ROBERT MERTON
His ideas stem from the traditional sociological theory of Functionalism and from Emile Durkheim.
Functionalism: question is what is function of deviance and conformity; tries to explain why deviance continues to exist despite pressures to conform and obey, not on how person comes to commit deviant act or why on some occasions crimes do and do not occur
 |
unifying force, social and social stability |
|
standard and boundary setting, defining and maintaining limits of proper behaviour |
|
safety valve (tolerate some release) |
|
mechanism of social control |
|
what is deviant may vary but deviance is found in all societies |
Merton identifies problems with Functionalism and its assumptions of deviance:
Assumption 1: harmonious integration of all parts of society
|
deviance may be functional for some and not for others |
Assumption 2: a particular pattern of social interaction exists and thus must be functional
|
consider net balance of positive and negative consequences of said patterns |
Assumption 3: genuine societal needs can only be served by structural unit which appears to positively or functionally contribute to fulfillment of such needs
|
consider latent and manifest functions, consider other alternatives for fulfilling needs (manifest functions are those recognized and intended, latent functions are those unrecognized and unintended) |
Ideas on ANOMIE:
Crisis in societies experiencing transition from traditional to modern way of life as a result of industrialization was conceived as structural disparity between the promises of achievable prosperity and the real life opportunities to realize those promises
. Anomie was the result of the socially constructed contradiction between normative aspirations and lack of available means (education, employment, etc...) for legitimately attaining valued cultural goals (prestige, wealth, success, etc...)
Argument is as follows:
Norms (accepted standards of behaviour, "normal" way of behaving) of society induce certain aspirations in individual members of society
Aspirations are cultural artifacts, learned in family, school, church, media., etc...
Aspirations are thus culturally induced goals, i.e. culture teaches people the aspiration of success (not as with Durkheim where human nature was an insatiable thirst to fulfill needs and desires).
Result is American dream – anybody can do it versus reality that not everybody has an equal chance. Disjuncture between goals and means.
Deviance was normal product of such an unequal society.
Merton identifies 4 types of adaptations for people experiencing anomie, each contrasting with path of conformity.
A. Conformity: acceptance of cultural goals and institutionalized means
Types of deviant persons:
B. Innovation: acceptance of cultural goals but rejection of institutionalized means
C. Ritualism: rejection of cultural goals but acceptance of institutionalized means
D. Retreatism: rejection of both cultural goals and institutionalized means
E. Rebellion: rejection of both cultural goals and institutionalized means but actively seeking alternative goals and means.
http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/jhamlin/3305/mertonan.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~theory/Kip/Strain.htm#Subcultural
Various introduction to sociology textbooks
| |
| |
| Return to MAIN PAGE |