纵观社会迷乱／紧张理论百多年来的研究历史，其特点与局限性主要集中在以下几个方面。首先，先前的实证研究多于1950年代与1960年代实施。其次，这些研究多集中于探讨美国社会的迷乱程度。再次，只有少数理论与实证研究涉及社会迷乱理论的核心概念——迷乱，并侧重于研究美国社会中个人因素对迷乱的影响。本书所涉及的实证研究正是基于以上局限性而设计的。具体而言，本书在总结前人对“迷乱”这一概念研究的基础上，采用跨国性数据库，运用分层线性模型对“迷乱”这一核心概念在个人与国家层面进行分析，在一定程度上弥补了先前相关研究的不足。

CHAPTER ONE STATEMNET OF THE PROBLEM

 Introduction

 Main Criminological Theories to Explain Crime

 Anomie Theory

 Verification of A Theory

 Purpose of The Current Study

 The Current Study

 Organization of The Book

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE

 Historical Evolution of Anomie Theory

 Theoretical Perspectives

  The Anomie Perspective

 Durkheim's Theory on Social Structure and Anomie

 Merton's Instrumental Anomie and Differential Opportunity Strain

 Recent Revisions to Anomie Theory--Messner and Rosenfeld's Institutional Anomie Theory

  The Strain Perspeetive--A Brief Discussion

 Definition and Consequences of Anomie

 Durkheim and Merton's Conceptualization of Anomie

 Later Conceptualization of Anomie

 Macro-social Anomie vs. Micro-individual Anomie

 Operationalization of the Concept of Anomie Scales of Anomie

 Explanatory Variables Used in the Previous Studies

 One Country Studies:Economic-related Explanatory Variables and Findings

 One Country Studies:Non-economic Explanatory Variables and Findings

 Cross-national Studies:Explanatory Variables and Findings

 Significance of The Current Study

CHAPTER THREE METHODS

 The Research Hypotheses

 The Necessity of Using Multilevel Analysis

 The Importance of Multi-Level Analysis

  Limitations of Previous Statistical Techniques in Conducting Multi-Level Analysis

 The Advantages of Using Multilevel Statistical Methods

 Procedures in Conducting the HLM Analysis

 The Sample

 Individual-level Data Source:The World Values Survey

 National-level Data Sources

 The Variables

 The Dependent Variable

  The Independent Variables

CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS

 Descriptive Analysis

 Nation Differences in Anomie

 The Independent Variables at the Individual-level

 The Independent Variables at the National-level

 The HLM Analysis

CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

 Clarification of the Concept of Anomie

 The Determinants of Anomie

 Explaining the Low Level of Anomie in the United States

 Monetary Success vs. Legitimate Means

 Further Discussions on the "Value Shift"

 The Effect of Rapid Social Change on Anomie

Change from One Type of Society to Another --The Nation Effect on Anomie

 Interaction of Economic Growth with Nation Type

 The Limitations of the Present Study and Suggestions for the Future Research

Conclusion

REFERENCES

APPENDIX ONE

APPENDIX TWO

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

后记