Merton and Luhman in Sociology
SOC. 351
#6 - Robert Merton’s Contributions to Sociological Theory
Robert Merton studied under Talcott Parsons at Harvard University and was influenced by Pitirim Sorokin and Paul Lazarsfeld respectfully. Although Merton valued the relationship he had with Parsons and admired much of his work, he “diverged from Parsonian functionalism…in his decision to abandon the quest for an all-encompassing theory. He chose rather, to take the path of what he calls ‘middle range theories’” (p.46), designed to conduct empirical examination of societies’ functions and dysfunctions. Merton’s best known published work in the field of sociology is the book he authored titled Social Theory and social Structure where he discussed the relationship between theory and empirical exploration. Merton enjoyed testing his hypotheses in the real world but also focused a lot of his attention on functional examination and his theory of deviance.
Theories of the middle range are basically theories which supply detailed hypotheses that can result in empirical data. Merton viewed the middle range theories as theories that would gradually merge into a more generalized system of theories. The middle range theories are Merton’s attempt to close the gaps between natural studies and the wide-ranging theories that are famously associated with works like Parsons’ general theory of action. Merton wished to formulate a framework of theories that would provide theoretical research for cross tabulated data.
Merton thought of society as a system of interconnectivity. He termed “the codification of functional analysis in sociology” to establish a functional model that limited critiques but offered less precise propositions about the composition of societies. Merton argued that “the central orientation of functionalism is expressed in the practice of interpreting the data by establishing their consequences for larger structures in which they are implicated.” (p.47) Merton questioned whether the
#6 - Robert Merton’s Contributions to Sociological Theory
Robert Merton studied under Talcott Parsons at Harvard University and was influenced by Pitirim Sorokin and Paul Lazarsfeld respectfully. Although Merton valued the relationship he had with Parsons and admired much of his work, he “diverged from Parsonian functionalism…in his decision to abandon the quest for an all-encompassing theory. He chose rather, to take the path of what he calls ‘middle range theories’” (p.46), designed to conduct empirical examination of societies’ functions and dysfunctions. Merton’s best known published work in the field of sociology is the book he authored titled Social Theory and social Structure where he discussed the relationship between theory and empirical exploration. Merton enjoyed testing his hypotheses in the real world but also focused a lot of his attention on functional examination and his theory of deviance.
Theories of the middle range are basically theories which supply detailed hypotheses that can result in empirical data. Merton viewed the middle range theories as theories that would gradually merge into a more generalized system of theories. The middle range theories are Merton’s attempt to close the gaps between natural studies and the wide-ranging theories that are famously associated with works like Parsons’ general theory of action. Merton wished to formulate a framework of theories that would provide theoretical research for cross tabulated data.
Merton thought of society as a system of interconnectivity. He termed “the codification of functional analysis in sociology” to establish a functional model that limited critiques but offered less precise propositions about the composition of societies. Merton argued that “the central orientation of functionalism is expressed in the practice of interpreting the data by establishing their consequences for larger structures in which they are implicated.” (p.47) Merton questioned whether the