Final answer:
Robert Merton calls someone who engages in deviant behavior to achieve socially approved goals an 'innovator.' This term is part of his strain theory, which states that some individuals may turn to unconventional methods when they cannot achieve these goals through accepted ways.
Step-by-step explanation:
Robert Merton, a sociologist, described a person who engages in deviant behavior to achieve socially approved goals as an 'innovator.' Innovators are individuals who pursue their goals through unapproved or unconventional methods because they lack the means to achieve them through accepted social practices. According to Merton's strain theory, there are five different modes of individual adaptation to cultural goals and the institutionalized means of achieving them, among which innovation is one. Innovators may turn to deviant methods such as embezzlement or other criminal activities to achieve their aspirations, such as financial success, when legitimate avenues are not available to them. This approach stems from the pressure or strain they feel between desired societal goals and the practical availability of legitimate ways to reach those goals.