10.1.2

Subcultural Theory

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Status Frustration

Albert Cohen researched working-class boys and how they  face strain in the mainstream middle-class culture of the education system.

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Cohen

  • Cohen researched working class boys and how they face strain in the mainstream middle class culture of the education system.
  • They are unable to succeed in education which places them at the bottom of the official status hierarchy, not being able to achieve mainstream goals. 
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Status frustration

  • As a result of being unable to achieve through legitimate means the boys suffer status frustration. 
  • They turn to others in the same situation and form a delinquent subculture with alternative values, rejecting the goals of the school.
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Alternative status hierarchy

  • The boys form subcultures, based on their shared experiences and create new goals that are achievable to them, which tend to conflict with the middle class culture of the school.
  • Cohen claimed this results in an 'alternative status hierarchy' as the boys are competing with each other to see who can be the best delinquent in the school. 

Cloward and Ohlin   

Cloward and Ohlin argued not all subcultures respond to their failure in the same way. They suggested that there were three different forms of subculture that exist.

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  1. Criminal subcultures 

  • Exist mainly in inner-city estates in which a criminal culture is dominant.
  • It is easy for frustrated youths to learn criminal skills and have the opportunity to practice their trade.
  • They have criminal role models to look up to and learn from.
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  1. Conflict subcultures 

  • Also emerge in inner-city estates, particularly in areas that suffer from a high social turnover.
  • It is difficult for a criminal culture to develop as different gangs battle with each other for overall control.
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  1. Retreatist subcultures

  • Some youths who want to be criminals do not always succeed.
  • These individuals become ‘double failures’ and are unlikely to succeed in professional or violent crime so turn to illegal drug use instead. 

Jump to other topics

1Theory & Methods

2Education with Methods in Context

3Option 1: Culture & Identity

4Option 1: Families & Households

5Option 1: Health

6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

7Option 2: Beliefs in Society

8Option 2: Global Development

9Option 2: The Media

10Crime & Deviance

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