Essays Tagged: "Merton"

Law and Government: Criminology. What do you think is a) the principal strength and b) the principal weakness of subcultural theories?

a response to economic strain, but as a response to others around you. Cohen, in direct response to Merton's Theory of Anomie, centred his studies on juvenile delinquency, due to its non-compliance. H ... criminology theories seem to underestimate the role of both peers and peer pressure in delinquency. Merton and Currie's economic theories described crime as an individual response to financial need, a ...

(4 pages) 193 1 3.7 Apr/2002

Subjects: Law & Government Essays > Law

Critically compare and contrast traditional marxist and functionalist perspectives on crime.

amily domain. There are many explanations beginning with Durkheim who was a functionalist, there is Merton who doesn't totally agree with Durkheim but adopted his theory on 'Anomie' and made it his ow ... amily domain. There are many explanations beginning with Durkheim who was a functionalist, there is Merton who doesn't totally agree with Durkheim but adopted his theory on 'Anomie' and made it his ow ...

(10 pages) 412 1 5.0 Jun/2003

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Sociology

Feminist writers.

ther rather than a prospective criminal. Women tended to be excluded altogether by theorist such as Merton and Durkheim for instance. Heidensohn (1985) showed four reasons for this: vicarious identifi ...

(5 pages) 77 0 5.0 Jun/2003

Subjects: Law & Government Essays > Civil Rights > Women's Studies

Essay investigating the reasons for homelessness in America.

se. Homelessness is not in all cases a voluntary choice made by social retreatist who, according to Merton's strain theory, "drop out" from the pursuit of culturally accepted goals. The 3 reasons list ...

(4 pages) 268 1 4.3 Jul/2003

Subjects: Social Science Essays

Limitations of theories of sociology of deviance

ensus and that a high level of social integration is required for society to function successfully .Merton's Anomie of Strain theory hypothesises that deviant behaviour is the result of a "disjunction ... ..legitimate means for achieving the goals" . Thus socially induced strain causes deviant behaviour.Merton argues that many people in the USA strive to achieve the "American dream" which recognises th ...

(10 pages) 539 1 4.7 Feb/2004

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Sociology

Explore Durkheim's contribution to sociological theory

in sociology: an approach developed by the North American sociologists Talcott Parsons, and Roberts Merton.Durkheim always perceived his objective as establishing the legitimacy of sociology as a scie ...

(12 pages) 262 0 4.5 Feb/2004

Subjects: Social Science Essays

ANOMIE by Durkman to Strain theroy by Merton.

s called the strain theory. This paper will takes you through the day that it was written by Robert Merton in 1938 and the day it was transformed by Robert Agnew into the General Strain Theory in 1992 ... essured onto them by society. He defined anomie to mean "normlessness". Years later, in 1938 Robert Merton applied Durkheim's definition of anomie to modern industrial societies.Robert Merton was born ...

(4 pages) 172 0 4.5 Apr/2004

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Sociology

What is functionalism?

criticism of Durkheim's work (or a development on his arguments) comes from the Neo-Functionalists. Merton agreed that crime came from the structure of society but he blamed this structure for why som ... to try and achieve the material goals, such as theft etc.This was partially criticised by Cohen for Merton's focus on the individual. He said that whole groups in society lacked the institutional mean ...

(6 pages) 224 1 4.5 Apr/2004

Subjects: Social Science Essays

Sociology:Outline and assess Structuralist theories of crime and deviance.

n focused on the individual.Albert Cohen, combining Structuralist and sub cultural theories drew on Merton's idea of strain but criticized Merton's ideas of crime being an individual response and beli ... hough feeling resentful of being seen as failures.Cloward and Ohlin were also greatly influenced by Merton and accepted his explanation of deviance in terms of the legitimate oppurtunity structure. Ho ...

(2 pages) 124 2 3.0 May/2004

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Sociology

Book Review with use of sociological theories of: Ain't No Makin'It: Aspirations & Attainment in a Low-Income Neighborhood by Jay MacLeod

rstand and test certain theories. The three main theories that will be used to support the book are Merton's Strain Theory, Sutherland's Differential Association Theory, and Karl Marx's Achievement Id ... ol attendance. The Hallway Hangers made the decision to place blame on others for their misfortunes.Merton's Strain theory suggests that poverty causes crime. As explained by www.homestead.com "Strain ...

(7 pages) 117 0 5.0 Dec/2004

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Sociology

'Deviance is indicative of an illness. It is a problem for society and needs to be eradicated' Critically evaluate this statement in the light of you knowledge about deviance

onal crimes usually committed by the working- class people helps maintain capitalist society.Robert Merton argues that both human goals and constraints on behaviour are socially based, and that desire ... fer to cultural factors, while institutionalised means 'brings in aspects of the social structure'. Merton argues that strain occurs as a result of the frustrations and injustices emerging from the in ...

(6 pages) 79 2 4.5 Dec/2004

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Sociology

Merton's strain theory in relation to shoplifting.

Merton used Durkheim's concept of anomie to form his own theory, called Strain Theory. Merton argued ... cture that holds the same goals to all its members without giving them equal means to achieve them. Merton stated that all members of a capitalist society have goals such as "wealth, status and person ... at all members of a capitalist society have goals such as "wealth, status and personal happiness", (Merton, 1938) and that the means available to achieve this success are unevenly distributed througho ...

(3 pages) 102 1 2.5 Oct/2005

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Psychology

Anomie and Strain Theory

social regulation in modern societies as one manner that could elevate higher suicide rates. Robert Merton, a criminologist that applied Durkheim's definition of anomie to modern industrial societies ... l societies with emphasis towards the United States, specifically, redefined the term. According to Merton, anomie is the form that societal incoherence takes when there is a significant detachment "b ...

(4 pages) 121 0 4.4 Mar/2006

Subjects: Science Essays > Mental Health

Merton's Five "Modes of Adaptation"

ConformityMerton recognizes conformity as the most common type of the five modes. During this mode, people str ... ss by the most pure conventional means available (Akers, 2000, p. 144).InnovationDuring innovation, Merton identifies a miniscule, but substantial change in the perspective of the people whose mode is ... in place of less promising conventional means in order to attain success (Akers, p. 144-5).RebellionMerton suggests that by the time people reach the mode of rebellion, they have completely rejected t ...

(1 pages) 27 0 5.0 Mar/2006

Subjects: Science Essays > Mental Health

Examine and Assess Strain and Subcultural theories of Crime

al behaviour.One of the most influential sociologists from the functionalist perspective was Robert Merton (1938). He studied young males in America and argued that everybody shares the same goals, wh ... rican dream', and therefore believe that anything they desire is attainable, mainly material goods. Merton claimed that goals were linked to a person's position in the social structure; those in lower ...

(5 pages) 81 0 4.5 Feb/2007

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Sociology

The criminal justice system has been important in defining, explaining and controlling behaviors understood as deviant. Discuss two sociological responses to concepts of criminal deviance.

priate societal context and values framework (L. DeFleur M. et al., Sociology: Human Society, 1973).Merton's Anomie of Strain theory devised in 1938 hypothesized that deviant behavior is the result of ...

(3 pages) 68 0 3.0 Aug/2007

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Sociology

8 Ball Chick

ods. In Eight Ball Chick we see how girls will do just about anything to get initiated into a gang. Merton's strain theory along with Aker's second generation social learning theories and sub culture ... o not have the same outlets. They are poor, which gives them no power to control the gang activity. Merton speaks of how individuals such as the gang members do however possess aspirations but have fe ...

(5 pages) 18 0 0.0 Feb/2008

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Society and community

Trends in Social Network Analysis

ng "status," "role," "social identity," and "action," discussed by theorists such as Linton (1936), Merton (1957), Nadel (1957), and Parsons (1951). The following is an example of how these recent net ... e, Social Networks 8: 343-364, 1986.Linton, R. , The Study of Man, New York: Appleton-Century, 1936.Merton, R. K.., The Role-Set: Problems in Sociological Theory. British Journal of Sociology 8: 106-1 ...

(3 pages) 40 0 0.0 Aug/2009

Subjects: Businesss Research Papers > Marketing

Gangs

theories: Cohen's (1955) Lower Class Reaction, Cloward and Ohlin's (1960) Differential Opportunity, Merton's (1938) Anomie and Strain, and Miller's (1958) Sub cultural theory, are theories that focus ... mediated by a variety of factors" (Brinker & Jarjoura & Triplett, 2002, p.159-187). Robert Merton (1938) argues in his Strain theory that crime is a result of the frustration, strain, people ...

(8 pages) 55 0 3.0 Sep/2009

Subjects: Social Science Essays > Society and community > Children and Youngsters

Duty of Care and the Public Policy issue.

ty of Care doctrine, with assistance from prior influential cases like Donoghue v Stevenson, Anns v Merton London Borough Council and McLoughlin v O'Brian.The case of Caparo v Dickman involved financi ... P 2007)Murphy, J, Street on Torts, (12th Edition, OUP 2007)Cases:Anns & Ors v London Borough of Merton [1977] 2 All ER 118, [1978] AC 728, [1977] UKHL 4Barrett v Ministry of Defence [1994] EWCA Ci ...

(10 pages) 8 0 0.0 Jan/2013

Subjects: Law & Government Essays > Law