Macro and Micro-Level Theories in Criminology: An Analytical Essay

There are different sociological approaches depending on the analysis levels. Macro-level theories focus on wide-scale issues affecting many people, like social change. In contrast, micro-level theories examine specific relationships between a small group of people, such as in conversations (Lumen Learning, 2022). Components of macro-level theories enable the observation of large-scale trends and patterns, while micro-level theories allow an accurate, on-the-ground analysis of issues. In criminology, the components of macro-level theories explain crime across society by explaining the variations in crime rates. On the other hand, components of micro-level theories focus on either small groups of offenders or individuals and try to explain why some people participate in criminal activities more than others.

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Macro-level theories’ components focus on society structures, unlike micro-levels components, which focus on processual differences. Macro-level theories’ components in analysis fail to view the identified patterns and trends as abstract entities unrelated to individuals carrying them out. In contrast, micro-level theories’ components do not consider other large forces that can influence an individual’s behavior (Libretexts, 2021). Micro-level theories include exchange, symbolic interactionism, and social phenomenology, while macro-level theories include the classical train and social disorganization theories.

Micro and macro-level theories are similar in some ways. Their components analyze and explain ways human behavior affects society. In criminology, they explore human behavior’s effects on an area’s crime rate. The two levels of theories can utilize any of the three perspectives, the symbolic interactionist, functionalist, and conflict, but mostly both use the conflict perspective. The two theory levels are used to explain issues affecting society and its people.

The two levels of theories have similarities and differences, which make them valuable in explaining particular crimes. However, they each have disadvantages that hinder their use. Thus, using them requires a fundamental understanding of the issue at hand to enable one to know which theory can best address an issue.

References

Libretexts. (2021, February 20). 1.4B: Levels of Analysis- Micro and Macro. Social Sci LibreTexts. https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Sociology/Introduction_to_Sociology/Book:_Sociology_(Boundless)/01:_Sociology/1.04:_The_Sociological_Approach/1.4B:_Levels_of_Analysis-_Micro_and_Macro

Lumen Learning. (2022). The Main Sociological Theories | Introduction to Sociology. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-introductiontosociology/chapter/reading-theoretical-perspectives/