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.
Formal social control is expressed through law as statutes, rules, and regulations against deviant behavior. Government and organizations using law enforcement mechanisms and other formal sanctions such as fines and imprisonment conduct it. In democratic societies the goals and mechanisms of formal social control are determined through legislation by elected representatives and thus enjoy a measure of support from the population and voluntary compliance.
Informal social control denominates customs, traditions, norms and other social values inherited by the individual. It is exercised by a society without explicitly stating these rules and is expressed through customs, norms, and mores. Informal sanctions may include ridicule, sarcasm, criticism and disapproval. In extreme cases sanctions may include social discrimination and exclusion. This implied social control usually has more effect on individuals because they become internalized and thus an aspect of personality. Traditional society uses mostly informal social control embedded in its customary culture relying on the socialization of its members to establish social order. More rigidly structured societies may place increased reliance on formal mechanisms.
As with formal controls, informal controls reward or punish acceptable or unacceptable behavior (i.e., deviance). Informal controls are varied and differ from individual to individual, group to group and society to society. For example, at a women’s institute meeting, a disapproving look might convey the message that it is inappropriate to flirt with the minister. In a criminal gang, on the other hand, a stronger sanction would be applied in the case of someone threatening to inform to the police.
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