Robert K. Merton

 SOCIAL THEORY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE.  NEW YORK: FREE
PRESS. 1968 [ORIGINAL 1949]

I.   EXPLAINS DEVIANT BEHAVIOR BY EXAMINING FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE OF U. S.
     SOCIETY.

  

  THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS 
     
           A. CULTURAL STRUCTURE 
  
           B. SOCIAL STRUCTURE 

           C. EQUALITARIAN BELIEFS.

II.  AMERICAN PUBLIC IS TOLD AND BELIEVES THE "AMERICAN DREAM."   

     CULTURAL STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY


     A. APPROPRIATE VALUES, BELIEFS, EXPECTATIONS, ETC.

        1. WEALTH

        2. ALSO INCLUDES:
           STATUS, POWER, AND PRESTIGE    

  FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS,       BY HUNTER THOMPSON

III. LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES MUST EXIST TO REACH CULTURAL GOAL 

           SOCIAL STRUCTURE
  
        IT IS THE "LADDER" BY WHICH ONE "CLIMBS TO SUCCESS."

IV.  EQUALITARIAN BELIEFS

      A. THE MAJOR GOALS IN CULTURE ARE APPROPRIATE GOALS FOR ALL MEMBERS OF
           SOCIETY RICH OR POOR
     B. EVERYBODY WANTS MORE AND MORE MONEY

     C. FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS

        1. INSATIABLE GOAL  

        2. ANYBODY CAN ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM IF THEY WORK HARD  
        3. OPPORTUNITIES EXIST FOR ALL

     WHEN THESE THREE FACTORS ARE COMBINED, 

        A. CULTURAL GOALS (MORE AND MORE MONEY), 

        B. SOCIAL STRUCTURE (LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES), AND

        C. EQUALITARIAN BELIEFS (ANYBODY CAN ACHIEVE IF THEY TRY HARD - AND THEY
        SHOULD!) 

     THE RESULT IS 

        ANOMIE

     THE CONCEPTION OF SOCIETY DOES NOT FIT THE REALITIES OF A FAIRLY IMMUTABLE
     CLASS STRUCTURE.  

     THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURAL GOALS AND LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES
     ARE NOT CLEARLY DEFINED AND IN FACT MAY BE INCONGRUENT.  

     INDIVIDUALS MUST ADAPT TO THE STRUCTURALLY PRODUCED STRAIN (ANOMIE) IN
     SOCIETY IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THEIR LIFE'S JOURNEY.  THE ALTERNATIVE COULD
     BE SUICIDE (SEE DURKHEIM).

     ACCORDING TO MERTON, 

     INDIVIDUALS ADAPT IN ONE OF FIVE WAYS: 

        A. CONFORMITY

        B. INNOVATION

        C. RITUALISM

        D. RETREATISM

        E. REBELLION.




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