The Role of Situational Ambiguity: An Extension of General Strain Theory

General Strain Theory (GST) posits that strains are likely to be most criminogenic when high in magnitude, viewed as unfair, associated with low social control, and promote pressure or incentive to engage in criminal coping. However, GST ignores other potential characteristics of criminogenic strain that have been particularly salient in explaining decision-making–situational unpredictability and uncertainty. Research suggests that events characterized by uncertainty and unpredictability increase situational anxiety and lead to increased stress, as well as other negative emotions such as anger, frustration, and depression. Therefore, “situational ambiguity” –unpredictability and uncertainty–can be viewed as a situational characteristic of criminogenic strain that has not been considered in prior GST literature. The current paper integrates the concept of situational ambiguity into the GST framework and further discusses the implications of this addition to the overall GST model.