SOC 1500 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Social Ecology, Social Disorganization Theory, Anomie

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 1500
• Professor: Anneke Olthof

Document Summary

*each of these theories supports the view that socially isolated people, living in disorganized neighborhoods, are the ones most likely to commit crimes. Social disorganization theory (1st branch of social structure theory) Looks at how neighborhoods or areas are marked by culture conflict, lack of a union or togetherness, temporary populations, insufficient social organizations, and anomie (absence of social norms) *poverty develops isolated slums = lack of conventional social opportunities and racial and ethnic discrimination. 1970"s theories with a more social psychological orientation developed critiques of social disorganization theory. However, the s. d. t was kept alive because conflicts within the ecological conditions of an area showed incidence of delinquency. 1980"s social ecologists developed an approach that stressed the relation of community deterioration and economic decline to criminality while placing less emphasis on value conflict. Strain theory (2nd branch of social structure theory)