Applying Robert Merton's Social Strain Theory

Social strain theory was introduced by famed sociologist, Robert Merton in an effort to explain how societal structures create pressure for deviant behavior. The theory hypothesis' that all societies hold a dominant set of goals and values, based on the perception of hegemony in order to fit the status quo. Not only do they hold these expectations of their members, they also spell out the acceptable means in which their citizens are able to achieve those goals. However, realistically, not every person in that society are going to be able to realize these goals because there is such a huge gap between what is social acceptable and what is socially attainable. Therefore, the standards are often incongruent with the means in order to achieve them. For example, the United States holds to the ideal that work ethic is what allows its citizens to succeed and reach the status quo, discounting the fact that several of their citizens have strong work ethics; sometimes working two and three jobs just to make ends meet, but still fall short in achieving those prescribed dominate goals and values.
Indicators may also include a person's job, income, residence, etc. Because these goals are so highly individualistic, when a person fails to achieve them it is considered to be a personal failure and not a social shortcoming. This type of strain causes significant gaps between societal values and creates pressure for citizens that are not able to attain such unrealistic expectations to engage in deviant acts in order to close that gap. The response to this strain is remarkable and can be manifested in different ways depending on the circumstance. Such responses include rebellion, retreatism and