Social control

• Social control

  The mechanisms in society which regulate and control human behaviour, maintaining social order
• How is social control achieved?

  • Positive reinforcement- encourage certain behaviour
  • Negative reinforcement- discourage certain behaviour
• 4 step method of social control- Berger

  • Social- desire to be accepted by others
  • Socialisation- norms and values we learn
  • Physical- violence and threats using physical force
  • Economic- loss of money or job
• Formal social control

  The regulation of human behaviour through official laws- it is explicit and obvious.
• Examples of formal social control

  • Government- passing laws
  • Courts- fines and sentences
  • Police- arrests and caution
  • Military- military-style tactics (like water cannons)
• Informal social control


  The regulation of human behaviour through the reaction of others- is is discreet and less obvious.
• Examples of informal social control

  • Socially excluding friends
  • verbal criticisms
  • Disappointed parents
  • Being passed over for a promotion at work
• Marxist view on social control

  • Social control is a tool for the ruling class to keep the proletariat oppressed
• Functionalist view on social control

  • Argue it is a tool to maintain cohesion and stability- without it, society would be chaos and unable to function