Robert K. Merton (1938) created the original strain theory, referred also as the social structure and anomie theory. Like social disorganization theory, recent strain theories examined social structure as a major factor in crime rates. Merton’s (1938) strain theory focuses on other fundamental factors, such as societal pressures, influencing individuals to achieve a socially accepted goal. Merton (1938) stated that societal pressures pushed individuals into conformity and made individuals believe that that goal would help them gain economic success. He specifically believed that those societal pressures drove an individual to try and achieve a socially accepted goal though they might never be able to achieve that goal (Lilly et al., 2015).
Merton specified that there were two sources, strain, and anomie, of crime and deviance. When an individual is not able to achieve a desired goal, this prevention adds strain. Lilly et al (2015) state that there is more pressure for that individual to divert to deviation because of that strain. Someone who lacks the funds or does not have a well-paying job may start doing small criminal jobs as a way to achieve his or her goals. Merton defines the other source of crime, anomie, as the collapse of rules and conditions in which those existing norms no longer have control over the individual. Thus, individuals need to feel like they are a part of society and if they do not have specific rules to follow, they have difficulties adjusting without those conditions (Lilly et al., 2015). This control over an individual in the form of social norms is crucial, according to Merton (Tibbetts, 2015).
Merton (1938) added to his theory by forming the idea that people can reduce their stress through modes of adaptation. He believed there were five different typologies within modes of adaptation. The first is conformity, which Merton (1938) stated that an individual does not question what the public states as a cultural goal. This is the most common among individuals. They follow the path that society says to follow in order to achieve that goal. Thus, this typology does not need to commit crimes in order to achieve their goals. However, innovationists believe in society’s cultural goals but go about achieving those goals in illegitimate ways, such as committing crimes, in order to achieve their goals. They do not accept what society says to do in order to achieve economic success. The third typology, ritualists, believe that society’s cultural goals cannot be obtained but still accept institutional means. They are not believed to become criminals, but they might be deemed as deviant or unique. Retreats reject both cultural goals and the means to achieve those goals. Thus, they are more likely to deviate and withdraw from the community. The fifth and final typology is rebellion. Rebels are likely to be viewed completely differently from the other modes of adaptation. They reject both cultural goals and the means to achieve those goals. However, they try to replace what society deems as a cultural goal and institutional means. Rebels believe they are committing these acts, not for themselves, but for the greater good. These modes of adaptation, along with Merton’s (1938) other beliefs, were the foundation for another theory named institutional anomie theory, which focuses on additional factors that play a part in anomie.
Messner and Rosenfeld created institutional anomie theory, which builds upon Merton’s (1938) theory by incorporating additional factors, such as economic, political, family, and educational institutions. Chamlin and Cochran (1995) state that “the American culture places a disproportionate emphasis on material success goals” (p. 411). They go on to state that in order to have culturally accepted success, it has to be based upon materialistic characteristics. Chamlin and Cochran (1995) believe that society does not provide alternative means of achievement to prevent the anomic pressures of the American dream from occurring. Thus, having those pressures to achieve economic success paired with weak controls from other social institutions creates an increase in criminal activity, according to Chamlin and Cochran (1995).
Not only does the American culture emphasize material success goals, but the American culture encourages success by any means necessary. Schoepfer (2016) in “Institutional Anomie Theory” continues this idea by stating that:
Institutional anomie theory (IAT) suggests that crime in the United States is driven by immense pressures to succeed and profit monetarily. The collective cultural pursuit of the American Dream commitment to the goal of material success, to be
Struggling with online classes or exams? Get expert help to ace your coursework, assignments, and tests stress-free!