Anomie
Introduction
It is known that anomie is a situation in which social norms break down due to rapid change. This study will cover and analyze the concept of Anomie and this will also cover the types of human responses.
Concept of Anomie
Anomie is a situation where social norms do not control the actions of people in society and according to Durkheim; it is a breakdown of norms. People cannot find their position in society with no clear rules to assist them. Adjustment of life and changing conditions bring dissatisfaction, issues, and deviance. Durkheim observed that periods of disruption brings increased numbers of suicide.
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Suicide is a personal act and he believes that rate of suicide is a social fact and external to any person. Suicide is a product of cultural structure of any society. He examined the different types of suicide. He gathered European nation's statistics rate of suicide. He came up with theoretical conclusions on social's suicidal causes.
A result from absence of social integration is known as Egoistic suicide. People had increased rate of suicide if not properly bound socially. Durkheim identified an example that of unmarried male with less social norms had a higher rate of suicide.
Altruistic suicide is the second type and the opposite of egoistic suicide. It arises when people are too socially filled. They are so incorporated in social groups and eager to sacrificing themselves to the interest of the group. The common example occurred among military.
There is also another form is Anomic suicide, which is divided into four types. Each concerned means and needs. This is where means are not able to meet needs.
The remaining type is fatalistic suicide. In the real world, this is an unusual phenomenon. This involves people with overregulated lives like slaves, married woman without child, and young husbands. Excessive regulation, which is the reverse situation, also leads to fatalistic suicide.
Types of Human Responses
Conformity is an adaptation where people regardless of environmental challenges to deviant behavior remain to indulge in legitimate occupational roles. The conformist allows and aims material success of cultural goal, by adhering institutionalized means.
Innovation involves cultural goal acceptance, but denial of legitimate means. The innovator goes into delinquent or criminal roles that use illegitimate means to acquire success economically.
Ritualism shows quite a distinctive type from cultural standards than innovation. The desire for economic success of the cultural goal is abandoned or rejected. Institutional norms' conformity becomes final in itself. Merton states that this response is most likely to arise within the lower middle class of society where social practices focus on tight discipline and strict conformity to rules.
Retreatism is the rejection of cultural goals and institutionalized means. It entails escape from the demand and challenges of organized society. It is introduced as an escape mechanism by which the person handles internal issue between moral limits towards the use of illegitimate means and repetitive failure to gain success legitimately.
Rebellion indicates that the rebel rejects and tries to replace new goals of the recognized society. This response refers to political deviants' role behavior, who tries to change the current structure of society.
Conclusion
Durkheim’s Anomie Theory helps us understand the behavior of various individuals in cultural society. It also shows that there are several human responses connected to this theory.
References
Henry, K. (2007). Emile Durkheim's Analysis of the Problem of Anomie and Its Connections. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Emile-Durkheims-Analysis-of-the-Problem-of-Anomie-and-Its-Connections&id=507729
Orcutt, J. (1983). The Anomie Tradition. Retrieved from http://deviance.socprobs.net/Unit_3/Theory/Anomie.htm
