Question 1

According to Merton (1938), "Social Structure & Anomie" argues the goals of success, especially economic success, are viewed as legitimate expectations and norms for everyone in American culture.

Accepted Answer

Merton's theory of social structure and anomie posits that American culture strongly emphasizes the goal of economic success for all its members, but the means to achieve this success are not equally distributed, leading to strain and deviant behavior in pursuit of these goals.

Question 2

Differential opportunity theories argue motivations and availability of opportunities to learn about and participate in deviant behavior must be considered in the study of deviance.

Accepted Answer

Differential opportunity theories suggest that individuals engage in deviant behaviors based on the opportunities available to them for legitimate or illegitimate means to achieve their goals, emphasizing the role of access to different opportunities in the process of learning and participating in such behaviors.

Question 3

Agnew (2006) argues that all types of strain are equally likely to cause crime and deviance.

Accepted Answer

Agnew's General Strain Theory suggests that different types of strain vary in their likelihood to lead to crime, with strains that are seen as unjust, high in magnitude, associated with low social control, and create some pressure or incentive to engage in criminal coping being more likely to result in deviance.

Question 4

According to differential opportunity theory, criminal subcultures and the neighborhoods in which they reside can perpetuate crime through generations.

Accepted Answer

Differential opportunity theory suggests that individuals in disadvantaged neighborhoods have limited access to legitimate means to achieve success, leading to the formation of criminal subcultures that provide alternative opportunities for success, thus perpetuating crime through generations.

Question 5

According to Robert Agnew's General Strain Theory, some people are more predisposed to crime than others.

Accepted Answer

General Strain Theory suggests that individuals experience strains or stressors that increase the likelihood of negative emotions, leading to criminal coping as a way to manage or escape from these emotions. It implies that those who experience more strain or have less ability to legally cope with these strains are more predisposed to engage in crime.

Question 6

Emile Durkheim suggested deviance results from a lack of regulation of goals combined with unlimited desires/needs.

Accepted Answer

Emile Durkheim proposed that deviance arises when there is a disjunction between societal goals and the means available to achieve them, a concept he termed anomie. This state of normlessness or lack of regulation leads to deviant behavior as individuals strive to meet their unlimited desires without the guidance of societal norms.

Question 7

Providing details from the text, apply Cloward and Ohlin's Differential Opportunity Theory to understanding the criminal learning environments of gangs.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Providing details from the text, apply Cloward...

Question 8

According to Robert Agnew's General Strain Theory, not all individuals respond to strain with crime and deviance. What types of strain are most likely to lead to deviant behavior and/or crime?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Robert Agnew's General Strain Theory,...

Question 9

Cloward and Ohlin argued that the different kinds of illegitimate opportunities available in poor urban neighborhoods lead to three types of criminal subcultures. List and describe in detail the three types of criminal subcultures.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cloward and Ohlin argued that the different...

Question 10

Describe how Durkheim would apply his version of Anomie Theory to contemporary American society.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe how Durkheim would apply his version...

Question 11

What are some criticisms of Anomie/Strain theories?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are some criticisms of Anomie/Strain theories?...

Quiz 4: Anomiestrain Theory