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Robert King Merton was an American sociologist who argued that the social structure of a society can encourage deviance to a large degree. Merton's theory borrows from Èmile Durkheim's theory of anomie, which argues that industrialization would fundamentally alter the function of society; ultimately, causing a breakdown of social ties, social norms, and the social order.
Robert K. Merton Selected Publications — posted by E. Garfield, University of Pennsylvania. Robert K. Merton papers, 1928–2003, bulk 1943–2001 — Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Columbia University Archival Collections. Robert K. Merton (1910–2003) Archived February 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine — by F. W. Elwell, Rogers State ...
Manifest functions are the consequences that people see, observe or even expect. It is explicitly stated and understood by the participants in the relevant action. The manifest function of a rain dance, according to Merton in his 1957 Social Theory and Social Structure, is to produce rain, and this outcome is intended and desired by people participating in the ritual.
Social Theory and Social Structure (STSS) was a landmark publication in sociology by Robert K. Merton. It has been translated into close to 20 languages and is one of the most frequently cited texts in social sciences. [1] It was first published in 1949, although revised editions of 1957 and 1968 are often cited.
Merton's theory of deviance is derived from Durkheim's idea of anomie. It is central in explaining how internal changes can occur in a system. For Merton, anomie means a discontinuity between cultural goals and the accepted methods available for reaching them. Merton believes that there are 5 situations facing an actor.
In sociology, anomie or anomy (/ ˈ æ n ə m i /) is a social condition defined by an uprooting or breakdown of any moral values, standards or guidance for individuals to follow. [1] [2] Anomie is believed to possibly evolve from conflict of belief systems [3] and causes breakdown of social bonds between an individual and the community (both economic and primary socialization).
Robert K. Merton would go on to theorize that anomie, as well as some forms of deviant behavior, derive largely from a disjunction between "culturally prescribed aspirations" of a society and "socially structured avenues for realizing those aspirations."
Middle-range theory has also been applied to the archaeological realm by Lewis R. Binford, and to financial theory by Robert C. Merton, [8] Robert K. Merton's son. In the recent decades, the analytical sociology programme has emerged as an attempt synthesizing middle-range theories into a more coherent abstract framework (as Merton had hoped ...