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Strain Theory

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This study aims to examine the dual association of emotional stability and emotional exhaustion with work deviant behavior (WDB) in an Asian context, with an insight on Malaysia. As a dispositional characteristic, emotional stability was chosen to be studied because individuals observed experiencing it at low levels, have a tendency towards deviant behavior (Berry et al., 2007; Gonzalez-Mule, DeGeest, Kiersch, & Mount, 2013; Hudson, Roberts, & Lodi-Smith, 2012; Penney et al., 2011). Similarly, employees experiencing emotional exhaustion have a tendency towards deviant behavior (Berry et al., 2007; Gonzalez-Mule et al., 2013; Hudson et al., 2012; Le et al., 2011; Penney et al., 2011). By examining the combination of emotional stability and …show more content…

Agnew’s (1992) revision of the GST provided a broader inclusion of various forms of stressors in the concept of strain. Agnew’s (1992) further analysis predicted that individuals respond to strain in multiple ways. Robust applications of GST has concentrated on criminal conducts specifically harmful conducts towards another individual in the form of theft or violence, or damaging conducts on organizational property. (Hay et al., 2010). In addition, the theory explains that negative emotions exert pressures that result in criminal and deviant behavior (Agnew, 1992). On the basis of response, GST asserts that strain-related events render negative emotional buildups with incremental need for corrective action, and deviant behavior being a potential form of response. Agnew (1992, 2001) further advanced the theory by providing conditioning factors influencing individual’s strain adaptation using deviant or non-deviant …show more content…

Our study posits emotional exhaustion as a mediating mechanism that influences job stress towards deviance. According to Hallberg and Sverke (2004), individuals’ psychological resources begin to deplete when exposed to sustained work stress and the inability to manage the sources of stress and the effects that follows. Friedman (2002 –update) further explained that this situation entails individuals to experience strain physically, psychologically and emotionally. Furthermore, extreme circumstances cause individuals to experience burnout (Thompson & Page, 1992), which is a psychological state shaped by sustained job stress, and one of its dimensions identified being emotional exhaustion (Maslach et al., 2001). Daily impacts of job stress effectively drains employee’s energy, which proceeds to emotional exhaustion (Houkes, Janseen, DeJonge & Bakker, 2003). Maslach and Jackson (1981, p. 101) defines emotional exhaustion as “the feeling of being emotionally overextended and exhausted by ones' work”. In a study conducted by Stordeur et al. (2001), effects of job-related stressors on emotional exhaustion were examined and results show that employees’ stress is positively related to increased emotional exhaustion. As a condition situated at the workplace, job

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164 Words | 1 Pages

Those three types of strains will increase the likelihood of experiencing negative emotions in proportion to the duration of stress. The links between strain and crime is that

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400 Words | 2 Pages

The strain theory implies that crime may occur because of the stress or frustration placed on people when

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1440 Words | 6 Pages

In his strain theory, Agnew identifies several other sources of strain besides Merton’s disjunction between goals and means (Hemmens & Walsh, 2014). In this perspective, strain includes the negative emotions that arise from social relationships. According to Agnew, strain occurs when from the removal of positively valued stimuli such as the loss of a romantic partner, the presentation of negative stimuli such as negative school experiences and the prevention or a threat to prevent an individual from obtaining a positively valued goal (Hemmens & Walsh, 2014). In the case of Lafeyette, his strain came from all three sources. The removal of positively valued stimuli for him was losing Terrence to prison and his two friends to death (Kotlowitz, 1991).

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1702 Words | 7 Pages

The core components of General Strain Theory include the experience of strain, the resulting negative emotions, and the coping mechanisms individuals employ to address these emotions. Stress represents the various challenges and obstacles individuals face in their lives, while negative emotions serve as the psychological responses to these stressors. Coping mechanisms encompass the strategies individuals use to cope with or alleviate their negative emotions, with criminal behavior being one potential response. In applying General Strain Theory to Ted Bundy's crimes, we can delve into his background and psychological profile to understand how the experience of strain may have influenced his descent into serial murder. Bundy's early life was marked by a series of challenges and disruptions, including the revelation that his grandparents, whom he believed to be his parents, were, in fact, his biological parents, while his mother was portrayed as his

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512 Words | 3 Pages

The general strain theory is a theory constructed by Robert Agnew. It states that violence; particularly criminal violence, is the result of straining emotions such as depression, frustration, and anger. These emotional strains arise from one of four sources: negative stimuli, removal of positive stimuli, shortcomings, and failure to achieve goals (Fox et al. 34). For Bundy, finding out that the woman who he believed to be his sister growing up was his mother was negative stimuli cognitively. He was in a sense hidden and probably felt a tinge of shame and rejection from his own mother.

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1696 Words | 7 Pages

Another component of strain theory is the gain of negative stimuli. An example of gaining negative stimuli is failing a class because the teacher is racist against the type of race the adolescent is and this type of situation increases a great amount of strain on adolescents. This component also relates to the loss of positive stimuli component of strain theory if the losing the chance to graduate from school was added. Theorists believe adolescents are unable to escape negative stimuli are more likely to have high rates of anger which

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1048 Words | 5 Pages

1. How does Strain Theory define and explain deviance? Strain theory defines deviance as the situation whereby there exists a gap or difference between societal success goals and the determined means available to the society for achieving these goals. In a society, individuals share similar goals towards success and thus have agreeable means of achieving the same, however, when such an agreement is foregone such a society has a high rate of deviance.

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1356 Words | 6 Pages

Research article examining at least one of the key words were selected for review and discussion in this chapter. Almost the entire study variables will be discussed in this chapter through reviewing relevant literature. Burnout Burnout is defined as a psychological syndrome which characterized by three concepts: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment. Emotional exhaustion refers to lack of energy and feeling that one’s emotion is used up to increase psychological demands. Depersonalization refers to treat other as objects rather than people through uncaring attitudes and behaviors.

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929 Words | 4 Pages

Timothy Brezina analyses the development of general strain theory by reviewing classical theories and it addresses the limitation of those theories. It goes in-depth to explain different strain theories and their founders such as Merton, Cohen, and Cloward and Ohlin who were influential through the 20th century. The source also explains the relationship between strain and offending and offers an extensive list of references. Iratzoqui, Amaia (04/2018).

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565 Words | 3 Pages

Strain theory is a crime theory that was developed by Robert Merton, an American sociologist. According to Robert, strain can be defined as the discrepancies that result from the goals that are culturally defined in reference to the means that are institutionalized and available to meet the set goals. As proposed by Merton, there exists a typological deviance that is based on two criteria; an individual’s belief in how the goals should be attained and an individual’s adherence or motivation to cultural goals. According to the theory, certain stressors or strains are responsible in increasing the likelihood of crime activities around the world.

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822 Words | 4 Pages

There are many theories that suggest that crime is constructed socially, or is a product of the society in which the crime is committed. One such theory, proposed by Robert Merton, is known as strain theory. While strain theory is a useful model for explaining how societal values can drive people to commit crimes, it has several flaws and does not focus on how laws are made and how this contributes to the formation of crime. While Merton suggests that laws are created from consensus within a society, it will be argued that strain theory can also support the idea that laws are a “product of conflict” (Hagan 5). Strain theory is founded on the idea that the goals of a society and the accepted means of achieving said goal causes strain that can

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2124 Words | 9 Pages

In 1985 Robert Agnew a sociologist come to an interest of studying the theory and finds a potential for the theory in explaining several causes of crime in society, but due to its limitation he developed and reformulated the theory to widen its dimension or scope. After revising the theory he come up into General strain theory of crime and builds its foundation in 1992. General strain theory argues that frustrations and anger leads someone to deviance and may result into committing a crime (Agnew, 1992). GST defines strains as negative life events and conditions which are commonly disliked by the people who experience it or negative experiences of a person in a given group (Agnew, 1992; 2001; 2006). Strain is often classified in two distinct types, the Objective Strain and the Subjective Strain.

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750 Words | 3 Pages

CHEOL YOUNG, K., & WON-WOO, P. (2015). EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTED EMPLOYEES ' AFFECTIVE COMMITMENT: TESTING MODERATING EFFECTS USING THREE-WAY INTERACTIONS. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal,43(10), 1699-1714. doi:10.2224/sbp.2015.43.10.1699 The main purpose of this article is to stress the emotional impact employee’s feel under a leader who utilizes the LMX theory.

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787 Words | 4 Pages

The structural strain theory was developed by sociologist Robert K. Merton as part of the functionalist perspective. Strain occurs when individuals find it hard to achieve cultural goals through institutionalized means (Merton, 1938). This theory suggests that there are five responses to strain, which include conformity, ritualism, innovation, retreatism and rebellion (Andersen and Taylor, 2009). The responses are developed based on two factors, which are, first, whether the individual accepts or rejects the cultural goals of the society and second, whether the individual accepts or rejects the instituitionalized means of achieving them. To understand this theory, we first have to understand what cultural goals and the institutionalized means of achieving them mean.

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1147 Words | 5 Pages

They also revealed that work overload, lack of career opportunities, skill variety and emotional labor are the forecaster for emotional exhaustion and turnover intentions. They also revealed that work overload, lack of career opportunities, skill variety and emotional labor are the forecaster for emotional exhaustion among call center employees. But if job autonomy is high then it is less likely that emotional exhaustion and emotional dissonance will impede job tension among call center employees. In addition it will play a positive role among service workers where they have to deal with the verbally abusive customers (Goussinky, 2012).

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