AC 2.1 Flashcards
What is social control?
Social control involves persuading or compelling people to conform to society’s norms, laws, and expectations.
What are the two forms of social control?
The two forms of social control are internal forms of social control and external forms of social control.
What are internal forms of social control?
Internal forms of social control are controls over our behaviour that come from within ourselves, such as our personalities and values.
What is self-control?
Self-control is another term for internal forms of social control.
What are external forms of social control?
External forms of social control are controls over people exacted by society and societal agents of social control.
How do traditions and culture function as internal forms of social control?
Traditions and culture may ensure conformity to rules through upbringing and socialisation, becoming part of our identity.
For example, believers follow the religious traditions they were raised in, such as fasting during Ramadan.
What role does moral conscience play in social control?
Moral conscience compels us to conform to societal expectations because our superego tells us what is right and wrong.
How does the superego develop?
The superego develops through early socialisation with family, typically between the ages of four and six.
What is socialisation?
Socialisation is how learn how to behave by learning societies norms and values. Agencies of socialisation transmit culture these include family, peers, schools etc.
What role does school play in social control?
School teaches us social skills and norms through the hidden curriculum, leading us to willingly conform to social norms.
What is rational ideology in the context of social control?
Rational ideology refers to the internalisation of social rules that guide our understanding of right and wrong.
What is coercion?
Coercion involves the use of threat or force to make someone do or stop doing something.
How does fear of punishment function as a form of social control?
Fear of punishment deters individuals from committing crimes by threatening force if laws are disobeyed.
For example, committing an offence may lead to arrest and imprisonment.
What is general deterrence?
General deterrence is the fear of punishment that prevents others from committing similar crimes.
What is control theory?
Control theory suggests that people conform because they are controlled by their bonds to society. They are more likely to conform if their bonds to society is strong.
What are the four elements of an individual’s bond to society according to Hirschi?
The four elements are attachment, commitment, involvement, and beliefs.
How does attachment influence conformity?
The more attached we are to others, the more we care about their opinions and respect their norms.
What role does commitment play in social control?
The more committed we are to a conventional lifestyle, the more we risk losing by engaging in crime.
How does involvement affect criminal behavior?
Involvement in conventional activities reduces the time and energy available for criminal activities.
What do beliefs refer to in control theory?
Beliefs refer to being socialised to understand that obeying the law is the right thing to do.
What did Riley and Shaw find regarding parental supervision?
They found that lack of parental supervision is an important factor in delinquency.
What should parents do to prevent delinquency according to Riley and Shaw?
Parents should involve themselves in their teenagers’ lives, take an interest in their activities, and show disapproval of criminal behavior.
How does feminism explain women’s low rate of offending?
Feminism suggests that a patriarchal society controls females more closely, limiting their opportunities to offend.
