Social Structure Theories Chapter 6

Social Structure Theories

• Stratified Society: Society classifies individuals into social strata based on economic status and wealth, reflecting a hierarchy in the social structure.

• Culture of Poverty: This concept suggests that individuals in lower socioeconomic classes develop a distinct culture with values that often conflict with mainstream society, perpetuating self-sustaining cycles of poverty.

• At Risk: Refers to individuals lacking the necessary education and skills that are in demand in today’s economy, impacting their socio-economic mobility.

• Underclass: Consists of individuals at the very bottom of the social hierarchy, often lacking essential education and skills for success in contemporary society.

• Social Structure Theory: Posits that belonging to a disadvantaged economic class is a core driver of criminal behavior.

• Social Disorganization Theory: Focuses on disruptions in familial, educational, and employment institutions in inner-city areas, leading to social instability and crime.

• Strain Theory: Argues that crime arises from the disconnect between societal goals and the means to achieve them, leading individuals to seek alternative methods for success.

• Strain: Represents emotional distress stemming from perceived obstacles to achieving personal desires and objectives, often prevalent among those with limited social support.

• Truly Disadvantaged: A term denoting individuals within the most disadvantaged segment of the underclass, often isolated and facing systemic discrimination.

• Cultural Deviance Theory: Merges strain and social disorganization to explain how unique lower-class cultures develop, frequently opposing mainstream social norms.

• Subculture: A smaller cultural group within a larger dominant culture, sharing distinct values, beliefs, and practices.

• Cultural Transmission: The process of passing down behavioral norms and values through generations, resulting in stable cultural identities and lifestyles.

• Transitional Neighborhood: Areas experiencing demographic shifts, typically moving from middle to lower-class inhabitants, impacting community dynamics.

• Social Ecologists: Researchers who explore how social, political, environmental, and ecological factors interplay to influence human behavior.

• Incivilities: Rude behaviors reflecting a lack of consideration for others, which can undermine community cohesion.

• Siege Mentality: A defensive attitude adopted by residents who view outsiders, including authorities, as threats to their community's safety and integrity.

• Gentrification: The process of renewing and upgrading deteriorating urban areas, which can paradoxically lead to increases in crime rates.

• Collective Efficacy: The capacity of a community to maintain social order and intervene positively in local issues, largely based on mutual trust among residents.

• Strain Theorists: Criminologists who link crime to feelings of frustration and anger prevalent in lower-class populations due to blocked opportunities.

• Relative Deprivation: A condition where individuals experience a sense of disadvantage compared to others nearby, contributing to criminal tendencies as a response to perceived inequality.

• Anomie: A state of normlessness resulting from rapid social change, leading to confusion about acceptable behavior, and can be exacerbated by the absence of valued stimuli or the introduction of negative experiences.

• Mechanical Solidarity: A characteristic of pre-industrial societies, emphasizing cohesion based on shared traditions and collective beliefs.

• Organic Solidarity: Emerges in postindustrial societies, where social cohesion arises from interdependence and specialization among individuals in complex economic systems.