119k views
2 votes
Which of the following is an example of innovation as defined in Robert Merton's anomie theory of deviance?

a. an advocate for a new form of government initiates a blog
b. a bureaucrat demands higher wages
c. a prison guard agitates for a labor union
d. rather than writing an original essay, a student copies his submission from the Internet

User Gerwitz
by
7.4k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

In Robert Merton's anomie theory of deviance, innovation involves using illegitimate means to achieve socially acceptable goals, such as embezzlement for startup funds, rather than initiating a blog or demanding higher wages within the system.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Robert Merton's anomie theory of deviance, innovation occurs when individuals adopt unconventional means to achieve socially acceptable goals due to the lack of legitimate avenues. In this context, option a, 'an advocate for a new form of government initiates a blog', does not directly correspond to innovation as defined in Merton's theory.

The correct example of innovation would be an entrepreneur who resorts to illegitimate means, such as embezzlement, for start-up funds because they cannot afford to launch their company legitimately. Options b, c, and d are not examples of innovation. A bureaucrat demanding higher wages (option b) is pursuing increases within a legitimate framework; a prison guard agitating for a labor union (option c) is seeking to influence labor conditions through established systems; and a student copying an essay from the Internet (option d) is engaging in a form of cheating rather than innovating to achieve their goals.

User Daf De Giraf
by
8.2k points