Question

Branches of the FLDS sect (found in Texas, Utah, Arizona, and British Columbia) practice polygamy; are self-sustaining communities having limited contact with outside society; and are not allowed to watch television, listen to the radio, or read any text not approved by the "Prophet." Members of this sect could be classified as ________, according to Merton’s strain theory.

a. retreatists
b. conformists
c. rebels
d. ritualists
e. innovators

Answer 1

a. retreatists

Step-by-step explanation:

Merton's strain theory states that a society has certain culturally-valued goals, as well as culturally-valued means. These indicate to people what is considered success in that particular society. However, certain groups can experience an imbalance between the goals or the means, which is called strain. One of the ways in which a person can react to strain is retreatism. This involves rejecting both the goals and the means of the society. This is the case of the sect in this example.