Final answer:
Merton used the term Pathological Materialism to describe the concept of individuals facing a gap between having a socially accepted goal and not having a socially accepted way to pursue it. Merton defined five ways people respond to this gap, including conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Merton used the term Pathological Materialism to describe the concept of individuals facing a gap between having a socially accepted goal and not having a socially accepted way to pursue it. According to Merton, this gap leads to various responses called strains. He defined five ways people respond to this gap, including conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.