Robert K. Merton quotes

Robert K. Merton was an influential American sociologist famous for his theories on social structure and the concept of the “self-fulfilling prophecy.” His work laid the foundation for modern sociology and contributed key concepts such as “role model” and “reference group.” He became one of the most widely cited sociologists in history and shaped the development of social science. Here are 12 of his quotes:

The extreme emphasis upon the accumulation of wealth as a symbol of success in our society militates against the completely effective control of institutionally regulated modes of acquiring a fortune.

Robert K. Merton

Most institutions demand unqualified faith; but the institution of science makes skepticism a virtue.

Robert K. Merton

It is likely that the emphasis upon the metaphysical and epistemological implications of the sociology of knowledge can be traced, in part, to the fact that the first proponents of this discipline stemmed largely from philosophical rather than scientific circles. The burden of further research is to turn from this welter of conflicting opinion to empirical investigations which may establish in adequate detail the uniformities pertaining to the appearance, acceptance and diffusion, or rejection and repression, development and consequences of knowledge and ideas.

Robert K. Merton

[Merton states that anomie represents] An acute disjunction between the cultural norms and goals and the socially structured capacities of members of the group to act in accord with them.

Robert K. Merton

Scientific research is not conducted in a social vacuum.

Robert K. Merton

By social structure is meant that organized set of social relationships in which members of the society or group are variously implicated.

Robert K. Merton

The last two decades have witnessed, especially in Germany and France, the rise of a new discipline, the sociology of knowledge (Wissenssoziologie), with a rapidly increasing number of students and a growing literature (even a "selected bibliography” would include several hundred titles). Since most of the investigations in this field have been concerned with the socio-cultural factors influencing the development of beliefs and opinion rather than of positive knowledge, the term. "Wissen” must be interpreted very broadly indeed, as referring to social ideas and thought generally, and not to the physical sciences, except where expressly indicated.

Robert K. Merton

The ethos of science involves the functionally necessary demand that theories or generalizations be evaluated in [terms of] their logical consistency and consonance with facts.

Robert K. Merton

The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behaviour which makes the original false conception come "true".

Robert K. Merton

The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the originally false conception come true. The specious validity of the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates a reign of error. For the prophet will cite the actual course of events as proof that he was right from the very beginning.

Robert K. Merton