The strain theory. Case Study: The Strain Theory 2022-10-28
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The strain theory is a sociological theory that explains the relationship between social structure and deviance. According to strain theory, people who are unable to attain their goals through legitimate means, such as education or employment, may turn to deviant behaviors as a way to cope with the strain that results from their inability to achieve their goals.
The strain theory was first proposed by Robert Merton in the 1940s. Merton argued that people in a society are socialized to strive for certain goals, such as wealth and success. However, not everyone has equal access to the means to attain these goals. Some people may be born into disadvantaged circumstances, while others may face discrimination or other barriers to opportunity.
When people are unable to achieve their goals through legitimate means, they may experience strain or frustration. This strain can lead to deviant behaviors as a way to cope with the disappointment and frustration of not being able to achieve their goals. Merton identified five different ways in which people may respond to strain: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.
Conformity refers to the idea that people who experience strain will try to achieve their goals through conventional means, even if it is difficult or requires a lot of effort. Innovation refers to the idea that people who experience strain will try to achieve their goals through illegal or unconventional means, such as theft or fraud. Ritualism refers to the idea that people who experience strain will give up on their goals and instead focus on the routine of their everyday lives. Retreatism refers to the idea that people who experience strain will completely give up on their goals and turn to drugs or other forms of escapism. Rebellion refers to the idea that people who experience strain will actively challenge the social norms and values that are preventing them from achieving their goals.
The strain theory has been influential in explaining deviant behaviors, and it has been applied to a wide range of topics, including crime, drug use, and mental health. However, the theory has also been criticized for its focus on individual behavior and its lack of attention to the role of social and economic structures in shaping deviant behaviors.
Overall, the strain theory provides an important perspective on how social structure and individual behavior are related. It highlights the role that social and economic inequalities play in shaping deviant behaviors and suggests that addressing these inequalities may be an important way to prevent deviance and promote social stability.
Merton’s Strain Theory of Deviance
The basic idea of the strain theory is that there is a gap between the goals that people have and the means by which they can achieve those goals. New York: Free Press. Agnew 1985 argues that delinquency is most common among those experiencing He also argues that delinquency comes from an inability to avoid painful environments — such as a school environment where there are interaction problems with teachers. When a strain is seen as unjust. The Free Press, New York, pp.
He is a white male from middle to lower class background and was in his thirties when his killing began. Also, an individual may be walking on the street and see a wallet lying there. An example would be a young adult moving to a large city, expecting to become successful and life an affluent lifestyle, only to find that the means to achieve this might not be equally available due to their social status. I live on the north side of Chicago, which has lower rates of crime, particularly violent crime than in other more marginalized areas of the city, but it is still prevalent. Once criminals find a way to realize their goals, they will continue to re-offend in the same way. This is what society expects of them.
One such intervention is BAM. His theory assumes that an individual experiences strain when culturally prescribed means to achieve goals are blocked and therefore uses illegitimate means to achieve a goal. You may also be interested in The Role Strain Theory This theory also focuses on how cultural values can have an impact on behavior. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction. This fact complicates the testing of GST because not all strains are created equal. Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Strain Theory: How to Cope With Stressful Situations Free Essay Example
It has been suggested that, in response to strain, females are more likely to blame themselves or worry about possible harm to interpersonal relationships. Being inexperienced in dealing with crises might increase the strain, which could be linked to the rates of suicide amongst teens and young adults. For example, people might prioritize helping others less fortunate than themselves such as teachers or nurses or striving for a healthy work-life balance over material success Valier, 2001. Merton 1938 argued: The actual advance toward desired success-symbols through conventional channels is, despite our persisting open-class ideology, relatively rare and difficult for those handicapped by little formal education and few economic resources. In the city of Chicago, violent crime is an extensive problem that most certainly needs to be addressed.
Applying Strain Theory to the Crime Epidemic in Chicago
A revised strain theory of delinquency. In fact, all individuals will be part of multiple role relationships. Explaining Community Differences in Crime GST is primarily a social psychological theory, focusing on the relationship between the individual and his or her immediate social environment. They generally have less control over their lives, having difficulty removing themselves from adverse environments, and have fewer opportunities for legal coping, given poor schools and limited job opportunities. Further, the victim of bullying may believe that striking back at the source of strain will help to end or alleviate the strain.
The Strain Theory: The Serial Killer Of John Wayne Gacy
Part III Psychological Theories: An alternative psychology of criminal behavior, Julie Horney; A sociocognitive analysis of substance abuse: an agentic perspective, Albert Bandura. Criminological Theories: Introduction, Evaluation, and Application. A preliminary investigation of the relationship between strain and select white-collar offenses. Men are more likely to respond with anger, whereas women are more likely to respond with depression. Researchers noted that this potentially means that the three measured variables teacher punishment, gender discrimination and victimization do have their own independent effects on delinquency separate from negative emotion. American Sociological Review 3 5 , 672—682. GST, then, greatly expands the notion of goal-blockage and recognizes that individuals pursue a variety of goals beyond economic success or middle-class status.
In comparison to objective measures of strain, Froggio and Agnew Evidence on Intervening Processes As predicted by GST, a number of studies indicate that the relationship between strain and offending is partly mediated by anger, and this is especially true of studies that focus on violent behavior e. It occurs when people rebel against the established order in an attempt to bring about change. When people cannot achieve their goals through legitimate means, they may turn to deviant behavior in order to make up for the discrepancy. One of the most recent tets of the theory looked at young adolescents and the affect strain had on their deviant behavior. The book is organized into ten sections, each representing the latest in the multi-disciplinary orientations representing a cross-section of contemporary criminological theory.
For them, criminal coping is the only way to deal with this problem. Since the perception of equality is sufficient, law enforcement could dress in civilian clothing for fund raisers and act as partners rather than authority figures. In these characteristic categories and definitions, Agnew attempts to explain the higher rates of delinquency that are found in men when compared to women. Then, truly, as the conditions of life are changed, the standard according to which needs were regulated can no longer remain the same; for it varies with social resources, since it largely determines the share of each class of producers p. If the gap between the goals and means to obtain that goal is widen, it may lead to deviance. While Agnew is credited with GST, it is important to note the key people in history who have helped develop the broader strain perspective that it elaborates. I spoke about social mobility.
Kubrin and Ronald Weitzer. That would disconfirm his hunch. As a result of their difficult temperament, aggressive individuals have difficulty maintaining stable relationships and employment. This strain can lead to deviant behavior, which in turn can lead to social change. He feels he has no way of knowing who it belongs to, so he takes the opportunity and keeps the wallet.
A structural strain occurs when the social system put pressures on individuals that are difficult to cope with. Any other combination of means and goals is deviant in one way or another. Thieves - who share the cultural goal of wealth obtainment, but do so through breaking the law such as drug dealing or embezzlement , are innovators. These broad categories encompass literally hundreds of potential strains. Archives of Suicide Research.
