According to Robert Merton, most of our goals in society are based upon ____________ values.

According to Robert Merton, most of our goals in society are based upon ____________ values.

• A. Upper class
• B. Lower class
• C. Middle class
• D. Working class

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that the culturally valued ambitions in society come from the middle-class value system. Robert Merton argued that the widely shared goals—like achieving material success and a higher social status—are rooted in middle-class notions of merit, effort, and normalization of success through conventional means. Institutions such as education and work reinforce these middle-class ideals, so even though people come from different backgrounds, the overarching goals people strive for reflect middle-class values. When legitimate paths to those goals are limited for some, the resulting strain helps explain why some pursue alternative or deviant routes.

The key idea is that the culturally valued ambitions in society come from the middle-class value system. Robert Merton argued that the widely shared goals—like achieving material success and a higher social status—are rooted in middle-class notions of merit, effort, and normalization of success through conventional means. Institutions such as education and work reinforce these middle-class ideals, so even though people come from different backgrounds, the overarching goals people strive for reflect middle-class values. When legitimate paths to those goals are limited for some, the resulting strain helps explain why some pursue alternative or deviant routes.