CRIM 104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Nonconformist, Anomie, Structural Functionalism
10 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Merton is known for taking durkheim"s concept of anomie and using it to explain the high rates of deviancy or non-conformity in america. Merton can be described as a structural functionalist. A common theme in merton"s article is the importance of institutional regulation and the role that social institutions are supposed to play in the integration of cultural goals and institutional means. Merton used the notion of anomie to describe a situation in which the social structure exerted pressure on certain individuals to engage in deviant behavior. Merton identified the sources of pressure or strain: therefore, the strain theory. Merton stated that non-conforming behavior was caused by a disjunction or strain between the cultural goals and institutional means. American culture placed strong emphasis on success symbols. But the malfunctioning social structure failed to provide individuals with the conventional means to realize these cultural goals. Nonconformity is assumed to be rooted in original nature.
