Summary Of Walter B. Millon's Focal Concerns Theory

In 1958, Walter B. Millon came up with a theory that applies to mostly men called the “Theory of Lower Class Culture as a generating Milieu for delinquency. This theory is also known as the Focal Concerns Theory. About 90% of these men came from a female dominant home which leads them to project their masculinity more than the average man. There are six focal concerns and they all represent the way being part of the “lower class” culture can effect the characteristics and behaviors of an individual. The focal concerns theory highlights characteristics such as, trouble, toughness, smartness, excitement, fate and autonomy. An individual may embody some of these characteristics or all of them.
The focal concern, trouble, is the idea of looking to provoke the agents of the larger society and narrowly escaping it. If the man is caught while involving in trouble, he accepts his punishment. The focal concern, toughness, is the extreme bravery in the face of danger. This man uses toughness as his physical projection of masculinity, or physical prowess. This focal concern explains why these men act as if they objectify women but it is an act because they truly appreciate women because of their female
This is the ability to outsmart someone or tell when someone is about to scam you. Unlike the toughness focal concern, smartness is the mental projection of masculinity. The men want to show that they have the ability to survive by their wits alone. This type of smartness is learned from a young age in the lower class society. They will avoid being conquered or deceived by another person therefore they rely on this street wit. Excitement is another focal concern where the man seeks excitement by changing something in his life. They feel their lives are monotonous and search for something to change like going to a new bar, adventuring sexually with a new person, or anything else they can do to switch up the pattern in their