What is the definition of social control?

Answer 1

Social control means , control of individual behavior by society, and that control of social institutions should be in the interest and welfare of the whole society. Some warnings and directions of prohibited activities, are an example of social control

1- social control is an influence ,which may be exerted through various means of control like public opinion, force, public appeal, social ,religious organizations.

2- This influence should be implemented by society-there are so many groups who exercise this influence, like family, trade union church ,state, school ,neighborhood, clubs, religious groups etc.

3- The influence should be exercised for promoting the welfare and interest of the entire group.

Every society must have harmony and unity. without it no society actually could remain in existence. To maintain the society effectively ,it needs some rules and regulation. in other words behavior patters for members are essential. To obey and follow these rules and regulation society needs its implementation. There are various ways to implement such things. In other words we can say some special type of behavior is expected from members of society. Such expected or controlled behavior is called social control.

Social control means , control of individual behavior by society, and that control of social institutions should be in the interest and welfare of the whole society. Some warnings and directions of prohibited activities, are an example of social control

Social control refers to social mechanisms that regulate individual and group behavior, leading to conformity and compliances to the rules of a given society or social group. Many mechanisms of social control are cross-cultural, if only in the control mechanisms used to prevent the establishment of chaos or anomie. Some theorists, such as Emile Durkheim, refer to this form of control as regulation.

Definitions of Social Control.

When we use this word, the ideas which generally comes in mind is of police .court ,law, force, prison of force and harassment. But in sociological term it is used in broader sense. Social control has been defined by MacIver as "the way in which entire social order coheres and maintain itself-how it operates as a whole ,as a changing equilibrium."1(Society p137)

To Ogburn and Nimkoff;"the patterns of pressure which a society exerts to maintain order and established rules ."

Landis defines social control,"as a social process by which individualis made group -responsive ,and by which social organization is built and maintained." (Social Control.p.4)

Lumely expresses social control,"as the practice of putting forth directive, stimuli or wish-patterns, their accurate transmission to and adoptionby,other whethe voluntarily or in voluntarily."(Means of Socila control.p13.)

On the basis of above definition it is cleared that social control is different from concept of self control. To undrstand more this concept. there are three important things to learn.

1- social control is an influence ,which may be exerted through various means of control like public opinion, force, public appeal, social ,religious organizations.

2- This influence should be implemented by society-there are so many groups who exercise this influence, like family, trade union church ,state, school ,neighborhood, clubs, religious groups etc.

3- The influence should be exercised for promoting the welfare and interest of the entire group.

Sociologists identify two basic forms of social controls

1. Internalization of norms and values, and

2. The use of sanctions, which can be either positive (rewards) or negative (punishment).

Applications of social control theoryAccording to the Propaganda model theory, the leaders of modern, corporate-dominated societies employ indoctrination as a means of social control. Theorists such as Noam Chomsky have argued that systematic bias exists in the modern media.[4] The marketing, advertising, and public relations industries have thus been said to utilize mass communications to aid the interests of certain business elites. Powerful economic and religious lobbyists have often used school systems and centralized electronic communications to influence public opinion. Democracy is restricted as the majority is not given the information necessary to make rational decisions about ethical, social, environmental, or economic issues.

In order to maintain control and regulate their subjects, authoritarian organizations and governments promulgate rules and issue decrees. However, due to a lack of popular support for enforcement, these entities may rely more on force and other severe sanctions such as censorship, expulsion and limits on political freedom. Some totalitarian governments, such as the late Soviet Union or the current North Korea, rely on the mechanisms of the police state.

Sociologists consider informal means of social control vital in maintaining public order, but also recognize the necessity of formal means as societies become more complex and for responding to emergencies. The study of social control falls primarily within the academic disciplines of anthropology, political science, and sociology.