Social control: meaning
- Social control is a concept that refers to the ways in which people’s thoughts, feelings, appearance and behaviour are regulated in a social system.
Forms and mechanisms of social control
a. Internal Social Control
- Refers to the internalization of societal norms through socialization.
- Individuals accept norms as valid and guide their own behavior accordingly.
- Guilt acts as a psychological deterrent when violating norms.
- However, when some people reject societal norms, external social control is needed.
b. External Social Control
- Society’s method of bringing deviants back into conformity.
- Operates through a system of sanctions:
- Positive sanctions = Rewards (e.g., praise, promotions)
- Negative sanctions = Punishments (e.g., fines, imprisonment)
- Often coercive and repressive, relying on force and punishment.
c. Informal Social Control
- Based on interpersonal reactions and social cues like:
- Smiling, frowning, criticism, praise, shunning, etc.
- Carried out by individuals or social groups without formal authority.
- People adjust behavior to gain approval or avoid disapproval from others.
- In larger societies, informal control is less effective, requiring formal methods.
d. Formal Social Control
- Enforced by agents of the Criminal Justice System (CJS):
- Police, courts, correctional institutions.
- These agents have legitimate power and authority to enforce laws.
- Operate within bureaucratic organizations with legal sanctioning power.
- Can work simultaneously with informal control (e.g., police arrest + community avoidance).
e. Semiformal Social Control
- Government-administered noncriminal, non-penal control systems.
- Handles troublesome behaviour not dealt with directly by the CJS.
- Involves Professional Controllers like:
- Social workers, psychiatrists, truant officers, mental hospital staff, unemployment officers, etc.
- They cannot arrest or jail, but can influence formal CJS actions.
- Their role reflects bureaucratic intervention in social control.
- Despite this, informal control remains the foundation of everyday social life.