Merton’s Theory of Anomie Anomie: Deviance arises out of the discrepancy between society’s social goals and the supply of legitimate means to achieve those goals. People without the means resort to different tactics: Conformists: accept the goals of society and possess the means achieve those goals People who do not have the advantage of these means react in different ways.

Anomie/Ritualists Ritualists are honest, hard-working people often of the lower- middle-class or working class who live in modest homes and drive older cars, make some of their own clothes They attempt to follow the rules of society They lower their expectations of having fancy new cars and expensive holidays

Innovators Innovators include criminals, people who cheat on exams and bullies. They are people who use deviant means to achieve non-deviant goals Some Conformists later become Innovators Officials who accept kickbacks for work contracts & corporate executives who fix prices or falsely advertise are Inonovators

Retreatists Retreatists reject both the means and the goals of society. They withdraw from society They may be drug addicts or street people. Some religious groups are Retreatists. They may substitute salvation or meditation for worldly goals