Compare And Contrast Merton And Erving Goffman

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Theory Paper This theory paper will provide a comparison of Robert K. Merton and Erving Goffman. These two theorists are very different. Merton is considered to be a functionalist and Goffman is an interactionist. These two different trajectories led these thinkers to have very different theories and ideas about the social world. The contrasts can be seen in some of their well known theories including Merton’s theories of the middle range and Goffman’s theories of impression management and total institutions. Merton valued a positivistic cumulative science and believed that social science should build upon previous research. He believed that sociological theory should specify the relationships between variables. Having specific and testable classifications was important for Merton (Lecture 2: Functionalism-Merton). These values led Merton to develop what he called theories of the middle range. Merton defines these as theories that lie between day to day hypothesis and the all-inclusive systematic efforts to develop a unified theory that will explain all the observed uniformities of social behavior, social organization, and social change (ibid). …show more content…

The staff usually work an eight-hour day and are socially integrated into the outside world. Conceptions of members of the other group tend to be narrow hostile stereotypes. Staff often view inmates as bitter, secretive and untrustworthy. Staff are often viewed by the inmates as condescending, highhanded and mean. Social mobility between the two groups is commonly restricted. Social distance is usually vast and often prescribed. Even talk across the boundaries may occur in special tones of voice. These restrictions help to maintain stereotypes of the other groups

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