Institutional Anomie Theory How much do we trust

Institutional Anomie Theory

How much do we trust other people?

People will lie if they can get away with it. % Agree All Students Males Females Nation* 89. 9% 90. 0% 88. 4% 60. 0% *Kanter and Mirvis (1989)

People claim to have ethical standards but few stick to them when money is at stake. % Agree All Students Males Females Nation* 81. 0% 90. 0% 76. 7% 62. 0% *Kanter and Mirvis (1989)

An unselfish person is taken advantage of in today’s world. % Agree All Students 92. 1% Males 100. 0% Females 88. 4% Nation* 50. 0% *Kanter and Mirvis (1989)

Family Education What institutions in society encourage us to look out for ourselves? For one another? Economy Religion Politics

Messner and Rosenfeld (1994) Institutional Anomie Theory • Institutional balance of power • Economy, family, education, polity • Institutional anomie (imbalance) • Economic values permeate and weaken other institutions and their social values • Increases anomie: sense of normlessness • Reduces social controls over behavior

Institutional Anomie Theory Economic values penetrate noneconomic institutions Communitarian values and social bonds are weakened Social controls over behavior are reduced

Institutional Anomie Theory in a Nutshell • Economic values penetrate and weaken non- economic institutions leading to lower levels of social control over self-serving behaviors, including deviance & crime

Policy Implication of Institutional Anomie Theory • Foster an institutional balance of power • Strengthen non-economic social institutions and the communitarian values they transmit