Robert Merton's Structural Strain Theory Sees Deviance as the Result

question 70

Multiple Choice

Robert Merton's structural strain theory sees deviance as the result of a person's position in a social structure. What do you think Jack Katz, author of Seductions of Crime, would say about structural strain theory?

• A) Merton's analysis fails because it does not understand that some people will reject both mainstream cultural goals and the institutionalized means to achieve them.
• B) Merton's analysis was correct in that background factors are almost always the most effective way to predict who will commit deviant acts.
• C) A focus on social position fails to consider the emotional appeal that a deviant act has for an individual.
• D) Merton needs to look at a broader range of background factors, including age and sexuality.

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Definitions:

Hyperreality

A condition in which the distinction between reality and a simulated version of reality or fiction becomes increasingly blurred.

Ferdinand de Saussure

A Swiss linguist whose theories laid the foundation for many of the significant developments in linguistics in the 20th century, particularly in the field of structuralism.

Semiotics

The study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation, often used in analyzing language, art, and communications.

Michel Foucault

A French philosopher known for his critical studies of social institutions and his theories on power and knowledge.