Albert Cohen Albert Cohen - Status frustration
Cohen was the first Mainstream values of success commonly tend
sociologist to develop to cause problems for young W/C males, due to
subcultural theory of not being able to achieve them.
working-class crime This leads to ‘status frustration’ as they are
and deviance. frustrated with their status and getting little to no
respect.
Delinquency refers to As a solution, some W/C adolescents will create their own
criminal/antisocial acts subculture. They then create their own norms and values
of young people. which differ from what is possessed by mainstream society.
The subculture values antisocial and criminal behaviour, and it
provides a way ‘failed’ young W/C people can solve the problem
of status frustration. By succeeding through the values of the
delinquent subculture, they receive respect and admiration from
their peers.
This is where collective deviance may potentially come in. Gang members
require an audience to gain respect, the ‘successful’ delinquent gains status
in the eyes of their peers, and so they succeed and climb this alternative
status hierarchy.
Status frustration being the problem could explain
Crime and criminal activities such as joyriding and fighting
Deviance - (crimes not for monetary gain).
Subcultural
- Develops Cohen’s theory to show that W/C Evaluation Theory Evaluation Cohen’s theory was able to explain W/C
delinquency is not simply concerned with
crime that isn’t for monetary gain, which
financial gain
Merton’s theory was not able to do.
- Provides explanations for a variety of
subcultures Cloward and Ohlin - opportunity structures
- Tends to box off subcultures, ignoring They argue that Cohen fails to explain why delinquent
everything in between. subcultures take different forms.
They agree with Merton; delinquency results from legitimate opportunity structures being closed for young,
W/C males. However, their response depends on what environment they grow up in.
They identified 3 types of delinquent group subculture:
● Criminal subculture: developed in areas where crime is already well established. This provides an illegitimate opportunity structure. Role models
teach young men how to climb the professional criminal ladder.
● Conflict subculture: Developed in areas where the illegitimate opportunity structure is absent. Low social cohesion, and frustration in young men
due to little opportunity to succeed through both legitimate and illegitimate means leads them to gang violence and a chance to gain respect from
other gang members.
● Retreatist subculture: Developed among those who have failed to succeed through legit means or as members of the other subcultures. Their
subcultures are based more on illegal drug use.
Cohen was the first Mainstream values of success commonly tend
sociologist to develop to cause problems for young W/C males, due to
subcultural theory of not being able to achieve them.
working-class crime This leads to ‘status frustration’ as they are
and deviance. frustrated with their status and getting little to no
respect.
Delinquency refers to As a solution, some W/C adolescents will create their own
criminal/antisocial acts subculture. They then create their own norms and values
of young people. which differ from what is possessed by mainstream society.
The subculture values antisocial and criminal behaviour, and it
provides a way ‘failed’ young W/C people can solve the problem
of status frustration. By succeeding through the values of the
delinquent subculture, they receive respect and admiration from
their peers.
This is where collective deviance may potentially come in. Gang members
require an audience to gain respect, the ‘successful’ delinquent gains status
in the eyes of their peers, and so they succeed and climb this alternative
status hierarchy.
Status frustration being the problem could explain
Crime and criminal activities such as joyriding and fighting
Deviance - (crimes not for monetary gain).
Subcultural
- Develops Cohen’s theory to show that W/C Evaluation Theory Evaluation Cohen’s theory was able to explain W/C
delinquency is not simply concerned with
crime that isn’t for monetary gain, which
financial gain
Merton’s theory was not able to do.
- Provides explanations for a variety of
subcultures Cloward and Ohlin - opportunity structures
- Tends to box off subcultures, ignoring They argue that Cohen fails to explain why delinquent
everything in between. subcultures take different forms.
They agree with Merton; delinquency results from legitimate opportunity structures being closed for young,
W/C males. However, their response depends on what environment they grow up in.
They identified 3 types of delinquent group subculture:
● Criminal subculture: developed in areas where crime is already well established. This provides an illegitimate opportunity structure. Role models
teach young men how to climb the professional criminal ladder.
● Conflict subculture: Developed in areas where the illegitimate opportunity structure is absent. Low social cohesion, and frustration in young men
due to little opportunity to succeed through both legitimate and illegitimate means leads them to gang violence and a chance to gain respect from
other gang members.
● Retreatist subculture: Developed among those who have failed to succeed through legit means or as members of the other subcultures. Their
subcultures are based more on illegal drug use.
