With suitable examples, explain how conformity and deviance coexist in a society as propounded by R.K. Merton. (UPSC CSE Mains 2021 - Sociology, Paper 1)
Robert K. Merton, a prominent sociologist, developed the Strain Theory to explain how conformity and deviance coexist in a society. According to Merton, society has culturally defined goals and acceptable means to achieve them. People in society are expected to conform to these goals and means. However, not everyone has equal access to the legitimate means to achieve these goals, which leads to strain and, subsequently, deviance.
Merton identified five modes of adaptation through which individuals respond to the strain between cultural goals and the means to achieve them. These modes of adaptation include conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Each of these modes represents a different way in which individuals may respond to the strain, resulting in a mix of conformity and deviance within society.
1. Conformity: This is the most common mode of adaptation, where individuals accept both the cultural goals and the legitimate means to achieve them. People who conform work hard, follow the rules, and strive to achieve success as defined by society. For example, a student who studies diligently to get good grades and secure a well-paying job is conforming to societal expectations.
2. Innovation: In this mode, individuals accept the cultural goals but reject the legitimate means to achieve them. They resort to deviant or illegal means to achieve success. For example, a person who engages in drug trafficking or embezzlement to become wealthy is an innovator. They are deviating from the acceptable means but still pursuing the same goals as those who conform.
3. Ritualism: Individuals in this mode reject the cultural goals but continue to follow the legitimate means. They may not believe in the societal definition of success but still adhere to the rules and norms. For example, a low-level bureaucrat who diligently follows rules and procedures without any ambition for personal success or promotion is a ritualist. They are conforming to the means but not the goals.
4. Retreatism: In this mode, individuals reject both the cultural goals and the legitimate means to achieve them. They withdraw from society and may engage in deviant behaviors such as substance abuse or vagrancy. For example, a homeless person who has given up on pursuing societal goals and lives on the streets is a retreatist. They are deviating from both the goals and the means.
5. Rebellion: This mode involves individuals rejecting both the cultural goals and the legitimate means and actively seeking to replace them with alternative goals and means. Rebels aim to bring about social change and may engage in protest or revolutionary activities. For example, a political activist who fights against income inequality and advocates for a more equitable distribution of wealth is a rebel. They are deviating from the established goals and means while promoting new ones.
Merton’s Strain Theory thus demonstrates how conformity and deviance coexist in a society. People adapt to the strain between cultural goals and the means to achieve them in different ways, resulting in a mix of conforming and deviant behaviors. This coexistence of conformity and deviance is essential for understanding the complexities of human behavior and social dynamics.
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