Final answer:
Robert Merton's anomie theory is linked to societal structure and pressures, elaborating on Durkheim’s concept of anomie by introducing strain theory, which examines how individuals respond to the gap between societal goals and the means available to achieve them.
Step-by-step explanation:
Robert Merton's version of anomie theory looks at society's structure and the pressures it places on individuals to conform to expected success-related goals, specifically focusing on the availability or absence of legitimate means to achieve those goals. Merton posited that when society encourages goal achievement but provides insufficient means, individuals experience strain. In response to this strain, they may choose different paths: conforming, innovating, ritualism, retreating, or rebelling, which can lead to various forms of deviance including criminal behavior.
Merton expanded on Emile Durkheim's original concept of anomie, which describes a state of normlessness resulting from rapid social change or a mismatch between societal goals and the means provided to achieve them. Where Durkheim associated anomie with social instability and the absence of clear norms, Merton specifically linked strain theory to the individual's relationship to societal norms, particularly in the context of the American Dream. According to strain theory, when individuals cannot access legitimate ways to achieve socially approved goals, they may turn to illegitimate or deviant methods to fulfill their aspirations.