ASPIRATIONS AND DEVIANCE - AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF MERTON'S THEORY

• NCJ Number: 18897
• Author(s): A B MAST
• Date Published: 1967
• Length: 195 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DISSERTATION - UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Annotation

EXAMINES ASPIRATIONS PARENTS HAVE FOR THEIR ADOLSECENT CHILDREN, ASPIRATIONS CHILDREN HAVE FOR THEMSELVES, AND HOW THIS RELATES TO THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF THE FAMILY AND THE FORMATION OF DEVIANT STANDARDS AMONG ADOLESCENTS.

Abstract

FROM A REVIEW OF LITERATURE THE AUTHOR SELECTS VARIABLES WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO THIS STUDY. INCLUDED ARE GROUP INTEGRATION VARIABLES (FAMILY, PEER GROUP, AND ETHNIC GROUP), GOAL ASPIRATION VARIABLES (PARENTS' ASPIRATIONS, PEER ASPIRATIONS, ADOLESCENT CHILDREN'S ASPIRATIONS), AND DEVIANCE VARIABLES (ATTITUDINAL AND OBJECTIVE INDICATORS THEREOF). SEVERAL HYPOTHESES ARE THEN STATED AND DISCUSSED, FOLLOWED BY A DISCUSSION OF THE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS USED FOR THIS LONGITUDINAL STUDY. THE GROUP OF RESPONDENTS FOR THE STUDY WAS THE PARTICIPATING PARENT POPULATION OF THE ARSENAL CHILD STUDY CENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH.