Merton's Strain Theory

Lesson Objectives

• Understand an alternative explanation to C&D (Merton)

• Introduce 5 responses to anomie

• Be able to evaluate Merton’s explanations

Last Lesson Recap

• What are the two key points that Durkheim said crime was?

• And why?• What are the two positive functions of crime? • How does ‘9/11’ illustrate the positive functions

of crime that Durkheim identifies?• What other functions of Crime exist?• What is anomie

Merton

• Read pages 74-75 down to the heading ‘Deviant adaptations to strain’. Using the ideas from this section, draw a diagram showing how Merton explains why some people commit deviant acts.

• Strain Theories argue people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means.

• Deviance is a result of a strain between:

1. The goals that a culture encourages individuals to achieve

2. What the institutional structure of society allows them to achieve legitimately

He used the lifestyle concept of the American Dream which places great emphasis on material success.

In Western societies there are cultural goals that we’re all socialised to want like big cars, big houses, splendid holidays etc…

Merton – The American Dream and Strain Theory

Merton outlined five possible ways that members of

American society could respond to success goals:

Ritualism Retreatism Innovation Rebellion

and Conformity

• Conformist: Here the individual continues to adhere to both goals and means legitimately (M/C)

Innovation - accepting the goals but rejecting the institutionalised means. Uses different ways to achieve those goals. Criminal

behaviour is included in this response (Theft, Fraud)

Stuart Howatson, 31, of Bewdley, Worcestershire, duped his wife, family and

friends into believing he was a Scotland Yard officer.

Over several years, Howatson detailed his "career" to friends. While on holiday in Spain, he convinced a friend that he could buy their property for £720,000 without a mortgage. He

said he had come into an inheritance and supplied false bank statements and monthly

deposits from the Metropolitan police and MPA (Metropolitan Police Authority) to prove his finances were sound, Worcester crown

court heard.

• Ritualism: stop trying to achieve goals but internalized legitimate means so follow rules e.g. stay in dead end job

• Retreatism: Here the individual rejects both goals and means. This person is dependent upon drugs or alcohol is included in this form of behaviour.

• Rebellion: Both the socially sanctioned goals and means are rejected and different ones substituted. To bring about revolutionary change & create a new society e.g. hippies

Which of Merton’s types are the following criminals?

• Drug addict

• A man who supports his family and chases promotion so he can buy a bigger family home

• Bank robbers

• Terrorists

• Which type is missing…give an example

Evaluation of Merton Shows how normal and deviant

behaviour can arise from same mainstream goals

• How does he explain patterns shown in OCS?

• Most crime is property crime, because American society values material wealth so highly

• Lower class crime rates are higher, because they have least opportunity to obtain wealth legitmiately

On the sheet are a number of partly

completed statements relating to the

strengths and weaknesses of strain theory.

Your task is to:

1. complete the statements by selecting the appropriate finishing clauses from those provided

2. write a three lined commentary explaining each statement (can use textbook to assist)

• Using key words below summarise what you have learnt today

KEY CONCEPT: value consensus; anomie; cultural goals;

institutionalised means; conformity; innovation; ritualism; retreatism;

rebellion.

• Have a go at annotating the part of the overview diagram which covers Merton. Try to do most of this from memory.