The General Strain Theory By Robert Merton - 1352 Words

The General Strain Theory-Susan Smith In 1995, a very heinous, mysterious crime was committed the murder of two innocent boys by their mother. This crime was thought to be completely unexplainable. This mother convinced America that a black man had stole her car and kidnapped her children. Little did we know this suicidal woman would be capable of committing such a crime. There are many theories that you can apply to this case. However the theory that fits it most closely is the general strain theory. The General Strain theory is an evolved theory of strain theory created by Robert Merton, which was an adapted version of Anomie. â€Å"Anomie is a sort of psychological â€Å"state of confusion† in which an individual observes a conflict between the prescribed and commonplace social goals and the culturally-acceptable â€Å"legitimate† ways to pursue those goals.† (Kapelos-Peters, 2008). In simpler terms when someone is not doing what is socially acceptable because they’re are confused. The General Strain Theory consists of three characteristics. â€Å"1. Failure to achieve positively valued stimuli. 2. The loss of positively valued stimuli. 3. The Presentation of negative stimuli.† (Agnew, R. 1992 The General Strain Theory consists of three characteristics. â€Å"1. Failure to achieve positively valued stimuli. 2. The loss of positively valued stimuli. 3. The Presentation of negative stimuli.† (Agnew, R. 1992) When all three characteristics are present one is more likely to commit a crime or beShow MoreRelatedAnomie and General Strain Theories of Crime Essay1267 Words   |  6 PagesAnomie/Strain Theory Historical Background The theoretical framework of strain theory can be credited to sociologist Emile Durkheim. Durkheim research on formed a platform for other sociologist to further develop strain theories of crime. One of which is Robert Merton. One of Durkheim’s major works that opened the door to further research on strain theories was his book, Suicide. 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This theory is used as the basicRead MoreClassic Strain Theory Essays1443 Words   |  6 PagesClassic Strain Theory, as introduced and defined by Robert Merton, is a Social Structure Theory used to help explain the effect one’s community, most notably lower class area s, has on their ability to achieve predetermined goals, usually considered culturally normal. Merton theorized that all people in a various culture and social structure have similar values, goals, and norms. He stated that within this social structure there are individuals who come from affluent upbringing and are therefore moreRead MoreAnomie Theory1630 Words   |  7 PagesAnomie theory is important for explaining whether crime is a normal or abnormal (pathological) social phenomenon (Cartwright, 2011). It describes a lack of social norms, lawlessness and normlessness (Cartwright, 2013). In detail, it is a breakdown of social bonds between an individual and the community. This theory was first coined by Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist in his book Suicide published in 1897 (Cartwright, 2013). Later on, Robert Merton, the President of American Sociological AssociationRead MoreWhy People Commit Crime: A Strain Theory Perspective2346 Words   |  10 PagesWhy People Commit Cri me: A Strain Theory Perspective SOCI150 Criminology Deviance, criminal behavior and wrong doings; why do they occur? People don t just wake up one morning and say I m off from work today so why don t I just go rob a bank. There has to be something in their past or present experiences that cause one to engage in criminal behavior. So what makes people commit crime and most importantly why do they fell they need to so? Criminologists have studied this question for many years