A SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL REFORMULATION OF MERTON'S TYPOLOGY OF DEVIANCE.

In this, paper the authors use information theory to restate R.K. Merton's classification of deviant behavior in mathematical terms. Merton's classification scheme has been very widely used but does not appear to have been "mathematized" to any extent. In consequence the usefulness of the schema is somewhat diminished. For example, it is difficult to measure directly the amount of anomie prevalent in a situation, and it is difficult to decide Whether, one situation is. more anomic than another. The authors illustrate the usefulness of information theory as a descriptive tool by discussing a highly simplified situation; however, the measurement techniques to be developed are applicable to more complex and realistic situations. The authors restrict their attention to the set of all motorists with 9-5 weekday jobs who are at any intersection at 8:00 a.m. seven days a week, and one will consider the following to be an exhaustive list of the goals, norms, and actions of these motorists.