Strain theories

What are Strain Theories?

• Strain theories argue that people engage in deviant behaviour when they are unable to achieve socially approved goals by legitimate means.
• First Strain theory was developed by a functionalist - Robert K. Merton, who adapted on Durkheim's concept of anomie. Merton combines two elements
• Structural factors - Society's unequal opportunity structure
• Cultural factors - The strong emphasis on success goals and the weaker emphasis on using legitimate means to achieve them
• For Merton, deviance is the result of a strain between two things:
• The goals that a culture encourages individuals to achieve
• What the institutional structure of society allows them to achieve legitimately.

Strain Theories - American Dream

• American Dream:
• Americans are expected to pursue this 'American Dream' by legitimate means - Self - discipline, study, educational qualifications, and hard work in a career.
• Ideology of American Dream:
• American society is meritocratic one where anyone who makes the effort - will get ahead - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL.
• HOWEVER, reality is different: there are many DISADVANTAGED GROUPS that are denied opportunities to achieve legitimately.
• E.G. Poverty, inadequate schools and discrimination in the job market may block opportunities for ethnic minorities and lower classes.
• The resulting strain of cultural goal of money success and the lack of legitimate opportunities to achieve it - PRODUCES FRUSTRATION - this then creates the pressure to resort to illegitimate means, like, crime and deviance.
• MERTON CALLS THIS PRESSURE TO DEVIATE, THE STRAIN TO DEVIATE, THE STRAIN TO ANOMIE.
• Merton - the pressure to deviate is increased due to the American culture that puts more emphasis on achieving success at any price than upon doing so by legitimate means.
• WINNING THE GAME BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN PLAYING BY THE RULES.
• To conclude, the goal creates a desire to succeed, and lack of opportunity creates a pressure to adopt illegitimate means, while the norms are not strong enough to prevent some from succumbing to this temptation.

Deviant adaptations to strain

• Merton uses strain theory to explain some of the patterns of deviance in found in society.