Question

According to Robert K. Merton, people experience tension when they are exposed to cultural goals that they are unable to obtain because they do not have access to culturally approved means of achieving those goals. Which theory describes this idea?

a. Strain theoryb. Control theoryc. Opportunity theoryd. Differential association theory

Answer 1

The answer is a. Strain theory.

Step-by-step explanation:

Strain theory explains that individuals are pressured into achieving certain goals, even though they lack the means necessary to do so. The concept is often referred to in criminology, and states that people may engage in criminal behaviours as a result of the strain created by social standards.