Introduction
This paper will set out to critically evaluate Robert K. Merton’s theory of anomie and strain. Merton's theories of anomie have been said to be among the most widely examined theories of criminilaity (Murphy, 2008). When observing criminality in society, Merton observes that some individuals feel greater pressures towards deviance than others. Merton states that certain people feel pressures towards nonconforming when society fails to provide people with equal, and acceptable opportunities to achieve aspirations and goals that are uniformly encouraged across society (Chamlin, 2013). In other words, blocked opportunities to achieving a cultural goal, create pressures towards deviance. For Merton, blocked opportunities are measured …show more content…
This can be explained by the fact that Merton’s focus on deviance as a casualty of blocked opportunities, oversimplifies the effects of individual intepretations of goals. Much of Mertons theory is based on societies desire to achieve the “American Dream,” a uniform goal across society. If this goals can not be shown to be uniformly shared there is a problem in ‘measuring the level of strain in Merton’s theory,’ (Figueira-Mcdonough, 1983). An acceptance to a uniform success goal, according to Merton, coupled with blocked opportunities creates pressures towards deviance. Yet not all people accept or understand the same culturaly prescribed goal. Individuals state of being can have a direct impact on their own realizations for individual, realistic goals (Heckert, 2004). Consider, a homeless man, will not have the same aspiration to become a CEO of a company, as a young, wealthy, graduate student, who just began working at a large company. By emphasizing behaviour, Merton ignores conditions of state of being that effect reactions to norm expectation sand violations (Heckert, 2004). If Merton’s overarching cultural goal can not be shown to be culturally shared, it seems that blocked opportunity is the only variable that causes deviance. Blocked opportunities can be easily measured in terms of social class, as opportunity by the very deffiniton of the social class system, is lower for those of the lower class. Here, Merton uses social class as “the initial cause of of opportunity but not aspirations,” (Thio, 1975). Sociologist then assume deviance only varies to the degree to which there are blocked opportunities (Thio,
This paper will set out to critically evaluate Robert K. Merton’s theory of anomie and strain. Merton's theories of anomie have been said to be among the most widely examined theories of criminilaity (Murphy, 2008). When observing criminality in society, Merton observes that some individuals feel greater pressures towards deviance than others. Merton states that certain people feel pressures towards nonconforming when society fails to provide people with equal, and acceptable opportunities to achieve aspirations and goals that are uniformly encouraged across society (Chamlin, 2013). In other words, blocked opportunities to achieving a cultural goal, create pressures towards deviance. For Merton, blocked opportunities are measured …show more content…
This can be explained by the fact that Merton’s focus on deviance as a casualty of blocked opportunities, oversimplifies the effects of individual intepretations of goals. Much of Mertons theory is based on societies desire to achieve the “American Dream,” a uniform goal across society. If this goals can not be shown to be uniformly shared there is a problem in ‘measuring the level of strain in Merton’s theory,’ (Figueira-Mcdonough, 1983). An acceptance to a uniform success goal, according to Merton, coupled with blocked opportunities creates pressures towards deviance. Yet not all people accept or understand the same culturaly prescribed goal. Individuals state of being can have a direct impact on their own realizations for individual, realistic goals (Heckert, 2004). Consider, a homeless man, will not have the same aspiration to become a CEO of a company, as a young, wealthy, graduate student, who just began working at a large company. By emphasizing behaviour, Merton ignores conditions of state of being that effect reactions to norm expectation sand violations (Heckert, 2004). If Merton’s overarching cultural goal can not be shown to be culturally shared, it seems that blocked opportunity is the only variable that causes deviance. Blocked opportunities can be easily measured in terms of social class, as opportunity by the very deffiniton of the social class system, is lower for those of the lower class. Here, Merton uses social class as “the initial cause of of opportunity but not aspirations,” (Thio, 1975). Sociologist then assume deviance only varies to the degree to which there are blocked opportunities (Thio,