Functionalist Analysis: Cohen's Status Failure Flashcards
Who did Cohen agree with about crime blocking opportunities?
Merton
Who did Cohen research?
Working class men in the 1950’s in the USA
How did the working class men attempt to achieve status?
By engaging in Deviant Acts in their peer group
What was the working class men’s hierarchy based on?
The more deviant acts you did, the higher your status was.
What deviant acts did the working class men usually do?
Vandalism and Violence
What did Cohen argue about why the men were deviant?
To get revenge on society
Why were the men experiencing status frustration?
Because they were not able to move up a class through education
What were the mainstream norms and values in America in the 1950’s?
Hard work, Meritocracy
Which norms and values did the working class men adopt?
Deviancy and Challenging Authority
Which of the 4 adaptations were the working class men following?
Rebels
What does Cohen assume in his study? (Criticism)
Everyone wants to conform to societys norms and values and does not cover that some people become ritualistic
What does Cohen miss in his study of crime? (Criticism)
He does not focus on crime based on location
