Question

Summarize Merton's strain theory in your own words, making sure to cover the goals, means and adaptations components. What is Merton's concept of strain and the revolution adaptation, making sure to define his idea of revolution and discuss how any of the peaceful deviance addresses cultural goals and institutional means?

Answer 1

Merton strain theory generally followed two elements 1. Structural factor and 2 . Cultural factors.Merton main concerned was societies such as united state , do not provide the required aceces of education , employment to achieve cultural goal.in strain theory stated that social pressure committed People in involved crime.There should be deviance whicch define proper meaning of success and what the proper means to achieve goal.people are sometimes so desperate to achieve his success due to social pressure.

The merton concept staring means people are just rushing behind the success and achieving goal . But genuinely they don't live in peacefully rather than committed more crime and create social pressure.He gives following key points for peaceful deviance address to achieve cultural goal and institutional means

1. Conformity: pursuing cutural goal with socially approval and legal way . Develop basic cultural values and moral ethics .

2. Innovation : to using socially unapproved to obtain cultural aproved goals.for examaple dealing drugs or stealing money for financial security.

3. Relialism which means achieve less elusive goal.

4. Retreatism : to rejects both culture goal and it's way to obtain it and escape from it.