Analysis Of Merton's Classical Strain Theory

In response to the multiple criticisms pinned against Merton’s Classical Strain Theory, Robert Agnew revitalized Strain theory to make it more broad and applicable. This theory shifted from the ideals that crime was caused by the unattainability of the American Dream to crime being precipitated by the inability to cope with negative affective states. Agnew noticed a miscorrelation between increasing crime between adolescent population and Merton’s Theory of Classic Strain. CST didn’t give reasoning to why crime rates among adolescents was increasing; this questioning is what initiated Agnew’s theory. Merton and Agnew had the same hypothesis, (strain causes delinquency), but different operational definitions of what strain is. Agnew logically …show more content…
The first application is an adaption of Merton’s classic strain theory in which strain can be developed through the failure to achieve positively valued goals. The inability to achieve of said goals leads to negative emotions and thinking. Causation of strain can also be the loss of positive stimuli, which can be in result of unattainability of goals or can stand alone as the sole causation of strain. More likely than unlikely, in the loss of those positive stimuli people tend to fill that void with negative toxic stimuli. To put in perspective, if a man loses his job (loss of positive stimuli) he may start up a drinking habit (negative stimuli). Also, providing for his family may have been a goal of his that he is no longer able to achieve. Criminal offenders can enter this ladder at any point, they may experience all three or just one causation of …show more content…
When Stephanie Brooks, Bundy’s college girlfriend, ended their relationship there was downwards spiral within Bundy. In her opinion, Brooks ended the relationship (loss of a positive stimuli) because Bundy did not amount to anything. Money, masculinity, and overall success are areas in which Bundy perceives as very important. This is a pivotal moment in which Bundy is experiencing strain. He began to exhibit emotional coping mechanisms when he left Seattle to go back to Vermont to seek the truth about his mother. Instead of dealing with the break-up pro-socially, he neutralizes these emotions about Brooks’ by busying himself with a new task of finding out the truth of his family. After discovering the truth about his real mother being his sister, he moves from emotional coping mechanisms to negative behavioral coping mechanisms. It can be noted that not only has Bundy’s stake been threatened but also is known to have low-self control as a child and grew up in a household where violence was prevalent. As an adolescent, Bundy would act out when he disapproved. This gives him not only exposure but also definitions favorable to crime. Bundy becomes fixated. Continuing on, his killings were specific (presence of a negative stimuli): young women, shoulder length hair, raped and killed. The action of killing is the negative stimuli that Bundy adopted