The book explains the reasons for decision failures using the law of unintended consequences. Unintended consequences can be grouped into three types. In the social sciences, unintended consequences sometimes unanticipated consequences or unforeseen consequences are outcomes of a purposeful action that are not intended or foreseen. The term itself was popularized by american sociologist robert k. Merton eugene garfield institute f or scientific information, philadelphia, pa usa having recently written about the unintended consequences of robert k. Manifest function, latent function, and dysfunction in. It draws inspiration from mertons work on the unintended consequences, a milestone for sociological thought, provoking contrasting reactions since when it was first published in 1936. An unexpected detriment occurring in addition to the desired effect of the policy. Mertons most popular book is social theory and social structure.
Social theory and social structure is a landmark work by robert king merton first published in 1949. Pdf the concept unanticipated consequences, coined by robert k. Clausewitz was not only wrong, he was seriously wrong. Merton social theory and social structure see other formats. Dedication this book is dedicated to the three women in my life.
Robert k merton reference groups best ias institute in delhi. The cias dronesfirst pakistan counterterrorism strategy is used to illustrate how a wellintentioned policy may generate adverse outcomes sufficient to undermine that policy. The book s theme originated with famed sociologist robert merton uncredited. Schkolnick in philadelphia into a working class eastern european jewish immigrant family. Part 3 unanticipated and unintended consequences latent functions and dysfunctions the two facets of the unintended consequences paradigm, raymond boudon merton s functionalism and the. The contributing authors provide insights on both merton. Robert merton revisited represents a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to the topics it discusses and offers a wide range of studies to illustrate them. By 1991, merton, age eighty, had produced six hundred pages of manuscript but still not completed the work. Merton eugene garfield using the histcite system of algorithmic historiography, we have created a series of online databases available to the public, which contain bibliographic records and citation links to a series of merton s publications. In his theory, merton stated that often unanticipated consequences or.
The law has been discussed by philosophers and economists for centuries including adam smith, john locke etc, but it was brilliantly explained by the sociologist robert k merton in a 1936 paper the unanticipated consequences of purposive social action. Robert merton, who died on sunday aged 92, was one of the most influential sociologists of the 20th century and was responsible, among other things, for coining the expressions selffulfilling. Jeff discusses the concept of unintended consequences as it relates to. Intended but unrealized consequences of purposive social.
It is one of the most frequently cited works in the social sciences as it is a collection of theories and insights within structural functional paradigm. This idea is related to another of merton s concepts unanticipated consequences. A perverse effect contrary to what was originally intended. Mar 20, 2020 the law of unintended consequences is the outgrowth of many theories, but was probably best defined by sociologist robert k. The book persuasively demonstrates that there will always be unintended consequences flowing from war.
Robert merton coined the habit as the unanticipated consequences of purposive action following studies that went back several years to the advent of adam smith, the economist who also coined the term the invisible hand mica 112. Basic values was merton s fourth source of unintended consequences. Merton studied under talcott parsons at harvard and later became professor at columbia. The term was popularised in the twentieth century by american sociologist robert k. The runup to the us election on november 8 saw campaigncycle rhetoric that challenged us manufacturers business structure and integration practices in the. This idea is related to another of mertons concepts unanticipated consequences. The contributing authors provide insights on both merton s work and the reception it received in the academia. This lesson will discuss robert mertons functionalist view of society. Bunintendedand bunanticipateda development to which merton himself. In spite of this broad interpretation, the volume treats merton s. Merton harvard university i i n some one of its numerous forms, the problem of the unanticipated consequences of purposive action has been treated by virtually every substantial contributor to the long history of social thought.
In the social sciences, unintended consequences sometimes unanticipated consequences or unforeseen consequences are outcomes that are not the ones foreseen and intended by a purposeful action. In this article, we tackle unintended consequences and how to minimize them in our. This account draws on the work of sociologist robert k. Merton 1936, has largely been replaced in current social science by its putative synonym, unintended consequences. Merton wrote an article, the unanticipated consequences of purposive social action, which covers five different ways that actions, particularly those taken on a large scale as by governments, may have unexpected consequences. Buy the hardcover book sociology and the unintended. A good example, if true, can be found in the popular book freakonomics. Robert mertons theory of manifest function american sociologist robert k. Avoid unintended consequences in healthcare healthcare. This brief, personal and affectionate memoir reflects my fortyyear association with robert k. Mar 23, 2011 social theory and social structure is a landmark work by robert king merton first published in 1949. Merton, one of the most influential sociologists of the 20th century, whose coinage of terms like selffulfilling prophecy and role models filtered from his academic pursuits. The law of unintended consequences is the outgrowth of many theories, but was probably best defined by sociologist robert k.
Merton, known as the father of modern sociology, who lived from the 1920s to the early 2000s. The unintended and unanticipated consequences of robert k. Unintended consequences is a novel by john ross, first published in 1996 by accurate press. In the social sciences, unintended consequences are outcomes of a purposeful action that are not intended or foreseen. Mertons unanticipated consequences of social action. The contributing authors and editors express, in this way, their general interest in the unintended, unanticipated or unexpected consequences of social action, interaction and collective decisions. So state kenneth hagan and ian bickerton, world class secondguessers and absolute strangers to nuance. Everyone is aware of the intended consequences, but the unintended are more difficult to recognize, and therefore, sociological analysis is required to uncover what they may be. Feb 28, 2011 the law of unintended consequences has long existed dating back to at least adam smith but was popularized in the twentieth century by sociologist robert k. The unintended consequences can be functional, dysfunctional or nonfunctional. The law of unintended consequences can be classified into three distinct.
The term sociology and the unintended is used in this book at its broadest. Merton has identified five potential causes of consequences we. He changed his name at the age of 14 to robert merton, which evolved out of a teenage career as an amateur magician as he blended the names of famous magicians. In 1692 john locke, the english philosopher and a forerunner of modern economists, urged the defeat of a parliamentary bill designed to cut the maximum permissible rate. Merton, which began with my chance encounter with his 1961 article in the new scientist about the phenomenon of multiples in the history of scientific discoveries. The recognized or intended consequences of any social pattern. He published a paper in 1936 about unintended consequences arising in. Merton invented the terms selffulfilling prophecy, unintended consequences, and role model. It is the relationship of the individual with the group.
Contrasting with both manifest and latent functions are dysfunctions, a type of unintended outcome that is harmful in nature. Apr 12, 2015 the concept unanticipated consequences, coined by robert k. According to sociologist robert merton, actions have intended and unintended consequences, some of which are functional, some not. Merton 1936 was responsible for many other sociological ideas captured in. Indeed, as gavin kennedy likes to point out, when adam smith uses the metaphor. American sociologist robert merton s law of unintended consequences has evolved to include political actions that result in events not foreseen by the originating government body. Unconscious or unintended functions that may reflect hidden purposes of an institution e. The law of unintended consequences the reformation messenger. A collection of essays that aims to revive the sociological debate on the unintended, unanticipated and unexpected consequences of social action, as started by robert k merton in a classic study of it provides insights on both merton s work and the reception it received in the academia. The law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of. According to merton, unanticipated consequences are actions that have both intended and unintended consequences. Although clearly a work of fiction, the story is heavily laced with historical information, including real.
The contributing authors provide insights on both merton s work and. The story chronicles the history of the gun culture, gun rights, and gun control in the united states from the early 1900s through the late 1990s. Mertons 1936 article unanticipated consequences of purposive. The law of unintended consequences belongs to the realm of sociology. His discussion supported my interest in using the science citation index to demonstrate unwitting replications in science. He spent most of his career researching and developing theories on social roles and coined the term status set to describe the collection of social statuses an individual might hold. Merton, taking inspirations from theories like above and introduces the concept of anticipatory socialization. Franzi says the term unintended consequnces comes from dr. The law of unintended consequences university discoveries. Robert k merton latent and manifest functions best ias. He considers that this concept is useful to explain social mobility in the class structure, assimilation of ethnic minorities into the culture of dominant groups. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Avoid unintended consequences in healthcare healthcare success. The unanticipated consequences of purposive social action. This collection of essays aims to revive the sociological debate on the unintended, unanticipated and unexpected consequences of social action, as started by. The first and most complete analysis of the concept of unintended consequences was done in 1936 by the american sociologist robert k. Merton laid out his theory of manifest function and latent function and dysfunction too in his 1949 book social theory and social structure. Merton s most popular book is social theory and social structure. Sociologists call any group that individuals use as a standard for evaluating themselves and their own behaviour a reference group.
This conflation suggests that unintended consequences are also unanticipated, effectively obscuring an interesting and real category of phenomenaconsequences that are both unintended and. In an influential article titled the unanticipated consequences of purposive social action, merton identified five sources of unanticipated consequences. Although everyone is aware of the intended consequences, sociological analysis is required to uncover the unintended consequences. The concept unanticipated consequences, coined by robert k. Much of mertons analytic work focused on both consequences of action that were not anticipated by the actor. My mother, lucianna ross, who taught me by her example that you have to spend on your talent and do what you believe is right. Unconscious or unintended functions that may reflect. In my case it is robert stone that i owe for giving. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Sociology and the unintended robert merton revisited book.
Merton was the preeminent figure in the sociology of science in the generation following world war ii 3. New york 1, new york 2, 23 february 2003,sociology of science and knowledge, social theory. The unrecognized or unintended consequences of any social pattern. Merton 1936 was responsible for many other sociological ideas captured in phrases that became widely used in ordinary conversation. Merton, american sociologist whose diverse interests included the sociology of science and the professions, sociological theory, and mass communication.
Most often, however, the law of unintended consequences illuminates the perverse unanticipated effects of legislation and regulation. The protestant ethic of hard work and asceticism, he wrote, paradoxically leads to its own decline through the accumulation of wealth and possessions. Merton has 46 books on goodreads with 7618 ratings. In 1969, as one of his steps toward developing a formula for valuing options. As merton notes in that essay, analyses of unanticipated consequences go back hundreds of years, to adam smith and before. The contributing authors provide insights on both mertons work and the reception it received in the academia. This is a major book by robert merton that offers us almost complete contributions made by him in. An erosion gully in australia caused by rabbits, an. A figure whose wideranging theoretical and methodological contributions have become fundamental to the field, merton is best known for introducing such concepts and procedures as unanticipated consequences, selffulfilling prophecies, focused group interviews, middlerange theory, opportunity structure, and. Feb 26, 2003 robert merton, who died on sunday aged 92, was one of the most influential sociologists of the 20th century and was responsible, among other things, for coining the expressions selffulfilling.
Merton has 46 books on goodreads with 7607 ratings. Merton, received the nobel prize in economic science in 1997. The 1936 groundbreaking analysis of this concept by sociologist robert merton in unanticipated consequences of purposive social action1 began a long history of deliberate exploration of the unanticipated, unexpected, and unintended consequences of purposeful action that arise from a complex range of factors, and impact in a variety of ways. The law of unintended consequences provides the basis for many criticisms of government programs. Merton eugene garfield chairman emeritus, isi 3501 market street philadelphia, pa 19104. Unintended consequences mostly follows the life of a man named henry bowman from the time of his birth until his lifes defining moment, some forty years later. Columbia university sociologist who created the concepts of unintended consequences and the selffulfilling prophecy. Merton identified five principle causes of unanticipated consequences. Unintended but not unanticipated consequences springerlink. Robert merton, along with myron scholes, received the 1997 nobel prize in economics for a new method to determine the value of derivatives see the biography for myron scholes for a discussion of the significance of this contribution to knowledge.
B unintendedand bunanticipateda development to which merton himself. Robert k merton reference groups best ias institute in. This book is dedicated to the three women in my life. Merton was born on 4 july 1910 in philadelphia as meyer robert schkolnick into a family of yiddishspeaking russian jews who had immigrated to the united. The law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of people. In a footnote to the 1936 article, he vowed to write a book devoted to the history and analysis of unanticipated consequences. Robert merton revisited, edited by adriana mica, arkadiusz peisert and jan winczorek, presents contributions to the workshop on unintended consequences. Sociologists have always been interested in studying unintended consequences.
Merton s inter vention d efinitely extended the life of functionalism, with the introduction of some valid new concepts. Based on the work of herbert spencer, emily durkheim and robert merton. John ross unintended consequences freedoms phoenix. Though the setting of this book reaches back more than a century and ends in the early to mid nineties, it captures what america is facing right now. Few novels or any type of media, for that matter resonate so very much with a specific culture or a certain time in history as does rosss book. Robert merton labeled the negative consequences of a social pattern. The unintended and unanticipated consequences of robert. Unintended consequence meaning unintended consequence definition unintended consequence explanation. Merton, 1 it occurred to me that i am uniquely qualified to s peak about the intended. Actions have both intended and unintended consequences.
Bruce elder sydney morning herald 04222007 this is an imaginative, wonderfully written but sober satire on the conceits of an age whose leaders still suppose that war is the way to power over others. He published a paper in 1936 about unintended consequences arising in large scale social systems. Merton is unarguably one of the most influential sociologists of his time. A further example is the now famous law of unanticipated consequences. Robert merton codified this habit in his oftcited essay, the unanticipated consequences of purposive social action. This collection of essays aims to revive the sociological debate on the unintended, unanticipated and unexpected consequences of social action, as started by robert k. Merton wrote an article, the unanticipated consequences of purposive social action, which covers five different ways that actions, particularly those taken on a large scale as by governments, may have.
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