Merton's Strain Theory: A Sociological Analysis

A functionalist might say that we choose to conform because it helps the world run smoother. They believe that one person has an impact on the entire society, therefore if more or all people in a society is conforming, it allows us all to live in a better functioning society. An absolutist may think like this, as they believe there are not exceptions to right and wrong. Therefore, either a society is functioning properly with no deviants or a society is not functioning properly with one or more deviants. Another theoretical perspective that relates to this would be symbolic interactionists. A symbolic interactionist may claim that how well a society is functioning symbolizes the amount of deviance in a society. Therefore, if a society is doing poorly, there must be a lot of people that are not conforming to the social norms.

Now, using specific sociological theories or concepts, discuss what you feel are the best sociological explanations for why someone might choose to do deviant—even criminally deviant--things. (6 pts. possible for discussing at least TWO
It states that people may feel stressed or pressured, which causes them to deviate and do things that are out of the norm. For example, someone that is very poor and has a lot of debt may make the choice to rob a bank. While this is not normal or socially acceptable, the temporary stress in that moment may convince them that it is a good idea. Another theory that we discussed was labeling theory. This states that if someone labels you as bad, you may believe you are actually a bad person and do bad thing or fail to try and do well. An example of this would be telling a child that they will never amount to anything or do anything good. A child that does not receive positive or encouraging feedback may start to perform poorly in school and in life in