5 - Strain Theories Flashcards
Strain Theories
Explore the effects of aspirations that meet frustration / strain where the means to obtain one’s goals are not there.
Structural-Functionalist perspective
- Developed by Durkheim. While the prevailing positivist perspective at the time focused on the abnormality of the criminal, Durkheim focused on the normality of crime in society.
- Anomie -> breakdown of social order as a result of the loss of clear societal norms and values.
Anomic Suicide
Suicide rates went up in times of economic change, whether recession OR prosperity. Why? In periods of rapid change, people are thrown into unfamiliar situations, rules that once governed behaviour no longer hold. When old rules no longer determine how rewards are distributed among the members of society, there is no longer any restraint on what people want, so the system breaks down.
Merton’s Strain Theory
Argued the real problem arises from a social structure that holds out the same goals to all its members without giving them equal means to achieve them.
- Related crime to anomie. Lack of integration between what culture calls for (encouraging success) and what structure permits (preventing success) results in breakdown of norms as they’re no longer effective guides of behaviour.
- When ppl socialized w/ belief that they can achieve success / wealth, they experience strain when confronted w/ the fact they don’t have the means to obtain such goals. They feel frustrated, stuck, and the disparity between goals and means provides pressure, causing them to turn to crime.
Strain is a consensus theory -> assumes society generally agrees on definition of behaviours as criminal. Whereas conflict theories assume little consensus and focus on groups in power being able to influence those definitions.
‘American Dream’ pushed by social media / advertising. Mystique further illustrated by lottery winners, superstar athletes and other rags-to-riches stories.
Merton predicts that greatest proportion of crime will be found in the lower classes because lower class people have the least opportunity to reach their goals legitimately (controversial and various evidence for and against)
Anomie is gap between means and goals
Merton’s Modes of Adaptation
Not everyone denied access to society’s goals becomes deviant. Merton outlined 5 ways ppl respond / adapt to society’s goals and means. An Individual’s response depends on their attitudes toward the cultural goals AND the institutional means.
Conformity Adaptation
Most common mode of adaptation. Individuals accept (though not necessarily achieve) both the culturally defined goals AND the prescribed means for achieving them. They save up, work, go to school, and otherwise follow legitimate paths.
Accept Goals and Accept Means
Innovation Adaptation
Accept Society’s goals, but have few legitimate means so they design their own means for getting ahead. The means may be burglary, robbery, embezzlement, drug dealing, etc.
- EX. Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell from the Wire. Youngsters having no parental attention, encouragement in school, or way to the top (no future) may tag stuff to get some form of recognition.
Illegitimate forms not restricted to lower class tho, as evidenced by crimes like stock manipulation, tax evasion, etc.
Accept Goals, Reject Means
Ritualism Adaptation
Abandon goals they once believed to be within reach and resign themselves to their current lifestyle. Play by the rules; work on assembly lines, middle-management, or follow some other ‘safe’ routine (typical 9-5’s). They have long forgotten why, except that their jobs are where the paycheques come from. [resign themselves to the ritual]
Reject Goals, Accept Means
Retreatist Adaptation
Give up both the goals (can’t make it) and the means (why try?) and retreat into a different world (i.e. drug addiction or alcoholism, followers of occult religions). Have internalized the value system and are under internal pressure NOT to innovate. Allows for an escape into a non-productive, non-striving lifestyle.
- EX. Anti-war movement, many opted to drop out entirely. Pressure was to great, opportunities unacceptable.
Reject Goals and Reject Means
Rebellion Adaptation
Both the cultural goals and the legitimate means are rejected. Many individuals substitute in their own goals (i.e. get rid of the establishment) and means (protest). Have an alternative scheme for a new social structure, however ill defined.
- EX. anti-gov militias.
Replace Goals and Replace Means
Which modes of adaptation illustrate deviant behaviour?
- Innovators turn to criminal behaviour
- Retreatists turn to drugs / alcohol / vagrancy
- Rebels turn to revolutionary activity.
Critiques of Merton’s Strain Theory
- What about Women? does little to describe / is inaccurate
- Way too much focus on lower-class
- Do we all strive towards “American Dream”?
- Most focus on Economic means
- If crime is means, why so much useless crime among youth?
- Other countries w/ similar disproportionate access to means, but boast low crime rates (i.e. Switzerland & Japan)
Agnew’s General Strain Theory
Negative relationships w/ others create negative emotions, and these are causal factors in criminal behaviour. Strain is the negative emotions, and anger is the most important. Failure of material goals not only reason for committing crime.
- Each type of strain increases an individuals feelings of anger, fear, or depression. Most important emotion is anger, which increases desire for revenge, helps justify aggressive behaviour, and stimulates individuals into action.
- General strain theory acknowledges not all who experience strain become criminal. Some equipped to cope (rationalize like didn’t need it anyway, physical relief like gym, walk away from condition causing stress) while others are not.
Agnew’s 3 types of Negative Relationships and their Strain
- Strain Caused by failure to achieve positively valued goals: Similar to Merton’s strain, but not solely material / monetary goals. EX. kid really wants to make a sports team, might feel strained by failure to do so. May not lead to robbing a bank, but may lead to other delinquent behaviour like underage drinking or skipping school. In this sense, the theory is general in that it can explain a variety of behaviours linked back to ‘strain’. Can also explain middle / upper-class crime by introducing ‘emotional strain’.
- Stress caused by the removal of positively valued stimuli from the individual: Strain results from the actual or anticipated loss of something / someone important in one’s life. EX. death of a loved one, divorce, move to a new school, etc. Criminal behaviour results when one tries to seek revenge against those responsible, tries to prevent the loss, or escapes through illicit drug use.
- Strain caused by the presentation of negative stimuli: strain stems from stressful life events. Adverse situations may include child abuse, criminal victimization, bad experiences w/ peers, school problems, or verbal threats. Criminal behaviour may result when one tries to run away from the situation, end the problem, or seek revenge.
Albert Cohen’s Status Deprivation Theory
Delinquent subcultures emerge in slum areas of large cities, and are rooted in differentials in parental aspirations, child-rearing practices and classroom standards. Relative position of child’s family in the social structure will determine their problems later in life.
They experience Status Deprivation. Deprived according to middle-class standards. Thus, experience Status frustration / strain, which they respond to by adopting one of three roles: corner boy, college boy, or delinquent boy.
Answers number of questions unresolved by other theories. Explains origins of delinquents behaviour, and why some youth in same situations don’t turn to delinquent subcultures.
