Chapter 4: Anomie/Strain Theory. In Deviance and social control: A sociological perspective (pp. 148-149). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.…
In Chapter 8 of the textbook, Sociology A Down-To-Earth Approach, the question “What is Deviance?” is asked. In my opinion, the answer would be the gang followed in this documentary video. Their name, MS-13, in Salvadorian Spanish, stands for Mara, meaning “group” or “clique” and Salvatrucha is commonly known to mean “street smart”. (Wikimedia Foundation) The majority of the acts that the MS-13 gang commits are deviant, because of the reaction to those acts.…
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).…
Strain Theory vs Functionalist Theory Although the strain theory and functionalist theory are different sociological theories, they do exhibit several similarities. Both theories are immersed in consumption. The strain theory demonstrates that the inclination for criminal activity is due to the immigrants desire to match the consumption level that coincides with their understanding of the American dream. While the functionalist theory focuses on the need of the immigrants fulfillment of their specific role in the societal structure that produces items that are consumed by society.…
Some original components of strain theory stated that an increase in aspirations and a decrease in expectations should lead to an increase in delinquency, most deviance occurred in the lower class, and the concept of ‘aging out of crime’(that deviant activity decreased for an individual as they grew…
This concept believes the gap between resources to obtain accepted norms and values is what generates the increase in criminal behavior. The theory associates with disintegration in schools because if resources are limited, the chance of falling out of the conformist or ritualist category can greatly increase. This can lead to adolescents wanting to rebel against society’s values and customs, and find their own way to prosperity. Usually rebelling against society’s normality to gain wealth leads to illegal activity. The strain theory is most likely to develop if disintegration takes…
The function of deviance in society has been a topic viewed in different light from one sociological perspective to the next. It is agreed upon, though, that deviance does play an integral part in a societies formation of moral standing to define the appropriate behaviors of a people. Erikson and Hendershott are two Sociologists that share different perspectives of deviance. Erikson focuses more on the functionalist side, while Hendershott is an absolutist.…
Structural strain, according to Joan Ferrante’s Seeing Sociology textbook, occurs within, “…a situation in which there is an imbalance between culturally valued goals and the legitimate means to obtain them” (221). With this theory, Merton wanted to show how belief in the “American dream” (i.e. success) is connected to deviant behavior. His Structural Strain Theory begins by examining where one starts off in life – be it their race, social class, gender, or sex – and how people are hindered or helped in attempting to achieve the valued goals by their starting place. The theory goes on to list modes of adaptation in response to structural strain including: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and…
Deviance Sociologists refer to deviance as a something that is outside the norm (Henslin, 2014). It doesn’t matter significant the difference is – just that it is not what is considered normal to others. Concept of Deviance As stated in the textbook, “it is not the act itself but the reactions to the act, that make something deviant” (Henslin, 2014).…
It is hard not to when I myself have experienced strain several times in my adult life. As I read the article, I took notes the information that Agnew discussed that I found particularly interesting. A main concept being that most of the research conducted was based on objective strains (which are conditions or events that are disliked by most people within a group), while strain might be more accurately studied as subjective strain (conditions or events that are disliked by the individuals experiencing them) (Agnew, 2001, p. 320-321). Agnew then went on to explain how emotional responses vary and how that will affect the way individuals react to different strains.…
Criticisms As with any theory, the strain theory draws great criticism. One of the major criticisms is the fact that the strain theory is based on weak empirical support. Scholars have argued that the strain theory was improperly measured suggesting that the main concept of the strain theory was improperly measured in previous research (Burton & Cullen, 1992). A criticism made by Bernard (1987), is that the strain theories do not predict relationships at the individual level between crime and frustration.…
In Agnew’s new strain theory, Merton shortcomings was address. According to Agnew, different form of strain causes people to attain negative feelings such as depression, anger, and fear. According to Agnew, people resort to crime when they are unable to cope with their negative emotions. In the strain theory, which explain that a person’s coping strategies is the primary factor of whether they are likely to participate in crime or…
Deviance and the Three Sociology Perspectives Despite the negative connotation that is usually bestowed upon the word , according to The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology, deviance is defined as a behavior, trait, or belief that departs from a norm and generates a negative reaction in a particular group (Ferris and Stein 153). This could be anything talking to oneself in public or leading a civil rights movement like Martin Luther King Jr. to change the world forever. The three different sociological perspectives, symbolic interaction, functional analysis, and conflict can be applied to the idea of deviance.…
However, both theories see deviance in a society in two different lights. Sociologists using the structural-functional theory believe that deviance within a society helps to affirm…
Strain Theory, by Robert Merton can be seen as something which forces an individual to work within the structure society has produced, or become members of a deviant subculture in an attempt to reach those goals. Merton proposed a typology of deviant behavior that showed the possible differences between cultural goals and the means to achieve these goals. Merton was proposing a typology of deviance based upon the following: an individual's drives or his devotion to cultural goals and a person's belief in how to attain his goals. He came up with 5 types of deviance. • Conformity: cultural goals and how to attain those goals.…