Streutheorie

Streutheorie, commonly referred to in English as strain theory, is a sociological framework that explains deviant behavior as a response to strain or pressure arising from the gap between culturally prescribed goals and the socially available means to achieve them. It originated with the work of Robert K. Merton in the 1930s, who argued that societies structured to prize certain goals can produce deviance when individuals lack legitimate ways to attain those goals.

In Merton’s formulation, individuals adapt to strain through five modes: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Conformists pursue culturally approved goals through accepted means. Innovators accept the goals but rely on illegitimate or alternative means. Ritualists abandon the goals while adhering to prescribed procedures. Retreatists withdraw from both goals and means. Rebels seek to replace the existing goals and means with new ones, often through collective action.

General Strain Theory (GST), developed by Albert J. Agnew in the 1990s, broadens the concept by including a wider array of stressors beyond blocked goals. GST identifies strains such as the removal of positively valued stimuli and the presentation of negative stimuli, and emphasizes emotional responses (anger, frustration) and coping mechanisms that can lead to deviance, including criminal acts, particularly under weak social supports.

Applications of streutheorie span criminology and sociology, informing research on juvenile delinquency, property crimes, and social inequality. Critics note limitations in measurement, context sensitivity, and the multiplicity of pathways to deviance, urging integration with other theories to capture complex social dynamics.