Social control, Meaning of social control, Need of social control, Social control theory, Types of social control, Objectives and functions of social control, Social sanctions and its types, Reestablishing the OLD Social System, Regulation of Individual Social Behavior, Obedience to Social Decisions, To Establish Social Unity, To bring Solidarity, To bring Conformity in Society, To Provide Social Sanction, To Check Cultural Maladjustment, Direct social control, Indirect social control, positive or negative, physical or psychological, formal or informal, Combination

3.  Social control
 Meaning of social control
 Need of social control
 Social control theory
 Types of social control
 Objectives and functions of social
control
 Social sanctions and its types

4. The word ‘control’ may refer to two types of acts:
1. To an act of controlling; or
2. To the process, technique, device by means of which changes in the
behavior is affected.
 As applied to human relationships, the term ‘control’ may carry either
of these meanings. Sociologists are generally interested in social
controls (second meaning of control) rather than in the act of
controlling.
 It is social to the extent that it involves communication. The control
becomes social only when it brings modifications in behavior resulting from
act of communications and not from arbitrary applications of physical force.

5. DEFINATION
”Social control is a concept that refers to the ways in
which people’s thoughts, feelings, appearance, and
behavior are regulated in social systems. Social
control, however, is mainly done through
socialization in which people come to identify with a
social system and its values and norms, thereby
acquiring a stake in maintaining those values and
norms”

6.  Social control which implies the social intercourse is regulated in
accordance with established and recognized standards.
 The aim of social order:
PARSONS SAID:
“Is nipping deviant tendencies in the bud”
 If that be not done, social order would cease to exist; the
law of the brute would prevail. The world would be that
‘brutish’ and ‘nasty’ state will prevail in society.

7.  Social control works always and all the time. But in
view of the fact that society is subject to external
impact, and internal revulsions, that continuity and
change is the character of social system.
 The enforcement of social control is not simple.
 The danger is always present, it cannot be eliminated. It is
also not tolerable.
 The effectiveness of social control would therefore depend
on the appropriate coordination of the accepted means of
social control.

8.  social control is nothing but control of the society over
individuals.
 In order to maintain the organization and the order of the
society, man has to be kept under some sort of control.
 This control is necessary in order to have desired behavior
from the individual and enable him to develop social qualities.
“Social control is the term sociologists apply to those
mechanisms by which any society maintains a normative
social system. It refers to all the ways and means by which
society enforces conformity to its norms”.

9.  ROSS SAID:
“Social control refers to the system of devices whereby society
brings its members into conformity with the accepted
standard of behavior”.
 OGBURN AND NIMKOFF SAID:
“social control refers to the patterns of pressure which society
exerts to maintain order and established rules”.

10.  ACCORDING TO MACLVER:
“Social control is the way in which entire social order coheres
and maintains itself – how it operates as a whole, as a
changing equilibrium.”
 AS GILLIN SAY:
“Social control is the system of measures, suggestions,
persuasion, restrain and coercion by whatever means
including physical force by which society brings into
conformity to the approved pattern of behavior, a subgroup
or by which a group molds into conformity its members”.

11.  Social control is necessary for an orderly social life.
 The society has to regulate and pattern individual behavior to
maintain normative social order. Without social control the
organization of the society is about to get disturbed.
 If the individual is effectively socialized, he confirms to the
accepted ways from force of habit as well as from his desire of
being accepted and approved by other persons.
 According to Kimball Young, it is necessary
“to bring about conformity, solidarity and continuity of a
particular group or society”

12. Various social thinkers have expressed their views in different
ways about the need of social control which are discussed as
under:
 Reestablishing the OLD Social System
 Regulation of Individual Social Behavior
 Obedience to Social Decisions
 To Establish Social Unity
 To bring Solidarity
 To bring Conformity in Society
 To Provide Social Sanction
 To Check Cultural Maladjustment

13. 1. REESTABLISHING THE OLD SOCIAL SYSTEM:
The main need of the social control is to keep the existing order
intact. In other words it is the desire of the society to make its
member to live in manner in which their forefathers have been
living.
2. REGULATION OF INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL
BEHAVIOR:
Social control is necessary in order to regulate the individual
behavior in accordance with the social objectives and social
values. This helps to maintain the social order. Unless the
individuals live up to the prescribed norms of conduct and unless
their self-seeking impulses are subjugated to the welfare of the
whole, it would be quite difficult to maintain social organization
effectively.

14. 3. OBEDIENCE TO SOCIAL DECISIONS:
Society takes certain decisions. These decisions are
taken in order to maintain and upheld the values of the
society. Through social control attempt is made to get
the social decision obeyed.
4. TO ESTABLISH SOCIAL UNITY:
Unity is not possible without social control. Social
control regulates the behavior of individuals in
accordance with established norms which brings
uniformity of behavior and brings unity among the
individuals.

15. 5. TO BRING SOLIDARITY:
Social control is to create the feeling of solidarity in the minds of
people. In the competitive world, the weaker group may be
exploited by the stronger group or equally powerful groups may
clash among themselves.
6. TO BRING CONFORMITY IN SOCIETY:
Social control is intended to bring about uniformity in the
behavior of the individual members of the society and to bring
about different types of conformities in their societies.

16. 7. TO PROVIDE SOCIAL SANCTION:
Any marked deviation from the accepted norms, is
considered a threat to the welfare of the group as a whole.
Hence, sanctions are used by the group to control the
behavior of the individuals.
8. TO CHECK CULTURAL MALADJUSTMENT:
Society is continuously undergoing changes. The individual has
to adjust his behavior according to changes taking place in the
society. But all the individuals cannot adjust themselves to new
situations. Some may become deviants. Thus, social control is
necessary to cheek maladjustment of individuals.

18. “The Social Control theory explains how social
factors such as religion, economics, family and
education relate to the choices and actions of an
individual”

19.  Author of the Social Bond Theory
 Hirschi was born in 1935 and graduated from
University of Arizona
 His theories show little interest in race, gender, and
class.

20.  Attachments
 Commitment
 Involvement
 Belief

21.  The relationships established with others, especially
parents.
 Attachments are formed through the use of intimate
communication.
 Parents can develop a method of indirect control. Which
means, youngsters refrain from deviant behavior because
the parents relationship is psychologically present.

22.  The higher educational and
occupational aspirations an
individual holds, the higher the
cost for turning to crime.
Conforming to social standards
becomes a higher priority in
achieving specific set goals.
 It is only rational for a person to
be concerned with his or her own
self-interest

23.  People are less likely to be involved in criminal activity when
involved in activities such as sports, school activities,
homework, and their recreational pursuits.
 The less time available for leisure equals less time to get in
trouble.
 Devoting energy to productive task reduces the chances to
offend

24.  People with a strong moral belief in the law are less likely
to engage in criminal activity.
 Beliefs are based on a constant social reinforcement.
 A fundamental understanding of right and wrong is crucial
to reducing criminal activity.
 Core Values

26. Karl Mannheim, the famous social thinker, has
categorized social control under the following two
heads:
1. Direct social control
2. Indirect social control

27. “That type of social control which directly regulates
and controls the behavior of the individual is called
Direct Social Control.”

28.  This type of control is to be found in family, neighborhood,
play-groups and other types of primary
 groups. In these institutions, parents, neighbors, teachers,
classmates etc., keep control over the behavior of the
individuals.

29. “In this type of social control distant factors keep
control over the behavior of the individual.”.

30.  Such a type of control is exercised by secondary
groups through customs;
1. traditions,
2. rationalized behavior etc.
3. public opinion are important forms of indirect
social control.

31.  1. POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE MEANS:
There are two types of means according to Kimble
young. One is positive means which exists in form
of praise, prizes, fame and respect. Another mean is
negative, which found in the shape of criticism,
punishment and shames.

32.  SOCIAL CONTROL THROUGH FORCE AND
SYMBOL:
Lumby classified social control as by force and
symbol. By force he is of the view that to exert force
on individuals which through symbols. He includes
praise, rewards, groups, stare, propaganda and
criticism etc.

33.  CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS CONTROL:
Bernarol has classified it on the basis of conscious
and unconscious. Conscious social control is
developed in the real sense by the society (law).
While the unconscious is followed by individuals
but have no attention towards it and adopt
unconsciously i.e. customs and traditions.

34. Formal control is designed and regulated by some
authority like government makes law to control order.
Informal is the unwritten rules and regulations
characterized by informal authority like criticism,
sociability, public opinion etc.

35. CONTROL BY CONSTRUCTIVE AND EXPLOITATIVE
MEANS:
It includes education and social reforms while through
exploitation means control through threats and intimidation
and censorship.
Real and Artificial control:
Artificial social control imposes by an individual on himself
without the force of society. It is also called self control.
While real control is enforced by the society on individuals
and they are bound to follow these rules due to fear of
punishment.

36. According to GURVITCH social control is of the
following four types:
(a) Organized social control:
In this type of social control, the behavior of the
individual is regulated either through voluntary means
or through democratic ways. This is done through
natural ways of social control.
(b) Unorganized social control:
This social control is exercised by values of culture and
usages, traditions, fashion, symbol etc. This is an elastic
type of social control and is related to day-to-day life.

37. SPONTANEOUS SOCIAL CONTROL:
This type of social control is exercised by ideas, rules and
regulations, values, norms etc.
(d) MORE SPONTANEOUS SOCIAL CONTROL:
Social control that is exercised by direct social and group
experience, such as, aspirations, decisions, desires, etc.,
is called more spontaneous social control.

38. Kimball Young (1942) stated that the social control aims to
“bring about conformity, solidarity and continuity of a
particular group or society’. It is essential for the continued
existence of the society”.
On the basis of above analysis, the main objectives of social
control may be stated as under:
 To regulate the individual behavior and avoid clash in the
society.

39.  To maintain and re-establish the social order.
 To establish unity and solidarity among the members.
 To ensure the continuity of the group or the society.
 To secure member’s conformity to the group expectations.
 To bring society’s recalcitrant and deviant members back
into the line.
 To check cultural degeneration and social disintegration.

40. Following are the functions of social control:
 It forces persons to get obeyed social decisions.
 It maintains the equilibrium and stability in the society.
 It helps in choosing behavior and fulfilling one’s desire for
social status.
 It helps in proper socialization of the individual.
 It helps in performing social roles.
 It helps in mitigating tensions and conflict among members.
 It breeds conformity in society.

41. “A sanction is a reward or punishment that a norm
associates with a behavior or appearance”
 All social norms are accompanied by social sanctions.
 Any system of social control depends on sanctions.
 The sanctions which enforce norms are a major part of
the mechanism of social control.
 A sanction is any reaction from others to the behavior
of an individual or group.

42.  According to Oxford Dictionary of Sociology (1994):
“any means by which conformity to socially approved
standards is enforced, is called social sanction.”
 Sanctions may also be defined as the deprivations which
accompany or follow behavior which is disapproved. The
concept has played an important part in the explanation of
social order.
 Sanctions help enforce society’s value system and
uphold common beliefs about what is right and wrong

43. Following are the types of social sanction:
 positive or negative
 physical or psychological and
 formal or informal
 Combination

44. “An expression of approval and a reward for compliance”
 When society applies a positive sanction it means social controls are
successful; a desired behavior occurred and thus rewarded.
 Rewards for being detected of conforming to a social norm may
include:
 A pay raise
 A promotion
 A medal or an award
 Words of praise
 A pat on the back

45. “An expression of disapproval for noncompliance”
Incorrect behavior elicits negative sanctions that may be mild to severe and
physical or psychological, depending on the circumstances.
 Penalties for your conduct regarding a social norm
 Sanctions are what happens when people are detected of violating a
culture’s shared norms. Such penalties as:
 Fines
 Threats
 Imprisonment
 Stares of Contempt

46.  Physical sanctions bring pleasure or pain in a physical sense.
 Physical sanctions may include sitting a child in a corner or
taking a time-out, or grounding.
 Physical sanctions for positive behavior in children include
hugging, a pat on the back or issuing an allowance.

47.  psychological sanctions address a person’s feelings or
emotions.
 Shame is a psychological sanction used to repress aggressive or
undesirable behavior as well as a means to dominate and
manipulate social status.


48. “Spontaneous, unofficial expressions of approval or
disapproval that are not backed by the force of law”
 Informal sanctions remind others that their behavior is
displeasing.
 Some examples of informal sanctions are frowning, smiling,
condemnation, praise, applause or rejection.

49. “Expressions of approval or disapproval backed by laws,
rules, or policies that specify (usually in writing) the
conditions under which people should be rewarded or
punished and the procedures for allocating rewards and
administering punishments”
 When informal social sanctions are no longer sufficient in
bringing about conformity, the norms become laws that are
punishable by formal sanctions such as imprisonment,
probation or community service.
 Formal entities like police, courts and correctional institutions
enforce the laws and punish those who act against them.

50.  Criminal sanctions
 Civil sanctions
 Contempt of court sanctions
 Administrative agency sanctions
 International sanctions

51.  Both positive and negative formal sanctions are typically
public, such as awarding of prizes, announcements, news
articles, parades and public court.
 Both positive and negative Informal psychological sanctions
are actions by peers or groups and include gossip,
congratulations, ridicule or laughter.
 Informal negative sanctions typically occur in public places,
such as a school, library or church where the offender’s
inappropriate behavior results in expulsion.