AC 2.1 Explain forms of social control Flashcards
External control
outside influences which enforce rules or norms through various kinds of consequences or responses that are both positive and negative.
Internal control
influences on behaviour that comes from within, feelings of guilt and pride for example influence our behaviour. This is often shaped by external forms of social control.
What are the three forms of internal social control?
- moral conscience or superego
- socialisation and rational choice
- tradition and culture
The superego
The superego is developed through the rules and regulations taught through punishment and reward. As the superego is the moral principle it enacts negative emotions such as guilt, shame, and regret in response to breaking the internalised social norms.
Socialisation
The process in which one learns or is taught by key agents the morals, norms, values, and expectations of a given society.
There are two phases of socialisation:
Primary socialisation which is learned early in life, and most often taught in families. Or secondary socialisation which occurs throughout life through our contacts with the agents of socialisation: education, family, work, and religion
Rational Choice
This is the idea that crime could be seen as a rational choice, where the gains outweigh the risks, and choose accordingly. However many offenders are not rational and have difficulty thinking through the consequences of their behaviour, especially due to the norms and values of their society/community.
Tradition and culture
Our traditions, cultural, religious, and ethnic background, can influence how we practice internal social control. Some sociological studies have suggested that a person’s cultural background can influence the extent to which they become involved in crime.
Case Study: Asian Communities
Traditionally crime levels among British Asians have been disproportionally lower than among the white or black communities in Britain. Some reasons given were:
- strong family ties - honouring the family
- socialisation with Asian communities - e.g. passing on values within a family
- religious values
- emphasis on education
What are the two forms of external social control?
- Coercion
- fear of punishment
- agencies of social control
Coercion
The act of using force on a person that can be either violent or non-violent to achieve the desired behaviour, in this instance, obeying the law. Examples of coercion are the use CCTV, threats from the media, police presence, or the police possessing weaponry.
Fear of punishment
the idea where the threat of punishment in itself is enough to deter us from breaking the law. The more severe the punishment the greater the deterrent. There are two different types of deterrent;
- Individual deterrent: puts that particular individual off reoffending e.g. a criminal record
- General deterrent: puts others off committing similar offences e.g. media reports of custodial sentences.
Informal agencies of social control
These agents can promote social control but aren’t a part of the criminal justice system, so it can’t give out formal sanctions.
E.g. family, education, work, and peers
External agencies of social control
Part of the criminal justice system, each of these agencies has the power to use formal, legal sanctions against an individual.
E.g. CPS, police, prison, judges, and magistrates
Travis Hirschi Social Band Theory
Control theorists aim to answer the question ‘why do people obey the law?’
The four reasons why people choose to obey:
- Attachment: people are attached to others such as children or parents and therefore do not want to impact their relationship.
- Involvement: most people are busy with other things such as work or hobbies that their time is filled with non-criminal activities
- Commitment: some people are committed to a future and so avoid anything that may impact this such as a criminal record.
- Belief: Some people may have strong religious belief where doing the right thing is important and therefore do not commit crime.
