Describe Robert Merton's strain theory and provide examples to illustrate your answer

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Sociologist Robert Merton developed strain theory. According to strain theory, people feel strain when they are exposed to cultural goals that they are unable to obtain because they do not have access to culturally approved means of achieving those goals. The goals may be material possessions and money; the approved means may include an education and jobs. When denied legitimate access to these goals, some people seek access through deviant means. Merton identified five ways in which people adapt to cultural goals and approved ways of achieving them: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. According to Merton, conformity occurs when people accept culturally approved goals and pursue them through approved means. For example, people who want to achieve success through conformity work hard and save their money. Merton stated that innovation occurs when people accept society's goals but adopt disapproved means for achieving them. For example, innovations for acquiring material possessions or money cover a wide variety of illegal activities, including theft and drug dealing. Ritualism occurs when people give up on societal goals but still adhere to the socially approved means for achieving them. For example, people who cannot obtain expensive material possessions or wealth may nevertheless seek to maintain the respect of others by being a "hard worker" or "good citizen." According to Merton, retreatism occurs when people abandon both the approved goals and the approved means of achieving them. For example, people such as skid-row alcoholics and drug addicts fall under this category. The final type of adaptation, rebellion, occurs when people challenge both the approved goals and the approved means for achieving them and advocate an alternative set of goals or means. For example, to achieve their alternative goals, rebels may use violence (such as rioting).