Reflect Critically Upon The Claim That “some Social Structures Exert A Definite Pressure Upon Certain Persons In The Society To Engage In Nonconformist Rather Than Conformist Conduct”. (Merton 1938: 672, Emphasis In Original)

Some Social Structures Exert A Definite Pressure upon Certain Persons in the Society to Engage In Nonconformist Rather Than Conformist Conduct

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Some Social Structures Exert A Definite Pressure upon Certain Persons in the Society to Engage In Nonconformist Rather Than Conformist Conduct

Introduction

A social environment has a major influence on shaping the characters and behaviors of people. It has been assumed that the behaviors of a person solely depend on society and family interactions. According to social theories of psychology, humans are drive-by internal drive to adapt to the changes in the environment by social control. A term has been quoted in a social cycle called social processing which influences persons significantly. It has been observed that persons living in an environment where they have to face social discrimination and racial disparities, they would ultimately develop thinking of superiority and inferiority based on their character. It has been also observed that social and communal factors such as low socioeconomic status and responses of society shape human behaviors. Children develop their cognitive thinking and behaviors through their interaction with the social and cultural environment. Children have been observed that they learn through their educational systems and the interaction of people with them. They develop thinking to recognize their behaviors by adapting them from the outside environment.

The social environment gives them attributes through which they learn. Similarly, people living in a low socio-cultural environment or in an area where violence is higher, they develop such skills to control people with force. It has been observed that the goals and objectives of persona are strongly dependent on the environment they are living in. Cultural and societal changes shape human behaviors. Individuals having a society of people where violence is common, they would ultimately modify their behaviors and it will shape their character. Control and force is another important contributing factor that shapes characters. Therefore, social pressures force a person to develop nonconformist conduct. Social pressures such as the company of peers and people around them would create pressure on the person which shapes his behaviors with time. The biological features of a person are different and it demands a strong and influencing positive environment for a person to grow optimally. However, disturbances in homes, divorce, single parenting and a community with aggression and forceful behaviors would enable a person to grow nonconformist behaviors. A child by birth is pure and learns through his environment and the people around him. The similar genetic makeup of a person retains with him throughout his lifetime.

In sociology and criminology, various theories are presented that describe a transformation of a character from normal to rebellious behavior. For example, strain theory has projected a concept that social pressure a person to opt for the crime. There are several drivers in society that force a person to commit a crime. According to the American Dream and Robert K Merton, society forces a person to accept the goals of society. The aims and objectives of the society become the goals and objectives of the person. There are two major factors in influencing the behaviors of a person. One is structural which refers to the concept that a person adapts to the changes which are present in the society. For example, if the specific behavior is inadequate then a person's perceptions change. This shows that a person would advantage the means available of the opportunity available for him to opt for the crime. The structural changes forced him to adopt such behaviors. The second factors are the individual one which refers to the concept that if someone is suffering from pain then he would try to get rid of his sufferings. This shows that a person would adapt to the negative behaviors of society through his sufferings and experiences. For example, the theory of significance has shown that a person neglected in the early stages of his life would develop feelings of insignificance and he would modify his character and behaviors to adapt to the changes that force him to get significance and importance from society through power and force. The use of power would be preferred by these individuals as they will start thinking that through the power they can earn anything they want. Use of strength and power would become a weapon for them to show aggression and anger on societies to satisfy their needs. The pain and sufferings of a person are very important in shaping the behaviors of persons in society. These drivers force a person to modify their thinking according to their needs and requirements. Also. Society is an important part of a person's life. Without society and the community, a person would not get the opportunity to earn the nonconformist behaviors. According to the concepts of Merton's theory, a person suffering from strain or pressure would react in five different ways. Social factors such as disturbances in homes, single parenting, divorce and a community with aggression and forceful behaviors would enable a person to grow nonconformist behaviors. A child by birth is pure and learns through his environment and the people around him. The similar genetic makeup of a person retains with him throughout his lifetime.

Merton’s Theory and Five Outlines

First conformity, by which a person has developed cultural and societal goals that are socially acceptable. The person would be hopeful poor. Second is innovation, socially unapproved means to gain culturally approved aims. For example, stealing to satisfy his financial security. The person would be surviving the poor in this case. The third is ritualism which implies that socially accepted means to gain less elusive aims. The person would be passive poor in this case. Forth is retreatism which implies that to reject cultural as well as a means to gain something and after this, a person would try to escape from it. A person would be retreating poor in this way. Rebellion is the fifth form in which a person rejects the prescribed means and cultural means to achieve them and instead work to replace both of these ways. The person would be resisting the poor in this way.

According to the concepts of general strain theory, emotions are the major drivers for the crimes in a person. It has been observed that the emotions of a person force him to adapt to the changes in the environment. The key role played by the modification are the motions. For example, if a loss of a parent was a painful feeling for a person then this pain will force him to develop negative stimuli in them. This shows that the absence of positive stimuli can also influence a person's life. Parents are the positive energy for a person who helps him to regain strength in times of need. In the absence of them or even one of them, a person would have to go through a different scenario to handle conditions of life. Similarly, observation and presence of negative stimuli in life, for example, physical assaults will also encourage a person to develop negative feelings. A person has several thoughts at the time when he encounters negative feelings but he will be pressurized and forced to adapt to the negative thoughts. Also, in case a person fails to reach his goals and objectives of life, he will ultimately develop negative thoughts towards life. For example, a child living poverty may have not the strength to overcome his childish thoughts and will ultimately develop the habit of stealing. The beginning of everything has some significant reason behind him such as loss of positive stimuli, loss of parents, and loss of positive emotions and presence of negative stimuli. According to Carl Rogers, a person needs essential energy and strength from the society to develop his thoughts and cognitive thinking. The development of a child depends greatly on the settings of societies in which he is residing.

A person needs food and education to grow his behaviors however, according to Carl Rogers, a person also needs a positive and good society to develop his behaviors optimally. Socially acceptable behaviors are those that are considered as positive. Family interactions and the social environment is important for the development of children. The social environment from society and schools is equally responsible for shaping the behaviors of persons. The interaction of persons and people around children is important in a way to treat others. Children learn through their environment to adapt to the changes and variations of society. It has been observed that people living in low socio-economic conditions would develop behaviors that are not acceptable socially. Persons are bound to develop behaviors through their surroundings.

Persons living in a good environment would develop skills to learn problem-solving behaviors with time. Therefore, social theories have a strong influence in the development and shaping of behaviors of persons. According to these social theories, a person's environment and the atmosphere are very crucial in shaping human behaviors. Socially acceptable behaviors are positive and influencing behaviors by the societies. A behavior that is influenced by force and strain would help in the development of persons with socially impaired behaviors. Therefore, it is true that socially acceptable behaviors would be shaped according to the surrounding of a person. As a consequence, a person needs to shape his characters and behaviors through his cognitive and psychological development. Also, intelligence, interpersonal thinking, cognitive development, and the environment are all responsible factors in shaping behaviors. It is also true that pressure and strain from the surrounding would enable a person to develop and shape his behaviors.

Pressure from surrounding and environment would enable a person to modify his behaviors. Loss of positive stimuli or absence of positive factors in life would also engage a person towards socially impaired behaviors such as violence, viciousness, and assaults. Additionally, it has been suggested that people living in poverty and low socio-economic conditions would also develop such impaired behaviors in them. Therefore, there are several factors that shaper the behaviors of persons. Crime and offense are socially impaired behaviors that are strongly influenced by the environment of societies. Drug abuse, alcohol consumption, violence are some strong negative behaviors form societies that are strongly influenced by the environment of communities.

Persons living in a healthy environment would develop problem-solving behaviors that will help them to shape their behaviors positively. However, a person living in poverty and society of violence of crime then he would most probably develop socially impaired behaviors. Therefore, social structures and pressures force a person in the communities to develop and engaged in nonconformist behaviors and conduct rather than choosing conformist behavior. The theory of Merton has significantly influence the sociology and criminology by providing a detailed overview of behaviors of criminology. The theory has highlighted several factor that human behaviors are significantly influenced by the environment they are living in. Therefore, it is true that social structures and pressure a person in the societies to develop and engaged in nonconformist behaviors and conduct rather than choosing conformist behavior.

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