from experiences of abuse or victimization.
    • Application to white-collar crime when job-related strain accumulates over time.
    • Issues related to bullying, school shootings, and even terrorism can also be contextualized using GST.

Strengths of General Strain Theory (GST)

  • Broader scope compared to Merton’s original strain theory:
    • Extends beyond just economic success to include various social and emotional factors.
  • Integrates emotional variables into criminological understanding.
  • Adequately accounts for a wide array of crime types:
    • Includes property crime, violent crime, and white-collar crime.
  • Empirically supported through various studies.

Criticisms of General Strain Theory (GST)

  • Challenges include:
    • Difficulty in measuring both strain and emotions consistently across different individuals and contexts.
    • Not all individuals experiencing strain engage in criminal behavior, suggesting an overestimation of deviance.
    • Potential neglect of structural inequalities and broader societal factors that underpin crime.
    • An overemphasis on individual-level factors, distracting from systemic issues.

Discussion Questions

  1. In what ways does General Strain Theory expand upon Merton’s original Strain Theory?
  2. Which types of strain are most prevalent among contemporary youth?
  3. Why do certain individuals deal with strain through criminal behaviors while others do not?
  4. How can educational institutions and communities mitigate strains that contribute to delinquency?

Conclusion

  • General Strain Theory draws connections between strain, negative emotions, and coping mechanisms, ultimately linking these factors to crime.
  • Highlights the essential role emotions, particularly anger, play in understanding deviance and behavior.
  • Continues to influence criminological research and impact public policy debates.

References

  • Agnew, R. (1992). Foundation for a General Strain Theory of Crime and Delinquency.
  • Agnew, R. (2001). Building on the Foundation of General Strain Theory: Specifying Types of Strain and Coping Mechanisms.
  • Merton, R. K. (1938). Social Structure and Anomie.