Merton's Anomie Theory Case Study

There have not been very many empirical studies on Merton’s anomie theory. According to Schaible and Altheimer, there have been some studies to examine the widely recognized micro-level “deviant adaptions”, but few on directly examining Merton’s macro-level propositions (Schaible and Altheimer, 2015). Three articles were chosen that empirically test Merton’s anomie theory at the macro-level. The different ways this theory is tested can either help or hurt the support of the theory. Some theories that do not support Merton’s theory are not well balanced in their methodology or operationalization ways. While, the ones that do support his theory are. Some of these studies significantly influence Merton’s work, while others could potentially upset it by using poor data, sampling, etc. By

This study sets apart from others because the sole purpose of this study is to falsify Merton’s Macro-level anomie theory of crime. Similar to other studies, Chamlin and Sanders also use a sample of 43 national-states that participated in EVS (European Values Study) (2013). They sample nation-states because it recognizes variations in the acceptance of values relating to material success are most likely to occur at the societal level of spatial aggregation (Chamlin & Sanders, 2013). Showing how cultural success or goals occur within all of society. In this study the researchers also gather data from UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), they ask interviewees questions about acceptance of material success goals, blocked opportunities, they do this to measure how people are gaining success and how others are not doing such a thing (Chamlin & Sanders, 2013). Differing from the first two studies analyzed, this one seems to be much smaller sample size, using less data, and a less sophisticated approach. Their methodology and operationalization was not as concise as the other