Strain Theory by Robert Merton explains how societal disparities in achieving goals can lead to deviant behavior, categorized into various responses. This theory has influenced further research on deviance and its relationship to social structures and opportunities.
Strain Theory, developed by sociologist Robert Merton, explains that when society does not provide equal opportunities for all members to achieve socially acceptable goals, it creates a gap between the aspirations and the legitimate means to attain those goals. This disparity can lead individuals to deviate from societal norms in their pursuit of success, resulting in various forms of deviant behavior.
Merton's theory categorizes different responses to this strain, including conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. These responses reflect how individuals adapt or deviate when faced with the inability to achieve culturally defined goals through approved means.
Furthermore, Merton's strain theory has influenced other theories of deviance, such as Differential Opportunity Theory by Cloward and Ohlin, which explores how individuals, especially the economically disadvantaged, may resort to deviant behavior due to differential access to legitimate or illegitimate means to achieve success.
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