Modes of Adaptation

“French sociologist Emile Durkheim coined the term anomie to describe a society in which rules of behavior have broken down during periods of rapid social change or social crisis. Anomie undermines society’s social control function. If a society becomes anomic, it can no longer establish and maintain control. Under these circumstances, the will to obey legal codes is strained, and alternatives, such as crime, become more attractive.”-Juvenile Delinquency. In the following paper I will be discussing and defining Merton’s modes of adaptation; which includes conformity, innovations, ritualism, retreatism, & rebellion.
I will first begin by discussing the mode of conformity, this “occurs when individuals both embrace conventional social goals and also have the means at their disposal to attain them. The conformist desires wealth and success and can obtain them through education and a high-paying job. In a balanced, stable society, this is the most common social adaptation. If a majority of its people did not practice conformity, the society would cease to exist.”- Juvenile Delinquency. Conformity is simply a social influence that involves change in a belief or behavior in accordance with a specific group. It ultimately means that those within a group yield to the pressures of the rest of the group in order to conform to the majority.
A good example I found on conformity was the study performed by Jenness in 1932. He was “the first psychologist to study conformity. His experiment was an ambiguous situation involving a glass bottle filled with beans. He asked participants individually to estimate how many beans the bottle contained. Jenness then put the group in a room with the bottle, and asked them to provide a group estimate through discussion. Participants were then asked to estimate the number on their own again to find whether their initial estimates had altered based on the influence of the majority. Jenness then interviewed the participants individually again, and asked if they would like to change their original estimates, or stay with the groups estimate. Almost all changed their individual guesses to be closer to the group estimate.”-Simply Psychology.
Next is the mode of innovations, this “occurs when an individual accepts the goals of society but rejects or is incapable of attaining them through legitimate means. Many kids desire material goods and luxuries but lack the financial ability to attain them. The resulting conflict forces them to adopt innovative solutions to their dilemma; they steal, sell drugs, or extort money. Of the five adaptations, an innovation is most closely associated with delinquent behavior.”- Juvenile Delinquency. This mode is often associated with delinquent behavior because individuals are simply introducing new ways of attaining things they cannot have by illegal or creative means of doing so, because achieving them by any other means may appear or seem impossible or unavailable to them.
Next is the mode of ritualism, which is defined as individuals who are “less concerned about accumulating wealth and instead gain pleasure from practicing traditional ceremonies regardless of whether they have a real purpose or goal. The strict set of manners and customs in religious orders, clubs, and college fraternities encourage and appeal to ritualists.”- Juvenile Delinquency. In this mode Merton explained that people obey norms outwardly and go through the motions just as everyone else but lack commitment to their roles and values within the social system. Due to the lack of commitment and its effect on others it can undermine morale and commitments of others within the system and begin causing divisions in the system as a whole.
Next we will be discussing the mode of retreatism, which is a combination of both innovative and ritualistic deviance, and are individuals who “reject both the goals and the means of society. Merton suggests that people who adjust in this fashion are “in the society but not of it.” Included in this category are “psychotics, psychoneurotic, chronic autists, pariahs, outcasts, vagrants, vagabonds, tramps, chronic drunkards, and drug addicts.” Because such people are morally or otherwise incapable of using both legitimate and illegitimate means, they attempt to escape their lack of success by withdrawing- either mentally or physically.”- Juvenile Delinquency. Individuals who remain within this mode are considered to be there of their own free will vs. by force.
Lastly we will be discussing rebellion, which “involves substituting an alternative set of goals and means for conventional ones. Revolutionaries who wish to promote radical change in the existing social structure and who call for alternative lifestyles, goals, and beliefs are engaging in rebellion. Rebellion may be a reaction against a corrupt and hated government or an effort to create alternate opportunities and lifestyles with the existing system.”- Juvenile Delinquency. Other examples of rebellions would be terrorists or gangs. Each of these types of individuals are considered to be in a special category and reject both cultural means and society and the venues for obtaining them.
In conclusion we have discussed Merton’s modes of adaptation; which included conformity, innovations, ritualism, retreatism, & rebellion.

Reference:
Siegel, L. J., & Welsh, B. C. (2012). Juvenile delinquency, theory, practice, and law. (11 ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.
McLeod, S. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformity.html