Social Theorists
Robert K. Merton
Also Known As Meyer Robert Schkolnick
Sociology
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Robert K. Merton was an American sociologist at Columbia University who reshaped structural functionalism into a more empirically workable form and coined a number of concepts that entered everyday language, including self-fulfilling prophecy and role model. He distinguished between the manifest and latent functions of social practices, showing that institutions can serve purposes their participants neither intend nor recognize, and his strain theory explained deviance as a consequence of the mismatch between culturally prescribed goals and the socially structured means available to achieve them. Merton was also an influential figure in the sociology of science and in developing middle-range theory as an alternative to grand, all-encompassing theoretical systems.
Facts
BirthplacePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 1 Nationality / Culture Defining ContributionPopularized the concepts of unintended consequences, the reference group and role strain, and is best known for coining self-fulfilling prophecy and role model; founded the sociology of science. 1 Notable WorkSocial Theory and Social Structure 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Robert K. Merton extended Durkheim's anomie into strain theory (Social Structure and Anomie, 1938).
Informed By
Merton was Parsons student at Harvard, though Merton later argued for middle-range theory in place of Parsons grand functionalist system.
Theories Developed
Robert K. Merton introduced the manifest/latent functions distinction in Social Theory and Social Structure to separate a practice intended effects from its unintended, often unrecognized ones.
Robert K. Merton coined middle-range theory to describe theorizing pitched between minor working hypotheses and grand, all-encompassing social theory.
Sources
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOpening sentence (birth date)Quote, Opening sentence (birth date)
Robert King Merton (born Meyer Robert Schkolnick; July 4, 1910 – February 23, 2003) was an American sociologist who is considered a founding father of modern sociology, and a major contributor to the subfield of criminology.
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOpening sentence (birth year)Quote, Opening sentence (birth year)
Robert King Merton (born Meyer Robert Schkolnick; July 4, 1910 – February 23, 2003) was an American sociologist who is considered a founding father of modern sociology, and a major contributor to the subfield of criminology.
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOpening sentence (death date)Quote, Opening sentence (death date)
Robert King Merton (born Meyer Robert Schkolnick; July 4, 1910 – February 23, 2003) was an American sociologist who is considered a founding father of modern sociology, and a major contributor to the subfield of criminology.
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOpening sentence (death year)Quote, Opening sentence (death year)
Robert King Merton (born Meyer Robert Schkolnick; July 4, 1910 – February 23, 2003) was an American sociologist who is considered a founding father of modern sociology, and a major contributor to the subfield of criminology.
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaBiography section, birth sentenceQuote, Biography section, birth sentence
Robert King Merton was born on July 4, 1910, in Philadelphia as Meyer Robert Schkolnick into a family of Yiddish-speaking Russian Jews who had immigrated to the United
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOpening sentence (nationality)Quote, Opening sentence (nationality)
Robert King Merton (born Meyer Robert Schkolnick; July 4, 1910 – February 23, 2003) was an American sociologist who is considered a founding father of modern sociology, and a major contributor to the subfield of criminology.
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOpening sentence (birth name)Quote, Opening sentence (birth name)
Robert King Merton (born Meyer Robert Schkolnick; July 4, 1910 – February 23, 2003) was an American sociologist who is considered a founding father of modern sociology, and a major contributor to the subfield of criminology.
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaMajor works section, title referenceQuote, Major works section, title reference
Social Theory and Social Structure
1. Robert K. Merton (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead paragraph, second paragraphQuote, Lead paragraph, second paragraph
He popularized notable concepts, such as "unintended consequences", the "reference group", and "role strain", but is perhaps best known for the terms "role model" and "self-fulfilling prophecy".
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