Course Content
Rural Sociology: Meaning, Nature, Scope and Relationship, Importance in Nepalese Context and Relationship with Agricultural Extension and Other Social Sciences
0/4
Social Values and Attitudes: Meaning, Definition, Types and Role of Social Values and Attitudes in Agricultural extension
0/2
Rural Urban Continuum: Concept, Differences and Relationship Between Rural Urban Societies.
0/2
Social Groups: Meaning and Definition and Classification of Groups
0/2
Factors Considered in Formation and Organization of Groups, Stage of Group Formation, Role of Social Groups in Agricultural Extension
0/2
Social Process (Process of Social Interaction): Basic Concepts, Accommodation, Adjustment, Amalgamation, Cooperation, Consensus, Competition, Conflict and Integration
0/8
Conflict Stages, Conflict Intensity, Continuum and Conflict Management
0/4
Social Stratification: Meaning, Bases (Class, Caste, Age and Gender), Viewpoints on Stratification: Functional, Marx and Max Weber
0/3
Social Stratification and Inequality: Caste/ Ethnic and Regional Exclusion in Nepal
0/2
Social Problems and Their Solution
0/1
Socialization: Meaning, Stages and Agents of Socialization
0/2
Overview of Theories of Socialization Self by Cooley, Mead and Freud
0/3
Social Change: Meaning and Factors of Social Change
0/2
Agricultural Technology and Rural Social Change
0/1
Social System: Meaning and Elements of Social System
0/1
Leadership Meaning, Classification, Function and Role of Local Farm Leader in Agricultural Develop
0/5
Education, Psychology, Educational Psychology, Social Psychology: Definitions and Importance in Agricultural Extension
0/6
Basic Principle of Human Behaviour; Sensation, Attention, Perception: Meaning and Characteristics. Basic Concept of Change in the Behaviour, Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes. Characteristics and Differences Between Formal, Non-Formal and Informal Education
0/5
Concept of Learning; Three Domains of Learning. Types of Learners, Theorist, Pragmatist, Reflectors and Activists. Learning Cycles: Conceptualization, Construction and The Dialogue
0/4
Learning Theories: Four Learning Theories and Thorndike’s Four Laws of Learning
0/2
Effective Teaching Learning Elements. Factors Affecting Effective Teaching Learning Situation
0/2
Basic Psychological Concepts: Intelligence, Personality, Motivation, Emotions, Attitudes and Social perception
0/3
Personality: Traits, Types and Measurement. Factors Influencing the Personality Motivation: Significance, Techniques; Perception: Determinants, Errors; Attitudes: Factors Influencing the Development of Attitudes
0/5
Learn Rural Sociology and Educational Psychology with Rahul

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.
Scroll to Top