Social control

People follow rules to live in peace.

Some rules come from the government. These are called formal rules. They use laws to keep order.

Other rules are informal. These come from our friends and family. We learn them as we grow up.

Sometimes people use shame to show disapproval. This can help people follow the rules.

Rules help keep our world organized. They help us all live together well.

People use social control to keep order. This helps everyone live together. There are two main ways to do this.

One way is informal control. This happens through socialization. That is the way we learn values as we grow. We learn what is okay and what is not. People might use shame or a mean look to show disapproval. This can make a person follow the rules. Some people say these beliefs are stronger than laws.

The other way is formal control. This is done by a government. They use laws to reward or punish behavior. For example, a person might pay a fine. They might even go to jail. This is meant to stop bad acts from happening.

Cities also use new ways to manage space. They might make some areas off-limits. This can make it hard for some people to move around. In the 1980s, a new idea called broken windows theory began. It says that a clean area helps stop crime. If a place looks messy, more crime might happen. Keeping things neat helps people follow the rules.

Social control is how groups keep order in a community. It uses rules and systems to guide how people act. These systems help people follow social norms, which are the shared rules of a group. Researchers study this in many ways. They look at law, politics, and sociology. Some fields like criminology also study these patterns. Social control is a foundation for a stable society.

There are two main ways social control works. The first way is called informal control. This happens through socialization. Socialization is the way people learn values as they grow up. These values become part of a person's own personality. People might use informal sanctions to guide others. These can be simple things like a mean look or sarcasm. Sometimes, people use shame or criticism to show disapproval. These small actions can help a person follow the rules.

The second way is called formal control. This is done by a government or large groups. They use laws to reward or punish certain actions. These are called formal sanctions. For example, a person might have to pay a fine. In serious cases, they might face incarceration in jail. This is meant to stop bad behavior from happening. Governments use these rules to prevent chaos in society. Some thinkers call this type of control regulation.

History shows that social control grew with civilization. Long ago, tribal groups used it against the forces of nature. In the sixth century B.C., Athens, Greece, used formal control. They used persecutions to protect groups from harm. Many thinkers have written about these ideas. Thomas Hobbes wrote about state power in his book Leviathan. Cesare Beccaria argued that harsh punishments stop crime. In 1894, Albion Woodbury Small and George Edgar Vincent used the term "social control" in sociology.

Today, cities use new ways to manage public spaces. They might use off-limit orders to keep people out of certain areas. These are sometimes called SODA or SOAP orders. In the 1980s, a new idea called broken windows theory became popular. This theory says that the look of a place matters. If a place has broken windows or graffiti, it looks messy. This messiness might signal that crime can happen there. Keeping an area neat can help stop crime before it starts.

Social control refers to the regulations, sanctions, and systems used to restrict individual behavior. These mechanisms ensure people act in accordance with social norms and orders. It is considered a fundamental foundation of social order. Researchers across many fields study this concept. These fields include anthropology, criminology, law, political science, and sociology. By managing behavior, social control helps prevent chaos or anomie, which is a state of social instability.

Sociologists divide social control into two basic forms: informal and formal. Informal control involves the internalization of norms and values through a process called socialization. During socialization, individuals learn the customs and mores of their society. These values often become part of a person's own personality. Formal control involves external sanctions enforced by a government or large organizations. These are often called regulations. Formal control uses laws to reward or punish specific behaviors to maintain order.

Informal control relies heavily on social values and sanctions. A sanction is a reaction to an individual's behavior. Informal sanctions can be subtle, such as sarcasm, ridicule, or a disapproving look. In more extreme cases, they may include social discrimination or exclusion. Some theorists, like Edward A. Ross, argue that belief systems exert more control than government laws. This is because internalized values guide behavior from within. Positive reinforcement is also an informal tool used to reward acceptable behavior.

Formal control uses specific legal techniques to manage society. Governments use laws to set boundaries for appropriate behavior. These laws can lead to formal sanctions like fines or incarceration. Incarceration is the act of being kept in a prison or jail. Some formal controls are more severe, such as censorship or limits on political freedom. A mechanism used in this process is selective incentives. These are private goods, like gifts or services, given to people based on whether they contribute to the common good. Mancur Olson is a key figure associated with this concept.

The history of social control is tied to the rise of civilization. It began as a way for organized groups to manage the uncontrollable forces of nature. In the sixth century B.C., Athens, Greece, used criminal persecutions as a form of formal control. These actions were meant to protect certain groups from malicious interests. Philosophers have long debated these methods. Thomas Hobbes discussed state power in his work, Leviathan. Cesare Beccaria argued in On Crimes and Punishments that harsher punishments deter crime. The specific term "social control" was introduced to sociology by Albion Woodbury Small and George Edgar Vincent in 1894.

In the 20th century, the meaning of social control shifted. Originally, it meant a society's ability to regulate itself. By the 1930s, it began to mean an individual's conversion to conformity. As society changed, new methods emerged. Leading up to the end of the 1980s, the rise of the individual led to new psychotherapeutic modalities. This suggested that therapy could also function as a means of social control. Additionally, theorists like Noam Chomsky have argued that media can act as a tool for control. They suggest that mass communications can aid the interests of political and business elites.

Modern cities use complex techniques to manage public spaces. Some cities use park exclusion orders to prevent people from visiting certain areas. Others use trespass laws to privatize spaces that were once considered public. There are also off-limit orders, such as SODA (Stay Out of Drug Areas) and SOAP (Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution). These orders can spatially constrain individuals and limit their mobility. While intended to reduce crime, these methods can also make it harder for people to reach social services. This can lead to certain individuals being displaced to the margins of society.

One notable theory is the broken windows theory, which gained popularity in the 1980s. This theory suggests that the physical environment signals the health of a community. If a space has broken windows or graffiti, it indicates a lack of supervision. This disorder may signal to others that criminal activity is more likely. Conversely, maintaining an organized environment is intended to dissuade vandals. This theory changed how cities formed policies to avoid issues of unconstitutionality. It remains a significant way that urban environments are managed today.