section_heading: Životopis
paragraph_text: Merton je razvio utjecajne sociološke koncepte, poput neželjenih posljedica i samoispunjavajućeg proročanstva.<ref>Merton, Robert K. (1936-12). "The Unanticipated Consequences of Purposive Social Action". American Sociological Review 1 (6): 894–904<ref>Merton, Robert K (1968). Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: Free Press.