Assignment task:
Anomie-Strain Theory: Social strain causes deviance.
Merton's goal-means gap: Deviance is prevalent in society because the society encourages people to achieve success without providing equal opportunity for achieving it.
Cohen's status frustration: Deviance is prevalent among lower-class youths because they fail to achieve status in a middle-class school environment.
Cloward and Ohlin's differential illegitimate opportunity: Lower-class youths are likely to engage in delinquent activities if they have access to illegitimate opportunity.
Latest versions of the theory: The American Dream contributes to deviance by directly encouraging the use of illegal means to achieve success, while various social strains cause deviance by producing such emotions as frustration and anger.
Social Learning Theory: Deviance is learned through social interaction.
Sutherland's differential association: People are likely to become deviant if they associate with people holding deviant ideas more than with people holding antideviant ideas.
Glaser's differential identification: People are likely to become deviant if they identify themselves more with deviants than with nondeviants.
Burgess and Akers's differential reinforcement: Deviants are likely to continue engaging in deviant activities if they have been rewarded more than punished for their past deviance.
Control Theory: Lack of social control causes deviance. Social bond, self-control, and control balance: People are likely to become deviant if their bond to society and their self-control are weak or if they have a control surplus or deficit.
Braithwaite's reintegrative shaming: People are likely to become deviant if they are not made to feel ashamed for their wrongdoing or to feel they are an integral part of society.
The deterrence doctrine: People are likely to become deviant if they know their deviant acts are not punished with severity, certainty, or swiftness.
Which of the positivist theories makes the most sense to you and why?