Schubert, J. (2003). Differential association theory: definition & examples. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/differential-association-theory-definition-examples.html

Robert Merton developed the Strain Theory in the 1940s in an attempt to explain rising crime rates in the USA. Merton believed that the USA was built on the American Dream; the idea that “equality of opportunity was available to all, regardless of class, gender or ethnicity” (Thompson, 2016). The American Dream was the goal and the way to measure one’s success was in whether or not they had obtained wealth and material possessions. The cultural belief became that “if you are ambitious, talented and work hard, then income and wealth should be your rewards” (Thompson, 2016). Unfortunately, Merton saw that these opportunities were not attainable for everyone equally due to poverty and discrimination (MrClinePsy, 2014). He came to the conclusion that, the structural organization of the USA means that the resources “to get on were not fairly distributed and it was difficult, if not impossible for some to compete and achieve financial success” (Thompson, 2016). This explanation combines two elements: 

1. Structural factors – society’s unequal opportunity structure 

2. Cultural factors – society’s greater emphasis on success goals over using legitimate means to achieve them (MrClinePsy, 2014) 

To better understand this, Merton developed the concept of anomie, which describes the imbalance between cultural goals and institutionalized means. This was used to explain the rise in crime because Merton argued that individuals who were faced with this strain had five possible ways to adapt (Thompson, 2016): 

1. Conformity: pursing cultural goals through socially approved means. 

2. Innovation: using socially unapproved or unconventional means to obtain culturally approved goals. Example: dealing drugs or stealing to achieve financial security. 

3. Ritualism: using the same socially approved means to achieve less elusive goals (more modest and humble). 

4. Retreatism: to reject both the cultural goals and the means to obtain it, then find a way to escape it. 

5. Rebellion: to reject the cultural goals and means, then work to replace them. 

This explained crime because those faced with lower social class struggled to obtain the American Dream through legitimate opportunities as they were less accessible to these individuals. Therefore, “those who failed to achieve success via legitimate means were condemned for their apparent lack of effort” and “this situation puts great pressure on people to achieve material success by illegitimate means (acquisitive crime) to avoid being branded a failure” (Thompson, 2016). These illegitimate means made it possible for people with unequal access to achieve the illusion of the American Dream. 

 

-Chelsea Cannon
 

References: 

 

MrClinePsy. (2014). Merton's Strain Theory. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fsTFx6xZ2M 

 

Thompson, K. (2016). Merton’s Strain Theory of Deviance. ReviseSociology. Retrieved 4 March 2018, from https://revisesociology.com/2016/04/16/mertons-strain-theory-deviance/ 

Sutherland has created 9 basic principles of his theory to prove why this is true which include,

1.Criminal behavior is learned behavior.

2.Criminal behavior is learned by interacting with other people by communicating with words and gestures.

3.The main portion of learning the criminal behavior happens among small groups of people.

4.Learning about crime includes learning the techniques of committing a crime, as well as learning the motivation and attitudes towards crime.

5.Legal codes demonstrate what is 'good' or 'bad' and provide a motivation for crimes. In other words, the law expresses what is right and wrong to an offender.

6.A person becomes a criminal because of frequent criminal patterns. For example, if one is exposed to a repeated criminal scenario, this scenario will eventually rub off on others nearby.

7.The differential association theory can differ in frequency, duration, priority and intensity.

8.The learning of criminal behavior by association is like all other types of learning.

9. Criminal behavior is cannot be done due to certain needs one expresses, because those same needs can be applied to a non-criminal as well

Overall, his theory is saying that social influence and learning experience is the cause for people to do criminal behavior.

 

References:

Differential Association Theory. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.d.umn.edu/~bmork/2306/Theories/BAMdiffassn.htm

 

chubert, J. (2003). Differential association theory: definition & examples. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/differential-association-theory-definition-examples.html

Phoenix Foxwell

Most commonly when talking about differential opportunity it is associated with how an individuals socioeconomic status relates to their environment. It predicts that the environment that an individual lives in will play a role in how they obtain financial means. 

It is believed that individuals in areas that are considered a low socioeconomic status neighbourhoods are more likely to obtain income from illegitimate means in comparison to their counterparts in higher socioeconomic statues. This theory preludes to the notion that individuals who are in poverty are likely to see their dreams as unachievable without turning to criminal behaviours (Pundit 2015). 

The main premise of differential opportunity is that the environment that an individual is in predetermines the likelihood of achieving financial success and the means they will revert to, to get there.

References:
Blair, Lesli. (2014). Differential Opportunity Theory. The Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice. DOI: 10.1002/9781118517383.wbeccj506

Pundit, Varuna. (2015). What is Differential Opportunity Theory. Quora. 

Kelsey Gibbs 

 

Structural-functionalism depicts society as a social system, consisting of various organization, institutions, and structures. Each of these interrelated parts are designed to meet the biological and social needs of the individuals within that society. This perspective focuses on the function of the institutions, as well as their contribution to the system as a whole. Society in this perspective is viewed as a social order and an attempt is made to determine how this order is achieved. According to functionalism, an institution only exists because it serves a vital role in the functioning of society. If it no longer serves a role, an institution will die away. Generally, structural-functionalism presents an optimistic picture of society, as every component of the social system contributes to the functioning of the whole. 

Functionalist definition of religion: the idea that religion unifies believers into a community through shared practices and a common set of beliefs relative to sacred things. Religion is seen as a source of social integration, brining meaning and purpose to people’s lives.

Functionalist definition of families: focuses on what families do for society and for their members.

Courses.lumenlearning.com. (2018). Reading: Structural-Functional Theory | Sociology. [online] Available at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/alamo-sociology/chapter/functionalism/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].

Laluddin, H. (2016). A Review of Three Major Sociological Theories and An Islamic Perspective. International Journal of Islamic Thought, 10, 8-26.

Subedi, D. (2018). Structural Functional Perspective in Sociology. [online] Academia.edu. Available at: http://www.academia.edu/362874/Structural_Functional_Perspective_in_Sociology [Accessed 8 Mar. 2018]

ThoughtCo. (2018). Everything You Need to Know About Functionalist Theory. [online] Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/functionalist-perspective-3026625 [Accessed 8 Mar. 2018].

 

Witt, J. and Hermiston, A. (2010). Soc. Whitby, Ont.: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Alexandra Creeden & Shevon Harper

Robert Merton had the opinion that the United States cultural system was built on the “American Dream” which essentially means that equality of opportunity was available to all, regardless of their gender, class, or ethnicity. The “American Dream” encouraged everyone to pursue goals of success which was measured by wealth and material possessions. Individuals would achieve this goal through education and work. The main point of the “American Dream” was that if you were ambitious and talented you should be rewarded with income and wealth. 

Merton argued that these types of goals were not realistic by all. Robert Merton designed the concept of “anomie”. This is the imbalance between cultural goals and institutional means. Roberts says that an imbalanced society produces “anomie” which is a strain or tension between the goals and means which then produces unsatisfied aspirations (Merton's Strain Theory of Deviance, 2016).

Merton thinks that when people are faced with a gap between their goals usually issues relating to finances or money and their current status, strain occurs. When individuals are faced with strain, there are five different ways to adapt: 

1. Conformity: pursing cultural goals through socially approved means.
2. Innovation: using socially unapproved or unconventional means to obtain culturally approved goals. Example: dealing drugs or stealing to achieve financial security.

3. Ritualism: using the same socially approved means to achieve less elusive goals (more modest and humble).

4. Retreatism: to reject both the cultural goals and the means to obtain it, then find a way to escape it.

5. Rebellion: to reject the cultural goals and means, then work to replace them. (Merton's Strain Theory of Deviance, 2016).

References:
Merton's Strain Theory of Deviance. (2016, April 16). Retrieved March 09, 2018, from https://revisesociology.com/2016/04/16/mertons-strain-theory-deviance/

Celina Williams 

 

Merton argued that the cultural system of the US was built on the ‘American Dream’ a set of meritocratic principles which assured the American population that regardless of background, the American dream can be achieved through, hard work, talent, ambition, once this is done the wealth will be your reward. 

 

Though Merton pointed out that these goals are not attainable by all, that the structural organization of the US means to get on were not fairly distributed and was difficult, if not impossible for some to achieve financial successes. The population saw success as money and material things, and Merton argued that when there was a gap of their current status a strain occurred – and when faced with the strain, people had to adapt.  Merton had a theory of 5 different ways people would adapt when the strain occurred. 

 

1.     Conformity: Pursing cultural goals through socially approved means

2.     Innovation: using socially unapproved or unconventional means to obtain culturally approved goals. Example; selling drugs

3.     Ritualism: using the same socially approved means to achieve less elusive goals (more modest and humble) 

4.     Retreatism: to reject both the cultural and the means to obtain it, then find a way to escape it

5.     Rebellion: To reject the cultural goals and means, then work to replace them

 

Merton said that the American society promoted material success and a ‘legitimate goal’ and encouraged self-discipline and hard work as the ‘legitimate means’ of pursuing that goal. However, Merton argued that for those with lower socio economic status the American dream became an ideology, masking the fact that the legitimate opportunities are no available to all, and those who failed to achieve these success through legitimate means were condemned for their apparent lack of effort. The situation puts great pressure on people to achieve material success by illegitimate means to avoid being branded a failure. 

 

https://revisesociology.com/2016/04/16/mertons-strain-theory-deviance/

Blake Sheppard-Pardy

            As a result, criminal behaviour is learned through interaction with others. An individual may develop criminal behaviour if the people he/she interacts with also exhibit criminal behaviour and thought. These interactions are most likely to occur with the individual’s primary groups. 

            Differential association argues that criminals aren’t born deviant, rather they learn how to be deviant. This behaviour can only be learned if the individual has certain motives, rationalizations and attitudes towards said behaviour. An example would an individual abusing his wife because his father abused his mother as a child. This behaviour was learned. Additionally, the individual was used to seeing this behaviour and therefore his attitude towards it is that it is normal behaviour. The individual cannot see that this is unacceptable social behaviour. 

 

Beregeron, David. “Differential Association Theory.” Criminology Wiki, 15 Apr. 2015,           criminology.wikia.com/wiki/Differential_Association_Theory

- Hallie

 

            Within this theory it is important to note the different types of deviance that can be displayed. Primary deviance refers to the initial act of deviance committed by an individual, which has minor consequences as a result (Greene, 2009). Examples include speeding and recreational use of marijuana (Greene, 2009). Primary deviance does not lead to a label. Secondary deviance is society’s response to the individuals deviant behaviour (Greene, 2009). This type of deviance has major ramifications and leads to an individual being labelled as “deviant” or a “criminal” (Greene, 2009). 

 

 

Greene, H. T. (2009). Labeling Theory. In Encyclopedia of race and crime. Retrieved from http://fc3yq3bj4d.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fsummon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.title=Encyclopedia+of+Race+and+Crime&rft.atitle=Labeling+Theory&rft.date=2009-01-01&rft.isbn=9781412950855&rft.externalDocID=9751337&paramdict=en-US 

Brianne Dallas