This regulation of conduct is known as social control. Methods of social control could either be formal or informal.
Law is a formal method of social
control while informal methods include ostracism, ridicule, gossip and censure. What is going to be discussed is the formal method of social control.
Nye focused on the family unit as a source of control and specified three types of control:
(1) direct control, or the use of punishments and rewards to incentivize particular
behaviors; (2) indirect control, or the affectionate identification with individuals who adhere to social norms; and (3) internal control, or …
- (a) Direct social control:
- (b) Indirect social control:
- (a) Organised social control:
- (b) Unorganised social control:
- (c) Spontaneous social control:
- (d) More spontaneous social control:
- (a) Positive social control:
- (b) Negative social control:
Formal social controls are those that are based on laws. They are enforced by all sorts of government agencies such as the police, judicial courts and regulation agencies. Examples of this type of social control are
policing, judicial sanctions and regulatory policies
.
Social control refers to societal and political mechanisms that regulate individual and group behaviour in an attempt to gain conformity and compliance to the rules of a given society, state, or social group. Sociologists identify two basic forms of social control –
informal control and formal control
.
Social control is the study of the mechanisms, in the form of patterns of pressure, through which society maintains social order and cohesion. … Social control is typically employed by
group members in response to anyone it considers deviant, problematic, threatening, or undesirable
, with the goal of ensuring conformity.
DIRECT SOCIAL CONTROL:
The attempts to punish or neutralize–render powerless–organizations or individuals who deviate from society's norms
.
Examples of formal social control include
the government
. The government uses laws and courts to exercise social control. The government tries to protect those following the rules and capture and punish those who do not. Governmental social control goes beyond the legal system.
Examples of Social Control Theory
Social control theory is based upon typical, everyday activities. For instance, think
about your daily routine of getting up in the morning and going to work every day
. This is an example of an action that is done in accordance with internal social control, or self-control.
Agents of social control could be defined generally as
any person or group of persons who attempts to manipulate the behavior of others through the use of formal or informal sanctions or rewards
. The importance of social control in any society is obvious.
An important objective of social control is
to maintain the old order
. … Without social control social unity would be a mere dream. Social control regulates behavior in accordance with established norms which brings uniformity of behavior and leads to unity among the individuals.
- It is an influence exerted through social suggestions, public opinion, religion and appeal.
- Influence is exercised by society bitterly than a single person or individual, such groups may be in the form of a family, union, club etc.
According to Gillin and Gillin (1948), the main function of social control is
to realize certain purposes of the group, including maintaining the social equilibrium for the continued existence of society
. Functionalists contend that people must respect social norms if any group or society is to survive.
Some sociologists have classified the social control into informal and formal means.
Sympathy, sociability, resentment, the sense of justice, public opinion, folkways and mores
are some of the informal means of social control. They are very powerful in primary social groups where interaction is on a personal basis.
Formal means of social control –
External sanctions enforced by government to prevent the establishment of chaos or anomie in society
. Some theorists, such as Émile Durkheim, refer to this form of control as regulation.
Functionalists believe
that society is based around a value consensus and social solidarity
, which is achieved by socialisation and social control. These are two types of social solidarity Durkheim believed in: Mechanical Solidarity – These societies have people involved in similar roles so labour division is simple.
