Strain Theory Flashcards
What does Strain Theory argue
deviant behaviour when people are unable to achieve socially acceptable goals by legitimate means
Who developed Strain Theory
Robert Merton
According to Strain Theory, why does crime/deviance happen?
It’s the result of strain between the cultural goals and the structural factors
Define structural factors
Society’s unequal opportunity structure
Define cultural factors
strong emphasis on success and weak emphasis on achieving these through legitimate means
What is the cultural goal?
Merton says wealth and status - ‘American dream’
What is the ideology of the American dream?
says that American society is meritocratic (fair) - effort = success
everyone is expected to achieve through legitimate means e.g. a good job
What are the 5 adaptations to strain?
- Conformity - legitimately achieving the goal (American Dream) - typically middle class
- Innovation - illegitimately achieving the goal - typically working class
- Ritualism - giving up on the goal, follow the rules anyway
- Retreatism - rejecting both the goal and the means - become dropouts
- Rebellion - reject the existing society’s goals and means, replace them with new ones and desire to create a new kind of society
Strain Theory A03
Focuses on utilitarian crime - fails to explain crimes such as vandalism, violence, genocide, torture etc.