home Interpreter What is the meaning of social control. Social control - types and main functions

What is the meaning of social control. Social control - types and main functions

People who love to philosophize and scold society often talk about freedom, which, from their point of view, is so lacking in a person in modern world. However, living in a society, we must reckon with it, even if we do not like them. Because anarchy, anarchy, and hence the arbitrariness of the strong is much worse than any laws. In addition, the influence of society is manifested not only at the formal, but also at the informal, psychological level. And this influence, which is very significant for us, is called social control.

Despite the name, social control is not necessarily society's supervision of each of its members and the forcible control of people's behavior. This is primarily an imperceptible and often almost imperceptible influence. social control is perceived as an external, overwhelming force only if a person consciously or unconsciously violates generally accepted norms, does not justify the expectations of members of his community.

A person brought up within a certain society passes in childhood, learns the norms and rules of behavior. Therefore, he may not notice the action of social control, because its principles do not contradict generally accepted ones.

Therefore, in psychology, social control is considered primarily as the influence of society on the formation of socially acceptable behavior of the individual. And only in the case of antisocial behavior, violation of group norms, evasion from fulfilling the duties of one's own social role the other side of social control becomes noticeable - coercive and suppressive.

Thus, social control cannot be viewed as an external force in relation to a full-fledged, socialized member of society. Any normal adult person is the same conductor of social control as other people. In contrast to social control, formal legal control is carried out by special state bodies, which seem to stand above society.

Instruments of social control

Formal control relies on capabilities and status state institutions, including law enforcement agencies, the court, the media. This makes it possible to widely use both educational measures, and means of persuasion, and coercive measures. Social control works very differently. Although he also has such channels as persuasion, coercion and education, the tools, mechanisms and methods of influence in social control are completely different.

The mechanism of mental imitation

This mechanism was named the main instrument of informal control as early as the 19th century in the work of G. Tarde, the founder of social psychology. Mental imitation is a very ancient phenomenon that ensures the survival and stable existence of any society: not only humans, but also higher animals.

In humans, imitation is manifested in copying (often unconscious) behavior, communication methods, means and forms of communication of people around. It is this mechanism that is considered the main and most effective tool of socialization and social control in early childhood. Moreover, imitation in humans plays an even more important role than in animals, because the human child is born almost completely devoid of innate, instinctive forms of behavior. He learns upright posture, speech, objective activity, rational thinking from adults, mainly through imitation. Whereas, for example, a puppy does not need to be taught to bark and wag its tail - this is inherent in its nature.

At an older age, when a person can already comprehend his actions, imitation continues to play a huge role. Those norms of behavior followed by our immediate environment are learned primarily through imitation. And often this happens unconsciously, and stereotypes of behavior are fixed on. Therefore, the learned norms are observed automatically, one might say, reflexively.

No persuasion, much less coercion, is needed in this case, and social control undergoes internalization, that is, it becomes intrapersonal. Moreover, violation by other people social norms causes a feeling of discomfort, irregularity, a desire to stop antisocial actions. That is, having learned the rules of behavior and group values, a person himself becomes a conductor of social control.

The mechanism of mental imitation makes the work of social control imperceptible, and a person simply does not feel it and does not think about it, does not feel either the violence or coercion of society.

Expectations

Have you noticed how often we do not what we want, but what others expect of us: relatives, friends, colleagues? No, they don't force or persuade us, often they don't say anything at all. We just know that these people expect certain things from us, and therefore we do them. There are several reasons for this:

we do not want to upset friends and relatives;
strive to earn respect or support;
understand the need to conform to the accepted role;
we just got used to doing what more authoritative, significant, adult people expect from us.

These social expectations are called expectations (from the English expectation). Not spoken out loud, not imposed by force, they control our behavior. The most telling example of the influence of expectations is following stereotypes. So, knowing what people expect from a seller, a doctor, a housing and communal services employee, representatives of these professions consciously or unconsciously try to meet expectations. It is interesting that this mechanism plays not only a positive role. For example, a traffic police officer also knows these expectations.

In the family, in the circle of friends, in the community of colleagues - everywhere expectations are an effective tool of social control. A husband calls his wife if he is late at work, because he knows that his wife is waiting for this call. An office employee stays after the end of the working day to complete a burning project together with colleagues, because he knows that they expect just such an act from him.

Expectations, of course, are not rigidly set, and it happens that people do not follow them, do not justify the expectations of others. Then society applies to them.

Sanctions

It is an important tool of social control, performing the functions of both coercion and encouragement. The term "social sanctions" refers to any action of society aimed at regulating human behavior in accordance with group norms. Sanctions are of two types:

positive or encouraging, demonstrating the approval of the society and support for the actions of one of its members;
negative or judgmental various forms punishment or coercion directed at individuals who violate generally accepted rules and norms.

Social psychologists believe that positive sanctions work more efficiently than negative ones, since the encouragement stimulates people to do the right things that are useful for society. But punishment and condemnation can cause resentment, irritation, anger, and even rejection and demonstrative antisocial behavior.

Most social sanctions, both positive and negative, are associated with public opinion - the sphere in which all group problems are raised and solved, including those related to the behavior of individual members of the group. True, most often this applies only to such actions that affect the interests of society as a whole.

Public or group opinion is the attitude of society to some significant events for it, including the actions of individuals. It is considered an integral phenomenon, that is, the result of the interaction of people discussing an important issue or event. In the media, you can find the following phrase: "He is the spokesman for public opinion." From a psychological point of view, this is not true. A single person, even a leader, cannot be the spokesman for the society's opinion; such an opinion is not the "arithmetic average" either. And even, sometimes, it does not coincide with the point of view of the majority of members of society. Here is such a paradox. To study a group-wide point of view on some issue in psychology, there are special techniques, for example, a focused group interview, in other words, the “focus group” method.

Public opinion is very effective tool social control. Often, condemnation of 1-2 people can be brushed aside - this is their personal opinion, and it is no more significant than yours. But the condemnation of the community as a whole by a person is experienced very hard. It sometimes creates such an oppressive psychological atmosphere that the violator of the norms is forced to leave the group, leave his job, or even move to another place of residence.

But the approval of public opinion is also perceived very positively, it seems to give a person wings, inspire them to important, significant actions, encourage them to sacrifice their own interests for the good of society. No wonder there is such a saying: "In the world and death is red."

Functions of social control

Social control is an important part of the life of society, which without it could not exist at all. It is more important than the formal legal one, since it is based not on laws adopted by a group of people, but on the needs of society, on traditions, on norms revered by the majority of the members of the group. Often, society is even less strict towards the violator of the formal law than towards the one who does not respect group norms and traditions. Among the many functions of social control, the main ones can be distinguished:

Regulation of behavior and relations of people in society.
Ensuring the process of socialization, that is, the assimilation by the individual of the norms of the group.
Adaptation function - social control helps a new member of the community to adapt to the requirements of society.
Integration - ensuring effective interaction of group members and rallying them around common traditions and norms.
Protection of common group interests, ensuring the safety of community members.
Maintaining the stability of society, preventing attempts by individuals to destroy established norms and values.

Attitudes towards social control can be far from unambiguous, and at times frankly negative. After all, in a number of cases it not only infringes on the rights of individuals, but also supports clearly outdated and non-progressive norms and values. But it should be remembered that this is the main mechanism that ensures the stability of society. Often society simply does not experience too dramatic changes, and when social control collapses, anarchy and chaos ensue.

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municipal autonomous educational institution

Perevozsky municipal district of the Nizhny Novgorod region

"Ichalkovskaya secondary school"

social studies presentation

social control

(questions of the USE codifier)

Ganyushin M.E.,

history teacher

highest qualification category

with. Ichalki

social relations

Social science. Codifier of exam questions.

3.9. social control

Social control is a system of ways in which society influences the activity, behavior of a person, social groups.

In a broad sense, social control can be defined as the totality of all types of control that exist in society: moral, state control, etc.

AT narrow sense it is the control of public opinion, the publicity of the results and assessments of the activities and behavior of people.

Functions of social control: protective; stabilizing (consists in the reproduction of the dominant type of social relations, social structures); regulatory.

Social norms are generally accepted rules in society that regulate people's behavior.

Sanctions are rewards or punishments aimed at maintaining social norms.

formal and informal

positive

negative

legal

customs, traditions

religious

moral

political

aesthetic

ethical

Social control is the mechanism of relations between the individual and society

Encouragement of an activity or act of a person from outside official organizations(awarding, bonuses, etc.)

Formal positive

Gratitude and approval of unofficial persons: friends, acquaintances, colleagues (praise, applause, etc.)

Informal positive

Punishment for violation of legal norms (fine, imprisonment, etc.)

Formal negative

Public condemnation of a person for an offense (scoldling, refusal to give a hand, etc.)

Informal negative

Social sanctions

Forms of social control

Internal (self-control)

A form of social control in which an individual independently regulates his behavior, coordinating it with generally accepted norms

A set of institutions and mechanisms that guarantee compliance with generally accepted norms of behavior and laws

In the process of socialization, the norms are assimilated so firmly that people, violating them, experience a sense of awkwardness, the emergence of a sense of guilt and, as a result, pangs of conscience. Conscience is a manifestation of internal control.

Ways to implement social control in a group and society:

- through socialization (socialization, shaping our desires, preferences, habits and customs, is one of the main factors of social control and establishing order in society);

- through group pressure (each individual, being a member of many primary groups, must share a certain minimum of cultural norms accepted in these groups and behave appropriately, otherwise condemnation and sanctions from the group may follow, ranging from simple remarks to expulsion from given basic heading);

- through coercion (in a situation where an individual does not want to comply with laws, regulatory regulators, formalized procedures, a group or society resorts to coercion to force him to do like everyone else).

Depending on the sanctions applied, control methods:

a) direct: hard (the tool is political repression) and soft (the tool is the operation of the constitution and the criminal code);

b) indirect: hard (tool - economic sanctions of the international community) and soft (tool - the media);

c) control is exercised in organizations: general (if the manager gives a task to a subordinate and does not control the progress of its implementation); detailed (such control is called supervision).

Anomie -

1) the state of society, in which the significance of social norms and prescriptions has been lost for its members, and therefore the frequency of deviant and self-destructive behavior (up to suicide) is relatively high;

2) the lack of standards, standards of comparison with other people, allowing you to assess your social position and choose patterns of behavior, which leaves the individual in a "declassed" state, without a sense of solidarity with a particular group

2. Find a concept that is generalizing for the rest of the concepts in the series below.

1) law; 2) traditions; 3) morality; 4) social control; 5) social sanctions.

1. Write down the missing word in the diagram.

3. Below is a list of terms. All of them, with the exception of two, relate to the concept of "social control".

1) encouragement; 2) punishment; 3) social mobility; 4) social norm; 5) social sanction; 6) social stratification.

4. Fill in the gap in the table "Forms of social control"

Interior

5. Find formal positive sanctions in the list below.

1) government awards

2) friendly praise

3) state awards

4) presentation of diplomas

5) applause

6) friendly disposition

6. Find a concept that is generalizing for all other concepts of the series below, and write down the number under which it is indicated.

1) social control; 2) etiquette; 3) legal norms; 4) encouragement; 5) punishment.

7. Select the correct judgments about social control and write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1) Social control is based on moral and legal norms.

2) Social control is a set of sanctions applied to violators of social norms.

3) Support and encouragement of the immediate environment is an important mechanism of social control.

4) Social control is only formal, it does not work in an informal environment.

5) Social sanctions ensure compliance with social norms in society.

8. Below is a list of terms. All of them, with the exception of two, are formal negative sanctions.

1) fine; 2) warning; 3) refusal to give a hand at a meeting; 4) reprimand; 5) boycott; 6) arrest.

9. Select the correct judgments about social control and write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1) An element of social control is social norms.

2) Social control is carried out only by state bodies.

3) Social control serves as an important means of preventing deviant behavior.

4) An award by a government body is an example of an informal positive sanction.

5) Internal self-control helps the individual to build relationships with other people.

10. Choose the correct judgments about social control and write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

1) Informal social control is carried out by applying only positive sanctions.

2) Social control is necessary to maintain the stability of social life.

3) Depending on the nature of the sanctions, it is customary to distinguish between progressive and regressive social control.

4) Social control includes a set of methods and methods that guarantee the fulfillment of role requirements for the individual.

5) Social control ensures compliance with certain conditions, the violation of which is detrimental to functioning social system.

11. Establish a correspondence between positive sanctions and examples illustrating them.

12. Establish a correspondence between the manifestations of social control and its forms.

13. Read the text below, each position of which is indicated by a specific letter.

(A) Social control is a mechanism by which society enforces certain restrictions (conditions), the violation of which is detrimental to the functioning of the social system. (B) The elements of social control are social norms and social sanctions. (C) Sociological survey data show that almost 50% of respondents do not violate the norms for fear of punishment. (D) It is puzzling that almost a quarter of those surveyed expect rewards for following the norms. (E) It seems that social control is effective only when citizens consciously follow accepted norms.

Determine which positions of the text have

1) actual character

2) the nature of value judgments

3) the nature of theoretical statements

14. Read the text below, in which a number of words are missing. Choose from the proposed list of words that you want to insert in place of the gaps.

Social norms constitute one of the elements of the mechanism for regulating relations between the individual and society, which is called ______ (A). Another element is _________ (B), which is understood as the reaction of society to the behavior of a person or group. They mean either approval and encouragement - ______ (C), or disapproval and punishment _______ (D).

Along with external control on the part of society, groups, states, other people, the most important is internal control, or _______ (D), in the process of which ________ (E) plays an important role, i.e. the feeling and knowledge of what is good and what is bad, the subjective consciousness of the conformity or inconsistency of one's own behavior with moral standards.

1) positive sanctions 6) social norms

2) self-control 7) social control

3) honor 8) conscience

4) social sanctions 9) negative sanctions

5) informal sanctions

15. “Sociologists emphasize that social control can be ________ (A) only if it adheres to the “golden mean” between freedom of choice and ________ (B) for it. The effectiveness of social control is ensured by the presence of common values that have established themselves among people, and the stability of ________ (B).

It is also necessary to distinguish between internal and external social control. In science, external control is understood as a set of social ________ (G) that regulate the activities of people. Excessively strong, petty social control, as a rule, leads to negative results. A person can completely lose the initiative and ________ (D) when making decisions. Therefore, it is important to form internal control in people, or ________ (E).”

1) independence 6) society

2) self-control 7) civil

3) efficient 8) mechanism

4) authority 9) status

5) responsibility

16. What is the meaning of social scientists in the concept of "social control"? Drawing on the knowledge of the social science course, make two sentences: one sentence containing information about the structure of social control, and one sentence revealing any function of social control.

1) the meaning of the concept, for example: social control is a system of methods of regulating the influence of society, social groups on a person;

2) one sentence with information about the structure of social control, for example: "Social control includes social norms and social sanctions";

3) one sentence, revealing, based on knowledge of the course, any function of social control, for example: "Social control serves to maintain the stability of the social system."

17. What is the meaning of social scientists in the concept of "social control"? Drawing on the knowledge of the social science course, make two sentences: one sentence with information about the types of social control based on the knowledge of the course, and one sentence revealing the features of one of the types of control.

1) the meaning of the concept, for example: "a mechanism for maintaining public order through the application of social sanctions";

2) one sentence with information about the types of social control la: “The types of social control include self-control, carried out by the person himself, directed at himself, and external control, carried out by social institutions, groups and individuals”;

3) one sentence that reveals the features of one of the types of social control, for example: “External control is formal, based on the approval or condemnation of official authorities and administration, and informal, based on the approval or condemnation of relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, as well as public opinion, which is expressed through customs, traditions, mass media ".

18. Several schoolchildren entered the tram and took all the empty seats. Next came an elderly woman with a heavy bag. None of the guys gave her a seat. One of the tram passengers made a remark to schoolchildren. What kind of social norms in this case became the basis of social control? Determine the type (type) of the applied social sanction. Give another example of a sanction of this kind (type).

The correct answer must contain the following elements:

1) Answered the first question: moral norms;

2) The type of social sanction is indicated: informal negative;

3) An example of another similar sanction is given.: refusal to communicate.

19. Colleagues accused Nikifor of dishonesty and refused to communicate with him. What kind of social norms in this case became the basis of social control? Explain your opinion. Determine the type (type) of the applied social sanction (name two of its characteristics). Give another example of a sanction of this kind (type).

The correct answer must contain the following elements:

1) kind of social norm: moral (moral);

2) explanation, for example: decency - a category of morality; we are talking about an informal assessment of human behavior from the standpoint of good and evil;

3) two characteristics of a sanction:

informal

negative;

4) additional example sanctions, let's say: refusal to give a hand.

20. Society cannot exist and develop without social control. Indicate any two functions of social control, each of which is illustrated with an example.

The correct answer must contain the following elements:

Two functions of social control are indicated, as well as examples illustrating them, for example:

1) regulation public relations(for example, moral control regulates people's behavior in terms of ideas of good and evil)

2) opposition to the asocial, destructive behavior members of society (for example, control through the application of measures of legal responsibility to offenders)

3) coordination of the lives of people, their groups, associations (for example, according to the norms of constitutional law, elections to bodies are held in the state state power)

4) encouragement of socially approved behavior (for example, applying to people who volunteered to help flood victims, incentive measures and social recognition)

21. You are instructed to prepare a detailed answer on the topic "Social Control". Make a plan according to which you will cover this topic. The plan must contain at least three points, of which two or more are detailed in sub-points.

1) The concept of social control / Social control - a set of ways in which society influences the behavior of individuals and groups.

2) Signs of social control:

b) connection with sanctions - punishments for violation of norms and rewards for their observance;

c) collective exercise of control.

3) Functions of social control:

a) regulatory (regulation of people's lives);

b) protective (preservation of values and ideals existing in society);

c) stabilizing (ensuring people's behavior in standard situations).

4) Elements of social control:

a) social norms;

b) social sanctions.

5) Types (circles) of social control:

a) formal control through legal norms;

b) informal control through moral norms, customs, mores;

c) social control in professional activity;

d) social control in the family and private life;

6) The inextricable link between external control and self-control exercised by the individual.

22. You were instructed to prepare a detailed answer on the topic "The role of social control in the development of society."

One of the options for the disclosure plan for this topic:

1) The concept of "social control"

2) Elements of social control:

a) social norms

b) formal and informal, positive and negative sanctions

3) Social control as a condition of social stability:

a) the socialization of individuals is the main goal and function of social control;

b) social control as a way to ensure the interaction of people

4) Flexibility of social control - necessary condition changes in the social system

5) Deviant and delinquent behavior

Internet resources

http://85.142.162.119/os11/xmodules/qprint/index.php?proj=756DF168F63F9A6341711C61AA5EC578- FIPI. Open bank of USE assignments. Social science
http://soc.reshuege.ru/- I will solve the exam
https://elhow.ru/images/articles/4/44/4408/inner.jpg- image "conscience"
http://cs622424.vk.me/v622424569/42a2b/lIPRXgyAvRU.jpg- the image of the "struggle of good and evil"
https://im0-tub-ru.yandex.net/i?id=cffa0e8d12665406fd5e584551705f8b&n=33&h=190&w=272- image "social control"

Literature

1) USE 2016. Social science. Typical test tasks/ A.Yu. Lazebnikova, E.L. Rutkovskaya. - M .: Publishing house "Exam", 2016.

2) Social science: USE textbook / P.A. Baranov, S.V. Shevchenko / Ed. P.A. Baranov. – M.: AST: Astrel, 2014.

3) Social science. Grade 10. Modular triactive course / O.A. Kotova, T.E. Liskov. - M .: Publishing house "National education", 2014.

Any social system has certain mechanisms inherent in it, with the help of which the rule of law in society and, in fact, its very existence is maintained. Such mechanisms are collectively called "social control". This is a set of social norms, as well as checking the behavior of an individual for compliance with these norms. These mechanisms are

manifestation of the following:

social expectations. They are direct or indirect demands of others in relation to an individual. Typically, such requirements are determined based on social status, roles, functions, and so on.
social norms. These are certain prescriptions that are examples of how the subject should act and behave in society and specific situations. Based on these norms, social expectations are established.
social sanctions. They are measures of influence on the individual by society in order to bring his behavior to social norms.

Application of social control

Social control can be exercised institutionally and

non-institutional. So, in the first case, it is assumed that supervision and measures of influence will be applied by special state or public bodies and institutions. An example of institutional control is the activity of such state mechanisms as the judiciary, administrative and political law. Non-institutional social control is special kind self-regulation of society, in which the impact is carried out by the surrounding team through the mass consciousness. In this case, public moral and psychological concepts of acceptable behavior play an important role.

Types of social control

As a rule, they reflect the formality of the actions of the institutional and non-institutional levels.

Formal social control. In this case, clearly defined norms of behavior and influence (legal acts) apply. They are mandatory, which is subject to verification by official institutions and officials.
informal social control. Accordingly, informal methods for the implementation of moral regulation are used. Usually this type is applied at the level of primary social groups: family, close circle of friends and acquaintances, labor collective. Specific measures are public censure, condemnation or encouragement and respect, ridicule, ostracism, and so on.

The form of expression of such control is the law at the formal level. On the informal level - public morality, traditions, customs, conscience, taboos as a system of prohibitions, and so on. Thus, if the behavior and actions of the individual do not meet the expectations and requirements of society, in this case, it seeks to force it to comply with them. If such coercion is impossible, such a person is subject to marginalization.

- a mechanism for maintaining public order through regulatory regulation, which implies the actions of society aimed at preventing deviant behavior, punishing deviants or correcting them.

The concept of social control

The most important condition for the effective functioning of the social system is the predictability of social actions and social behavior of people, in the absence of which the social system is waiting for disorganization and collapse. Society has certain means by which it ensures the reproduction of existing social relations and interactions. One of these means is social control, the main function of which is to create conditions for the stability of the social system, maintaining social stability and at the same time for positive social changes. This requires flexibility from social control, including the ability to recognize positive-constructive deviations from social norms, which should be encouraged, and negative-dysfunctional deviations, to which certain sanctions (from the Latin sanctio - the strictest decree) of a negative nature must be applied, including including legal ones.

is, on the one hand, a mechanism of social regulation, a set of means and methods of social influence, and on the other hand, social practice their use.

In general, the social behavior of the individual proceeds under the control of society and the surrounding people. They not only teach the individual the rules of social behavior in the process of socialization, but also act as agents of social control, monitoring the correct assimilation of social behavior patterns and their implementation in practice. In this regard, social control acts as a special form and method of social regulation of people's behavior in society. Social control is manifested in the submission of the individual social group, in which he is integrated, which is expressed in a meaningful or spontaneous adherence to the social norms prescribed by this group.

Social control consists of two elements— social norms and social sanctions.

Social norms are socially approved or legislatively fixed rules, standards, patterns that regulate the social behavior of people.

Social sanctions are rewards and punishments that encourage people to comply with social norms.

social norms

social norms- these are socially approved or legislatively fixed rules, standards, patterns that regulate the social behavior of people. Therefore, social norms are divided into legal norms, moral norms and proper social norms.

Legal regulations - These are norms formally enshrined in various kinds of legislative acts. Violation of legal norms involves legal, administrative and other types of punishment.

moral standards- informal norms functioning in the form of public opinion. The main tool in the system of moral norms is public censure or public approval.

To social norms usually include:

group social habits (for example, "don't turn up your nose in front of your own");
social customs (for example, hospitality);
social traditions (for example, subordination of children to parents),
public mores (manners, morality, etiquette);
social taboos (absolute prohibitions on cannibalism, infanticide, etc.). Customs, traditions, mores, taboos are sometimes called general rules social behavior.

social sanction

Sanction is recognized as the main instrument of social control and represents an incentive for compliance, expressed in the form of encouragement (positive sanction) or punishment (negative sanction). Sanctions are formal, imposed by the state or specially authorized organizations and persons, and informal, expressed by unofficial persons.

Social sanctions - they are rewards and punishments that encourage people to comply with social norms. In this regard, social sanctions can be called the guardian of social norms.

Social norms and social sanctions are an inseparable whole, and if some social norm does not have a social sanction accompanying it, then it loses its social regulatory function. For example, in the 19th century in the countries of Western Europe, the birth of children only in a legal marriage was considered a social norm. Therefore, illegitimate children were excluded from the inheritance of their parents' property, they were neglected in everyday communication, they could not enter into worthy marriages. However, society, as it modernized and softened public opinion regarding illegitimate children, gradually began to exclude informal and formal sanctions for violating this norm. As a result, this social norm ceased to exist altogether.

There are the following mechanisms of social control:

isolation - isolating the deviant from society (for example, imprisonment);
isolation - limiting the deviant's contacts with others (for example, placement in a psychiatric clinic);
rehabilitation - a set of measures aimed at returning the deviant to normal life.

Types of social sanctions

Although formal sanctions appear to be more effective, informal sanctions are actually more important to the individual. The need for friendship, love, recognition, or the fear of ridicule and shame are often more effective than orders or fines.

In the process of socialization, forms of external control are internalized so that they become part of his own beliefs. An internal control system is being formed, called self-control. Typical example self-control - the pangs of conscience of a person who has committed an unworthy act. In a developed society, the mechanisms of self-control prevail over the mechanisms of external control.

Types of social control

In sociology, two main processes of social control are distinguished: the application of positive or negative sanctions for the social behavior of an individual; interiorization (from the French interiorisation - transition from outside to inside) by an individual of social norms of behavior. In this regard, external social control and internal social control, or self-control, are distinguished.

External social control is a set of forms, methods and actions that guarantee compliance with social norms of behavior. There are two types of external control - formal and informal.

Formal social control based on official approval or condemnation, carried out by public authorities, political and social organizations, the education system, the media and operates throughout the country, based on written norms - laws, decrees, resolutions, orders and instructions. Formal social control may also include the dominant ideology in society. Speaking of formal social control, they mean, first of all, actions aimed at making people respect laws and order with the help of government representatives. Such control is especially effective in large social groups.

Informal social control based on the approval or condemnation of relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, public opinion, expressed through traditions, customs or the media. Agents of informal social control are such social institutions like family, school, religion. This type of control is especially effective in small social groups.

In the process of social control, violation of some social norms is followed by a very weak punishment, for example, disapproval, an unfriendly look, a smirk. Violation of other social norms is followed by severe punishments - the death penalty, imprisonment, exile from the country. Violation of taboos and legal laws is punished most severely; certain types group habits, especially family habits.

Internal social control- independent regulation by the individual of his social behavior in society. In the process of self-control, a person independently regulates his social behavior, coordinating it with generally accepted norms. This type control is manifested, on the one hand, in a sense of guilt, emotional experiences, "remorse" for social actions, on the other hand, in the form of an individual's reflection on his social behavior.

An individual's self-control over his own social behavior is formed in the process of his socialization and the formation of socio-psychological mechanisms of his internal self-regulation. The main elements of self-control are consciousness, conscience and will.

- it is an individual form of mental representation of reality in the form of a generalized and subjective model of the surrounding world in the form of verbal concepts and sensory images. Consciousness allows the individual to rationalize his social behavior.

Conscience- the ability of a person to independently formulate his own moral duties and demand from himself their fulfillment, as well as to make a self-assessment of the actions and deeds performed. Conscience does not allow an individual to violate his established attitudes, principles, beliefs, in accordance with which he builds his social behavior.

Will- conscious regulation by a person of his behavior and activities, expressed in the ability to overcome external and internal difficulties in the performance of purposeful actions and deeds. The will helps the individual to overcome his inner subconscious desires and needs, to act and behave in society in accordance with his convictions.

In the process of social behavior, an individual has to constantly fight with his subconscious, which gives his behavior a spontaneous character, therefore self-control is the most important condition for people's social behavior. Typically, individuals' self-control over their social behavior increases with age. But it also depends on social circumstances and the nature of external social control: the tighter the external control, the weaker the self-control. Moreover, social experience shows that the weaker the individual's self-control, the tougher external control should be in relation to him. However, this is fraught with great social costs, since strict external control is accompanied by social degradation of the individual.

In addition to external and internal social control of the social behavior of an individual, there are also: 1) indirect social control based on identification with a reference law-abiding group; 2) social control based on the wide availability of a variety of ways to achieve goals and satisfy needs, alternative to illegal or immoral.

Social cooperation in the conditions of the division of labor is a condition for meeting the growing needs of people, and hence for success in the struggle for survival. In human nature, prone to deviant behavior, there are forces that prevent actions that are inconsistent with the standards of behavior that lead to integration and stability. In Smelser's study, 99% of respondents admitted that they had violated the law at least once in their lives due to the contradiction between the desire for something and social norms and values.

The role of the mechanism of social control - a kind of "bypass valve" - is played by mass youth culture. Possessing the features of super-permissibility, it allows young people to “relax”, relieve emotional and deviant stress, maintain control over them from the side of elders and the standards of behavior of society. The confidence of young people in their independence from adults within the framework of youth culture forms a sense and motives of responsibility for their behavior. As a young person grows older, he usually loses interest in this culture, socializes and becomes conformed to the standards of behavior. However, for some young people, the over-permissibility of youth culture forms distinct deviant behavior and motivation.

The ultimate form of social control is insulation from the social environment - to stop the deviant's contacts with other people. This mechanism blocks potential conflicts, deviant motives and actions. Isolated people leave a field for the manifestation of conformal motives, standards of behavior. Such isolation is characteristic of criminals held in prisons. Another social control mechanism is isolation deviant from the social environment by limiting his contacts with other people, suggesting the possibility of returning to society. And finally, it is possible rehabilitation deviants, when artificial conditions are created for them to communicate with their own kind under the control of psychiatrists, guards, etc. For prisoners, such circumstances develop in terms of conditional release, deescort, etc.

Social control is also divided into (1) informal and (2) formal. Informal social control exists, according to Crosby, in the form of: (a) remuneration (approval, promotion, etc.); (b) punishment (a disgruntled look, critical remarks, the threat of physical punishment, etc.); (c) beliefs (reasoned proof of the observance of normal behavior); (d) human re-evaluation of cultural norms (as a result of all previous forms of social control plus the capacity for self-esteem).

Formal control is carried out by the state apparatus, which ensures the enforcement of standards of conduct and the motivation for such compliance with standards. AT political In countries where the basis of society is an authoritarian or totalitarian state, such control is exercised through direct violence against people in all spheres. It often remains illegitimate, giving rise to different types deviant motivation and behavior in the form of covert sabotage or even rebellion. The idea of freedom as the most important value in the life of the people was never developed in the East (in Asia) - obedience to power was considered the main value there, and any speech against it was considered as deviant and severely punished.

AT economic and economic-political countries where the basis of society is market economy, formal control over the observance of legal norms and standards of behavior is supplemented by control over the powers of officials who control the observance of conforming behavior and the fight against deviant behavior. The idea of freedom has long been a value of Western societies, giving rise to an initiative that violates traditional standards of behavior and which modern man owes to the achievements of the industrial age: among them the rule of law and representative government, the independence of courts and tribunals, judicial proceedings and redress in case of illegal actions of the state, freedom of speech and press, separation of church and state.

Functions of the social control system

Social control is a system of social regulation of people's behavior in society, ensuring their orderly interaction. In relation to society, social control performs two important functions: protective and stabilizing, and is divided into two types:

1. internal control or self-control. when an individual independently regulates his behavior, coordinating it with the norms of society, here the main criterion for moral assessment is conscience;

2. external control is a set of institutions and means that guarantee compliance with generally accepted norms.

The system of social control is carried out with the help of social norms, sanctions and institutions (agents of control).

Social norms are prescriptions, requirements, rules that define the boundaries of acceptable, socially approved behavior of people. They perform the following functions in society:

regulate the general course of socialization;
integrate the personality into the social environment;
serve as models, standards of appropriate behavior;
control deviant behavior. There are two types of social norms:

1. Formal, based on law:

formally defined;
enshrined in regulations;
confirmed by the coercive power of the state.

2. Informal u based on morality:

not formalized;
supported by public opinion.

The essence of social norms is as follows:

they allow the individual to enter into relationships with other people;
compliance with the norms is strictly controlled by a complex mechanism that combines the efforts of control and self-control through a system of sanctions and rewards.

Compliance with social norms in society is ensured through social sanctions, which represent the reaction of the group to the behavior of the individual in socially significant situations. The whole variety of social norms in society, as the effect of action increases, is divided into four types:

informal positive sanctions - public approval from the informal environment, i.e. parents, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, etc. (compliment, friendly praise, friendly disposition, etc.);
formal positive sanctions - public approval from the authorities, official institutions and organizations (government awards, state awards, career advancement, material rewards, etc.);
informal negative sanctions - penalties not provided for legal system society, but applied by the society (remark, mockery, break of friendly relations, disapproving review, etc.);
formal negative sanctions - legal punishments, regulations, administrative instructions and orders (fine, demotion, dismissal, arrest, imprisonment, deprivation of civil rights, etc.).

There are three ways to implement social control in a group and society:

through socialization. Its essence lies in the fact that socialization, shaping our desires, preferences, habits and customs, is one of the main factors of social control and the establishment of order in society;
through group pressure. Each individual, being a member of many primary groups, must at the same time share a certain minimum of cultural norms accepted in these groups and behave appropriately. Otherwise, group condemnation and sanctions may follow, ranging from mere reprimands to the expulsion of a published primary group;
through coercion. In a situation where an individual does not want to comply with laws, regulations, formalized procedures, a group or society resorts to coercion to force him to do like everyone else.

Thus, each society develops a certain system of control, which consists of formal and informal ways of regulating people's behavior and helps to maintain public order. Family, relatives, friends, colleagues act as agents of informal control, while formal control is carried out primarily by official representatives of the state endowed with control functions - courts, the army, special services, law enforcement agencies and other authorized institutions.