w3 Kelly - Anomie

Question 1

What is anomie, who coined it, and what is it a product of?

Answer 1

This is the feel or perspective that society is decending into a state of chaos.
- Coined by sociologist Erik Durkhiem
- Is described as a product of inequality

Question 2

What are two components of anomie?

Answer 2

1. Breakdown in the social fabric
   - categorised by *low trust *or a lack of shared moral standards between people
2. Breakdown in leadership
   - which has become illegitimate or ineffective

Question 3

What are some examples of breakdown in social fabric?

Answer 3

• Low trust
• Moral decline
• No shared moral standards between people

Question 4

What are some examples of breakdown in leadership ?

Answer 4

Illegitimate and ineffective leadership

Question 5

How do people respond to anomie?

Answer 5

Attempt to take control in an out-of-control world

Question 6

List three consequences of living in a society of anomie.

Answer 6

1. Rise of a strong and populist leader
2. Greater endorsement of conspiracy theories
3. Leads to harsher more punitive moral judgments

Question 7

Evidence for strong populist leader.

Answer 7

**(Sprong et al., 2019) **higher inequality predicted a desire for a strong populist leader. Mediated by anomie. A leader willing to:

i. Challenge democratic values and practices

ii. Willing to break the rules

Question 8

Evidence for a greater endorsement of conspiracy theories

Answer 8

a. Important to remember that stable personality factors moderate the effect of exposure to conspiracy thinking

b. (Salvador Casara et al., 2022) Higher objective inequality, more conspiracy beliefs only for people that already had a general conspiratorial mindview

Question 9

Evidence for anomie leading to harsher more punitive moral judgments

Answer 9

a. Attempting to regain social cohesion by being harsh // increase in harsh words used on twitter in higher inequality cities in America