Merton's Strain Theory

Question 1

Who was Strain developed by?

Answer 1

• Strain theory was developed by Merton to explain the rising crime rates in the USA, developing upon Durkheim, he created strain theory to explain why people commit crime

Question 2

What two elements of anomie did Merton combine?

Answer 2

1. Structural Factors = Societies unequal opportunity structure
2. Cultural Factors = The strong emphasis on success goals and the weaker emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them

Question 3

What is the American Dream?

Answer 3

• The cultural system of America was built on the American dream, a set of meritocratic principles which showed equality of opportunity regardless of other factors
• The American Dream encouraged individuals to pursue goals of success measured in wealth and materialistic

Question 4

What did the American Dream want to achieve?

Answer 4

• People were expected to pursue this through legitimate means, which are things such as education and work, the dominant message was that if you work hard then income and wealth will be your reward

Question 5

Were goals attainable?

Answer 5

• However these goals were not attainable by all and the means were unfairly distributed, for some impossible to achieve financial success

Question 6

What are Cultural Goals?

Answer 6

• Cultural Goals are things to aim for such as success and wealth, institutionalized means is how we should achieve these goals such as hard work

Question 7

What does Merton suggest is the strain?

Answer 7

• Merton suggested there is an unequal access to these goals and means which is strain, the response to the strain causes criminal and deviant behaviour
• Merton argued this strain led to poor people experiencing a state of anomie which undermined their commitment to the value consensus

Question 8

What are the five responses to strain?

Answer 8

1. Conformity
2. Innovation
3. Ritualism
4. Retreatism
5. Rebellion

Question 9

What is the conformity response?

Answer 9

• They have a strong belief of cultural goals and use legitimate means to achieve the goals

Question 10

What is the innovation response?

Answer 10

• These people want to achieve cultural goals however use culturally unapproved means to access things such as dealing drugs to gain wealth

Question 11

What is the ritualism response?

Answer 11

• They have a weak attachment to achieve cultural goals and are more humble with what they can achieve, so they use legitimate means to get less

Question 12

What is the retreatism response?

Answer 12

• A person rejects both cultural goals and trying to achieve them then finding a way to escape it living on the margins of society and are often considered petty criminals

Question 13

What is the rebellion response?

Answer 13

• They reject cultural goals and means and then create new goals and means to try achieve different to existing means

Question 14

What is an evaluation of the strain theory?

Answer 14

1. It is too deterministic as it suggests it is not individual choice but external factors leading to criminality
2. Fails to explain white collar crime meaning they have already achieved cultural goals
3. Suggests everyone follows the same value consensus and aspires to have the same goals
4. Focuses solely on utilitarian crime of crimes motivated by money to achieve cultural goals
5. Does not explain how they choose their response to strain

Question 15

What is evidence for the strain theory?

Answer 15

• Sumner and Young claim that capitalist cultural emphasis on material success is the main cause of crime
• Savelsburg uses strain theory to explain crime rates in communist Russia when they embrace capitalist practices and cultural goals