Question

ming works as a seamstress in the garment district. she works long hours and barely makes enough money to cover her expenses. the owners of the company recently raised the quotas of every seamstress, demanding that they get more pieces of clothing finished in the same amount of time. ming feels that this is impossible. she formulates a plan with her coworkers. they will all stop production until the owners remove the unreachable new quotas. according to merton's strain theory, what reaction is ming having to this difficult situation? question 2 options: innovation rebellion retreatism conformity

Answer 1

Ming's plan to halt production with her coworkers as a protest against the unattainable new quotas is an example of 'rebellion' according to Robert Merton's strain theory, where existing social goals and means are rejected in favor of new ones.

Step-by-step explanation:

Response to Strain Theory

Ming's reaction to the difficult situation, where the company owners demand more work without giving additional time, can be explained using Robert Merton's strain theory. According to Merton's theory, Ming's decision to stop production with her coworkers until the new quotas are revoked is an act of rebellion.

Rebellion is one of the five adaptations to strain that Merton identified, where individuals reject both the established means and goals and advocate for new ones. Ming and her coworkers are not just rejecting the new quotas (means to economic success), but they're also trying to create a new, more equitable system of work within the garment factory.