B.

A LLB (1st SEM)

SOCIAL CONTROL

Society is a collectivity of groups and individuals. For the welfare and advancement of society, it
prescribes norms to maintain harmony or order. Social control is the way in which society regulates
the behavior of its individual members.

Social control is a pattern, suggestions, persuasion, restraint and coercion by whatever means
including physical force by which a society brings into conformity to the approved pattern of
behavior.

Social control is the way in which entire social order coheres and maintain itself.

• Social control refers to the control of society over the individual.

• Some social control implies a system of device through which society controls the activities
of individual members.

▪ H.C. Bearly says "social control is collective term for those processes, planned and
unplanned, by which individuals are taught persuaded or compelled to conform to the
usages and life values of group."
▪ E.A. Ross defines "social control as the system of devices whereby society brings its
members into conformity with the accepted standards of behavior."
▪ Ogburn and Nimkoff are of the opinion that "social control is the pattern of pressure which
society exerts to maintain order and establish rules."

To regulate
individual
behavior
To provide social
To maintain sanction
the old order NEED OF SOCIAL
CONTROL

To check
cultural To establish
Maladjustment social unity

➢ Social control is the process of using social pressure to influence the actions, beliefs, and
movements of individuals. It is the process by which a group regulates itself according to the
beliefs and values which most of its individuals hold.
 ➢ Social control is exercised through individuals and institutions, ranging from the family, to
peers, and to organizations such as the state, religious organizations, schools, and the
workplace.

Social control operates at three levels:

1. Group over group (teacher’s group & student’s group)

2. Group over its members (group leader & group members)

3. Individuals over their fellows (power full politician & fellows members)

Effective Strategies of Social Control:

o Social control refers to attempts made to influence others according to the established social
norms and standards.
o Self-control refers to the individual's attempts to guide and regulate his own behavior-
obviously in the light of some previously established ideal, goal or purpose.
o In socialization process, individuals are motivated to behave in accordance with the social
values, ideals and standards.
o Maladjustment: Individuals' failure to cope with the existing social system leads them to
maladjustment. If the agencies of social control are too harsh the chances of maladjustment
in society are probably more.

Nature of Social Control

►Social control denotes some kind of influence:

The influence may be exercised in various ways by means of public opinion, coercion, religion,
morality, ideology, leadership, law, customs, values, folkways, etc.

► It is essentially use by the society or community:

It may reflect in some cases the influence of a few extraordinary individuals over other ordinary
individual.

► It is implement for promoting the welfare of all the individuals or of the group as a whole.

It is there to serve the general interests of all and to control the dangerous selfish interests of those
who try to satisfy them.

►The social control is an old as of the society.

In the absence of social control no society can ever hold together its members for any length of time.

► It is universal.

Where there is society there is social control.

Types of social control

 *Many eminent sociologists have classified social control mainly as these two types and
this classification has been widely accepted-

SOCIAL CONTROL

INFORMAL MEANS OF SOCIAL FORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL

CONTROL (INTERNAL SOCIAL
(EXTERNAL SOCIAL CONTROL)
CONTROL

Informal Social Control (Internal social Control)- These are personal, Unofficial and uncodified. It lies
within the individual and it is developed during socialization.

Formal Social Control (External Social Control)- Codified, systematic, formal mechanism with written
set rules. External social control are formal techniques, in which Govt. is responsible to prevent
chaos in society.

INFORMAL OF SOCIA CONTROL

[Link]: Laws are formal standardized expressions of norms, enacted by legislative bodies to regulate
certain types of behavior.

[Link]: Family is a very important instrument agency of social control. Family prescribes rules and
regulations that the members have to follow. These rules and regulations form a part of social
control.

The family socializes the child into the norms, values, traditions and customs of the group. Thus,
family has predominant role in the shaping of the personality of the child. Family teaches the child to
conform to the norms of the society. It exercises control over its members to bring about
the desired action.

[Link]: Mores ' represent another category of norms. More considered to be essential for group
welfare. Mores seek to regulate the relationship between Individuals in defined situations, viz.
between wife husband, parents and children, student and teacher, They may also refer to general
social relationships in terms of honesty, truthfulness, hard work and discipline, etc. The positive
mores prescribe behavior patterns while the negative mores or taboos prescribe or prohibit
behavior patterns.

[Link]: Social codes found in every society provide standardized ways of doing things. These
ways, known as customs, have come to be accepted in the group or society.

[Link]: It is religion, which supports the folkways and modes of a society by playing super
natural sanctions behind them. It adopts. negative as well as positive means to regulate the behavior
of the individuals in society.

[Link]: Neighborhood is a simple and specific part of a community. It has a feeling or

sentiment of local unit. There may be more than one neighborhood in a community.
The neighborhood is the first community with which the individual comes into contact with. It exists,
a deep influence on its members as an agency of social control.

[Link] Opinion: Public Opinion of the people to the most important method of social control in a
democratic set up. Every man tries to escape from the criticism and condemnation by the society. He
therefore, tries to act according to public opinion and public sentiments

In a democratic set up public opinion is mare effective and important than any other agency.
Newspapers, radio, television, motion pictures. legislations, pamphlets, etc.

[Link]: Folkways are norms to which individuals confect It is customary to do so. Conformity to
folkway not enforced by law or any other agency of the society.

It is the informal acceptance of established practices in each group or society.

Folkways are manifested in matters of dress, food habits, observance of rituals, forms of worship and
methods of greeting etc.

[Link]-Group 10. Norms 11. Values

FORMAL SOCIAL CONTROL

LAW: Law is a powerful method of control.

The state runs its administration through the government.

In primitive societies, the groups followed similar occupations and individuals shared a direct and
personal relation among themselves.

These folkways, mores and customs sufficed in controlling the individual behavior. There was almost
unquestioned compliance with the formal mechanism of social control.

In short, law is an important formal means of Control to regulate the individual behavior in society

STATE: State has a vital role in administering social control.

State functions through the government. Modern nation-states strive to be welfare states, i.e. they
seek to provide to the citizens a wide range of social services like education and medical care.

In modern societies, State has become increasingly important as an agent of social control.

EDUCATION: Education in modern times is a very powerful means of social control. It prepares the
child for social living and teaches him the values of discipline, cooperation, tolerance and integration.

Educational institutions at all levels (i.e. school, college, university, etc.) impart knowledge as well as
ethics through formal structured courses and behavioral inputs.

The child learns many things from the Education institutions, which he cannot learn from other
sources.

It is education, which makes all efforts to discipline the mind of the student in the school so that he
can realize the importance of social control.

Agencies of Social Control

Agencies of Social Control refer to the entities, mechanisms, or institutions responsible for
regulating, monitoring, and influencing the behavior of individuals or groups within a society.
These agencies perform several functions to ensure that members of a community adhere to
established norms, laws, and ethical standards. There are various types of agencies involved in
maintaining social order, some of which include:

▪ Legal Systems and Law Enforcement: These are formal agencies that include the police,
judicial systems, and legal frameworks responsible for upholding the laws and regulations of
a society. They enforce rules through investigations, arrests, trials, and the imposition of
penalties.
▪ State: State is an organized and formal system of social control. State controls the human
behavior by an arrangement of law, police, jail, judiciary, government, military and
intelligence department.
▪ Educational Institutions: Schools, colleges, and universities play a significant role in social
control by instilling societal values, moral principles, and norms in students. They teach social
behavior, encourage discipline, and offer guidance on ethical conduct.
▪ Religious Institutions: Religious organizations influence social behavior and norms by
promoting moral teachings, ethical values, and societal expectations. They provide moral
guidance, standards of conduct, and norms that govern behaviors in religious and sometimes
secular contexts.
▪ Family and Peer Groups: Families and peer groups serve as early agents of socialization.
They instill values, beliefs, and behavioral expectations. Family structures, through
socialization, mold individuals from a young age, contributing significantly to social norms
and behavior.
▪ Media and Communication: Mass media, such as television, radio, print, and digital
platforms, can shape societal behaviors and norms by influencing public opinions, attitudes,
and values. They have the power to construct, reinforce, or challenge cultural standards.
▪ Workplace and Employment Regulations: Work environments and labor laws establish
codes of conduct, professionalism, and ethical practices. They influence behavior through
workplace rules, policies, and regulations.
▪ Government and Political Systems: Government institutions, legislation, and regulatory
bodies formulate laws, policies, and regulations that guide societal conduct and behavior.
They manage social order through legal systems and legislative actions.
▪ Voluntary Organizations and NGOs: These groups work to address social issues, advocate for
change, and promote specific ethical, humanitarian, or community-related causes. They
contribute to maintaining social order and addressing social problems.