Functionalists: Strain and Subculture Theories

Question 1

Davis

Answer 1

Davis believes prostitution acts as a safety valve. Releases men’s sexual frustration’s without threatening the nuclear family.

Question 2

Cohen

Answer 2

Crime can be a warning that an institution in society is not functioning properly. E.g high rates of truancy may tell us that there are problems with the eduaction system.

Question 3

Durkheim

Answer 3

Social Cohesion: believes crime can unite and bring a community together.

Adaptation and Change: crime can change our societies existing norms and values. e.g. riots, BLM.

Question 4

Merton

Answer 4

Introduces the strain theory.

Not everyone in society can live up to the socially agreed values.
People who experience unemployment, low pay, racism find it hard to achieve these goals.
They get frustrated and turn to crime to get the luxuries they believe they deserve.

Question 5

Mertons 5 adaptations to strain…

Answer 5

Conformity
Accept culturally approved goals and strive to achieve them legitimately.

Innovation
Accept culturally approved goals but want to achieve them illegitimately.

Ritualism
People give up achieving their goals but still follow the legitimate means for Theo own sake.

Retreatism
Reject both the goals and legitimate means. Become drop outs and drug addicts.

Rebellion
Reject evrynting and replace them with new ones. Desire to bring change and a revolution.

Question 6

Mertons 5 adaptations to strain…

Answer 6

Conformity
Accept culturally approved goals and strive to achieve them legitimately.

Innovation
Accept culturally approved goals but want to achieve them illegitimately.

Ritualism
People give up achieving their goals but still follow the legitimate means for Theo own sake.

Retreatism
Reject both the goals and legitimate means. Become drop outs and drug addicts.

Rebellion
Reject evrynting and replace them with new ones. Desire to bring change and a revolution.

Question 7

Cohen

Answer 7

Believes deviance is a working class problem. Believes it’s likely to occur in working class boys who don’t do well in school. (Status Frustration)
Realise achieving status from academic results is difficult so instead get status from friends and misbehaving.

Question 8

Cloward + Ohlin

Answer 8

Criticise cohen for assuming all working class people behave in the same way.
Say a variety of social circumstances give rise to 3 main types of deviant subcultures.

Question 9

Cloward + Ohlins 3 subcultures…

Answer 9

Criminal
Develop in areas with an established crime culture. Young people are influenced and turn to crime as a way to make money without getting a job. (Utilitarian crime)

Conflict
Common in areas with lack of social cohesion. Violent acts. Both legitimate and illegitimate ways to achieve mainstream goals is limited.

Retreatsits
Lower class young people who are ‘double failures’. Failed both in mainstream and criminal subcultures so retract to drugs and alcohol.