Two Conflicting Themes: Common Values Versus Class Differential Values

This paper aims at a partial reconciliation of two conflicting themes as to the pervasiveness of the acceptance of success values by differentiating between adolescents' wishes and expectations with respect to their future achievement. Adolescents' wishes tend to transcend their awareness of limitations (restricted opportunities and self-ability) while their expectations are definitely affected by their perception of social reality. Thus, if an assertion is made in terms of expectations, the view of the class differential values is supported, whereas the position of the common values is supported when adolescents' wishes are used. Merton's hypothesis regarding the genesis of lower class deviation is examined in terms of the discrepancy between wishes and expectations. A possible way of resolving the controversy is suggested by the author.