Exploring anomie in a special life-stage: adolescent anomie and aggression

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical biological and social transitional period, resulting in a variety of new emotions in teenagers. Feelings of normlessness, purposelessness and meaninglessness are among these emotions. These feelings of normlessness, purposelessness, and meaninglessness are often referred to as „anomie‟ by criminologists and sociologists. This study attempts to utilize Durkheim‟s theoretical model and framework of anomie to explain adolescents‟ aggression. Data from the “National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, 1998-1999, Self Reporting Cycle 3” with a sub-sample of 5500 of adolescents [ages ranged from10-15years] are used to explore if the anomic condition in adolescence is linked to increased aggression. Results from the multivariate analysis support the hypothesis that indeed the anomic condition during adolescence is positively related to their levels of aggression.