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AQA A Level Sociology 30 Mark Question Exemplar Answer
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AQA A Level Sociology 30 Mark Question Exemplar Answer Grade - A
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[30]Using Item A and other knowledge, evaluate the effectiveness of Merton’s ‘Strain’ Theory
Criminal behaviour occurs when individuals ignore the social norms in society and violate the
cultural standards. On the other hand, deviant behaviour refers to rule breaking behaviour
which goes against the social norms of a particular society. There are many sociological theories
which explain the reasons why individuals do what they do. Abnormal behaviour in society can
be caused by social issues, an illegitimate opportunity structure and also due to the fact that
some individuals feel as if they are denied a status in mainstream society.
Functionalist Sociologist Merton (1940) did not believe that all aspects of society were
beneficial. Instead, he believed that society could become dysfunctional and needed to change
in order to run smoothly. There was a strain between the socially accepted goals in society and
the socially approved means of achieving these goals. As a result of the strain, criminal and
deviant behaviour became more common and as Item A suggests, there was a lot more ‘rule-
breaking’ in society. Merton believes that the society system needs to change in order to make
it fair for everyone to have a reasonable chance at achieving goals. For example, the American
Dream, everyone has the ‘dream’ to become wealthy, but not everyone can achieve this due to
their class, background, or society. An anomie arises when individuals cannot achieve the goals
and therefore behave in a deviant way. There are many different adaptations that individuals
take up against the strain for e.g. Innovation. Merton describes innovators as individuals who
accept the goals of society but use different ways of achieving those goals for e.g. through crime
and deviance. On the other hand, conformists’ are individuals who follow the goals and means
of society. The strain theory is effective in explaining how normal and deviant individuals can
arise even whilst sharing the same goals in society. However, the theory fails to recognise that
not all individuals turn to crime and there is also a lack of reasoning behind why people adapt
the way they do to the strain. Marxists believe that the Functionalist strain theory ignores the
power of the ruling class to enforce laws. For example, forcing individuals to stay in education
until the age of 16. The ruling class strongly believes that if you work hard for your bosses, you
can achieve your goals.
Cloward and Ohlin’s illegitimate opportunity structures theory links well with Merton’s strain
theory but argues that the strain theory fails to acknowledge the ‘opportunity structures’. The
form of crime and deviance caused depends on the access that individuals have to illegitimate
opportunity structures for example, in a conflict subculture, individuals may have access to
guns. When individuals are denied access to criminal and conflict subcultures, their focus turns
to alcohol and drugs. The theory clearly shows the different subcultures that individuals may
become a part of but the theory fails to realise that the different subcultures can overlap. For
example, a criminal may also be a retreatist, someone who is focussed on alcohol and drug
abuse. The theory is also effective as it shows that individuals are not just concerned about
material gains, but they are also committed to get their own back against society.
In order to explain the crime and deviance of individuals, Sociologist Cohen looks at the
delinquent subcultures within society. Cohen focuses on the position of the working class in the
social structure rather than sole individuals. He explains that crimes are not committed for
economic gain. The working class develop subcultural groups with norms and values that differ
from the mainstream. For example, the subculture may be based on promoting criminal
behaviour instead of social solidarity. This could be due to reasons such as their failure in
education or deprived living standards and this results in them having little opportunities to
achieve goals in society. As Item A states, the working class are often denied the chance to
achieve goals via the ‘legitimate opportunity structure’ so therefore they create this subculture
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