In this regard, many find Merton's theory valuable and useful. While the term “strain” can loosely refer to processes involving pasta and muscles, structural strain is defined much more rigorously. One could also frame the Black Lives Matter movement and protests against police violence as examples of strain-induced rebellion. Key components of general strain theory included its consideration for the role of emotion in strain-derived crime and its consideration of a broad range of possible sources of societal pressure that might cause a person to commit crime. When an individual in a society cannot achieve culturally approved goal via culturally approved ways, it can be stressful for him and may leads to deviant behavior. Lastly, rebellion applies to people who reject and replace culturally valued goals and the socially sanctioned ways of achieving them. In the U.S., many people strive for economic success, considered the key to having a positive identity in a capitalist and consumerist society. He referred to such deviance as "innovation" while identifying the other responses to strain as conformity, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Beginning Music Theory - Level 1 | PerfectMyMusic Guide to Music Theory. 3. 17 Mar. The theory states that social structures may pressure citizens to commit crimes. He made this assumption after looking at US culture, the structure of … The result of Agnew’s work was general strain theory, which addressed weaknesses in earlier strain theories, including inadequate explanations for middle-class delinquency and inconsistencies between aspirations and expectations for fulfilling them. Crossman, Ashley. Those who find themselves unable to increase their class standing feel a strain that may result in them engaging in deviant behavior such as theft, embezzlement, or selling goods on the black market to achieve wealth. BESTSELLER. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). These individuals may, therefore, be more likely to turn to unsanctioned methods to achieve economic success, though plenty of so-called "white-collar crime" routinely takes place in the U.S. too. He argued that when people cannot attain the "legitimate goal" of economic success through "legitimate means"—dedication and hard work—they may turn to illegitimate means of doing so. 38 Terms. Singapore's Resident Population, 2003-2007. Following on the work of Émile Durkheim, strain theories have been advanced by Robert King Merton, Albert K. Cohen, Richard Cloward, Lloyd Ohlin, Neil Smelser, Robert Agnew, Steven Messner and Richard Rosenfeld. Strain theory, in sociology, proposal that pressure derived from social factors, such as lack of income or lack of quality education, drives individuals to commit crime. daniel_ibrahim8 . Retreatism explains those who reject a society's goals and refuse to try to obtain them. 66 Terms. Robert K. Merton developed the structural strain theory as an extension of the functionalist perspective on deviance. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/structural-strain-theory-3026632. Strain theories state that certain strains or stressors lead to negative emotions, which create pressure for corrective action. While Durkheim's concept of anomie was rather vague, Merton explains the idea in quite a detailed way: as the product of a strain between socially-accepted goals and the socially-accepted means to achieve them. Strain may be structural, which refers to the processes at the societal level that filter down and affect how the individual perceives his or her needs. Resource-mobilization theory places resources at the center of the emergence and success of social movements. Structural Strain Theory. While Merton's theory was based on 20 th century America, it is transferable to any contemporary, western, developed capitalist society. (1992) General Strain Theory (GST). 2008 . Strain theory, in sociology, proposal that pressure derived from social factors, such as lack of income or lack of quality education, drives individuals to commit crime. Updates? Our values, beliefs, goals, and identities are developed in the cultural realm. Robert Martin proposed structural strain theory and according to him social structures and social pressures are put on people to achieve the desired goals and therefore leads the individuals to commit the crime. Economic empowerment is one of the goals of affirmative action and laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, disability, etc. Structural-strain theory posits that social movements arise as a result of six factors: structural conduciveness, structural strain, growth and spread of a solution, precipating factors, lack of social control, and mobilization. Comte, Guerry, Quetelet. Once they realise that the existing political power is unable to address the issues that are threatening the wellbeing of society, it becomes easier for any group to organise or develop the social movement. Demonstrators celebrate the verdict in the murder trial of Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke on October 5, 2018. 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