Zur Integration von Theorie und Forschung in der Soziologie abweichenden Verhaltens. Eine Integrationsstrategie und ihre Anwendung auf die Anomietheorie

Samenvatting

3 major defects of most theories of deviant behavior are pointed out & the following strategy is proposed to overcome them: (a) The variables a theory of deviant behavior should contain, how these variables could be defined precisely & how they should be related to one another, must be explicated. (b) Theories which have thus been explicated must then be confronted with new or existing empirical res to find out whether they can be accepted or not. (c) Theories which have been explicated & corroborated by empirical data must be analyzed re their logical relevance to one another. This strategy is applied, to some degree, to R. K. Merton's theory on anomie. It is shown that this theory does not clearly specify which variables it contains. The following relevant variables are drawn from it, formulated more precisely & related to each other: (i) goal (a wish which requires at least one other wish by the actor if it is to be realized); (ii) regulatory norm (a wish which serves for the realization of at least one other wish from the viewpoint of the actor); (iii) intensity of goals & norms (the degree to which an actor desires to realize goals or norms); (iv) means (the knowledge which leads to the realization of goals); (v) deviancy (an actor is deviant if a characteristic of his or action or means used by him is not compatible with the expectations of most members of a society or group). The following hypothesis is suggested in the context of this analytical framework: The more intense the goals of a person are: (1) the more intense is the wish to choose deviant means (the more intense are the deviant regulatory norms); (2) the more deviant means will be employed; (3) the less nondeviant means will be used; & (4) the more likelihood exists that deviant activities will be indulged in for the achievement of goals. It is found that, on the basis of this framework, Merton's types of individual adaptation are theoretically irrelevant. Relevant empirical res was used to test & confirm the theoretical framework. The relationship between the present explication of Merton's anomie theory & 2 other theories is explored: (A) Deviant behavior occurs more frequently in the Lc than in the Me. This hypothesis is found to be valid only if those value-combinations which lead to deviant behavior occur more frequently in the Lc than in the Me of a society. Thus, findings may sometimes confirm & sometimes reject traditional class theory. (B) It is shown that D. R. Cressey's theory of embezzlement (OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY. A STUDY IN THE SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF EMBEZZLEMENT, no publication information, 1953) logically derives from anomie theory, but has to be extended to be valid. Modified AA.