An analysis of the behavior of Facebook users/Friends by using Merton’s

Anomie theory of deviance.

The way people behave and communicate is referred to as human behavior. It is affected and
distorted by a number of influences, including genetic composition, history, and personal beliefs
and attitudes. Both success and defeats are based on human actions. The action has a huge effect
on how politicians carry out their responsibilities and how people view them. Human behavior
refers to a person's or a group's ability to react to internal and external stimuli over the course of
their lives. Like- mentally, physically, and socially. The social sciences, which include
psychology, sociology, economics, and anthropology, study human nature.

Deviance is a term used in sociology to describe acts or activities that contradict social norms,
including both officially imposed laws and implicit violations of social norms. Weird, unusual,
and peculiar acts are also examples of deviance. (Thompson, October 2020) Deviance may also
entail criminal conduct. People disagree about what constitutes normalcy, but they even disagree
about what constitutes deviance. (SparkNotes, 2021) Robbery, assault, battery, incest, homicide,
arson, and embezzlement are all considered deviant by society. Such offenses, however, such as
those committed in violation of laws prohibiting the sale of goods on Sundays, are not at all
deviant. Furthermore, not all deviant behavior is illegal. According to Merton, there are five
types of deviance –

1. Conformity:
Analyzing the rules, Greetings, Changing Food Habits, Pursuing Fashion, Innovation, education,
and care: these are some of the words that come to mind when thinking about education and care
There are several various kinds of innovation examples, including social innovation, incremental
innovation, and transparent innovation, among others.
2. Innovation:
There are several various kinds of innovation examples, including social innovation, incremental
innovation, and transparent innovation, among others.
3. Ritualism:
When people should not follow the intention of going ahead of life and doing better in their
careers and making as much money as possible, this is an example of ritualism.
4. Retreatism:
A retreat is a drug addict whose entire life revolves around having more drugs.
5. Rebellion: A significant number of citizens refusing to obey a rule.
I randomly choose six friends from my Facebook friend list and visited their status, photos
sharing contents. Some of them did not connect or support any kind of deviant activities. But few
of them are indirectly supporting deviant activities by their Facebook status or sharing these
kinds of posts. My Facebook friends who are not connected with deviant activities are related to
some types of Anomie theory. Like – they are greeting with everyone, changing their food habits
or some of them are following and obeying the rules and regulations. Some of them are so
innovative and creative. Others who are supporting deviant activities like social violence, rape,
robbery, theft, taking drugs, too much aggression, smoking, etc. are not related to this theory.
They are connected or indirectly supporting or promoting deviant activities.

Anomie theory, which has its origins in classical sociology suggests that diverse social
conditions influence criminal behavior. On the one hand, the theory has affected studies of crime
patterns across vast social units such as nations and metropolitan centers. (Uk essays) Most
humans, according to Merton's anomie principle, aspire to attain culturally accepted aims. When
whole communities of people or persons are denied access to these targets, anomie occurs. As a
consequence, rebellious, retreating, ritualistic, innovative, and/or conformist behavior emerges.
(Eric P. Baumer, 2016)

In summary, Merton’s theory of anomie can give an understanding of the reasons behind crime
in contemporary society. People who have gone through times of anomie also feel cut off from
their culture because the standards and ideals they hold dear are no longer represented in society.
Human behavior is shaped by the groups to which individuals belong and the social relations that
exist within those divisions, according to sociology's seminal perspective. Both unlawful and
noncriminal acts are called deviant behavior, but deciding what constitutes deviant behavior by
members of a collective or political party is difficult.
Reference:

(n.d.).Retrieved from UK essays:

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/criminology/how-useful-is-robert-mertons-anomie-theory-cr
%20minology-essay.php

Eric P. Baumer. (2016, May 26). Anomie.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/human-behavior. (2021, April). Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/human-behavior

Lerner, R. M. (n.d.). Human behavior.

Schaefer, R. T. (n.d.). Sociology A Brief Introduction, 10th Edition.

SparkNotes.(2021,April).Retrieved from

https://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/deviance/section1/

Thio, A. (n.d.). A Critical Look at Merton's Anomie Theory.

Thompson, K. (October 2020). Societal and Situational Deviance.

Wright, R. E. (n.d.). Representations of Merton's Theory of Anomie.