A.K Cohen: status frustration

Question 1

what are subcultural strain theories?

Answer 1

it both criticises Merton’s theory and builds on it. theory believes deviance is a product of delinquent subcultures.

Question 2

what do delinquent subcultures do?

Answer 2

offer lower class members a solution to the problem of how to gain status they cant achieve by legit means

Question 3

A.K Cohen on status frustration

Answer 3

agreed that a lot of deviance results from lower classes’ inability to achieve success goals by legit means eg. education. however, still criticises Merton.

Question 4

Cohen’s criticisms of Merton

Answer 4

1) Merton sees deviance as an individual response to strain (ignores group deviance of delinquent subcultures)
2) Merton focussed on utilitarian crime (material crime) eg. theft, fraud. overlooks non-utilitarian crime e.g assault, vandalism.

Question 5

Cohen on status frustration

Answer 5

WC boys face anomie in the MC education system:

-taught MC norms and values
-lack skills to achieve, suffer status frustration
-reject MC norms and values
-form delinquent subcultures
-alternative status hierarchy: this offers alternative route to gain status (from peers)

Question 6

alternative status hierarchy

Answer 6

delinquent subculture provides alternative status hierarchy to win status through delinquent actions
against mainstream values (values are malicious and non-financial)

Question 7

example of alternative status hierarchy

Answer 7

what society praises it condemns eg. society respects property whereas the boys gain status from vandalising it.

Question 8

summary of Cohen on status frustration and alternative status hierarchy

Answer 8

WC suffer status frustration bc they cant achieve MC norms and values, therefore form a subculture.
crime offers a route to gain status from peers through ‘alternative status hierarchy’

Question 9

evaluation: strengths and weaknesses of Cohen

Answer 9

strength: offers explanation of non-utilitarian (no material gain) crimes.

weakness: assumes WC start by sharing MC success goals. overlooks if they didn’t share success goals in the first place and never see themselves as failure.

Question 10

which theory agrees with Cohen?

Answer 10

Cloward and Ohlin: three subcultures