Strain theory and crime

Question 1

What is Merton’s Strain Theory the updated concept of?

Answer 1

Anomie (normlessness)

Question 2

What is strain?

Answer 2

Disjunction between your goals and your ability to achieve them.

Question 3

Why are we more likely to feel strain nowadays?

Answer 3

Nowadays, we have unachievable goals like being rich. Essentially, if you have goal’s, you can’t meet then you will feel staring/anomie and you may cause crime.

Question 4

What is meritocracy?

Answer 4

A society whereby jobs and pay are allocated based on an individual’s talent and achievements rather than social status.

Question 5

What did Robert Merton argue about the American dream?

Answer 5

That the American dream is based on success and wealth and equality of opportunity was available to all, regardless of class, gender or ethnicity.

Question 6

What two factors cause strain for individuals according to Merton?

Answer 6

1) Goals (e.g. The American Dream)
2) Means (how we get to our goal)

Question 7

What is Relative Deprivation?

Answer 7

Relative (subjective) deprivation is a term used to denote feelings of economic, political or social deprivation – the ‘idea’ that you are deprived in comparison to another rather than ABSOLUTELY deprived. This feeling occurs due to strain, it makes meritocracy feel like lie. We compare ourselves to other and feel we should have more.

Question 8

What are Merton’s 4 Responses to Strain (essentially subcultures)?

Answer 8

1. Innovation- Accept the goal but find illegal ways to achieve it by committing utilitarian crimes (crimes committed for financial gain)
2. Ritualism- Ritualists give up striving for success and plod along in a dead-end job.
3. Retreatism- Dropouts who reject both goal and means. E.g. Vagrants, drunkards, and drug addicts
4. Rebellion- Rebels reject the existing goals and means, replacing them with new ones with the aim of changing society E.g. political radicals and hippies.

Question 9

What is the fifth response to strain that doesn’t relate to crime?

Answer 9

Conformist

Question 10

What is the Rebellion also known as?

Answer 10

The intelligencia or revolutionary- they reject society.

Question 11

Name 4 strengths of Merton’s theory.

Answer 11

1. Argues crime comes from society (anomie)
2. Shows crime is functional
3. Crime can be positive (social change)
4. We can use crime to assess the health of society

Question 12

Name 4 weaknesses of Merton’s theory.

Answer 12

1. Dated
2. No solution/idea on how to reduce crime
3. Value on how much crime is good for society
4. It’s centred around males and its deterministic.

Question 13

What are 4 positives of Anomie?

Answer 13

• Explains why people become dysfunctional and turn to crime.
• Means being sufficiently integrated into societal norms and values.
• Causes society to become less integrated and more individualistic.
• Causes individuals to look out for themselves rather than this community.

Question 14

Crime can be _________, universal, functional, and relative (social construction).

Answer 14

inevitable

Question 15

How did Valier (2001) criticise Merton’s theory?

Answer 15

Merton’s over emphasis on the existence of common goals. It argues there is a variety of goals that people want to achieve.

Question 16

How is Merton’s theory structural?

Answer 16

It locates the cause of crime in American society (supports the ‘American dream’).

Question 17

What does being blocked from success cause?

Answer 17

Deviance