Theories Of Social Control Flashcards
What are the internal forms of social control?
Internalisation of social rules and morality
Tradition
Rational choice theory
What are the external forms of social control?
Coercion
Fear of punishment
Control theory
What is rational choice theory?
Making decisions based upon the individuals interests and beliefs
People freely decide and choose their behaviour - logical choices as people have goals to meet
Designed by Cornish and Clarke
Why can rational choice theory lack social control?
It can be difficult to alter peoples beliefs depending on their justified decisions
Eg. Poor people will steal food for themselves and their family because they believe it is the only thing to do and that it’s right
What is internalisation of social rules and morality?
Knowing what is right and wrong based upon social values
Developed through socialisation
Internalisation creates identity and value within society
Can be good or bad depending on how the individual perceives things
Why can internalisation of social rules and morality lack social control?
If people are brought up in deviant families then they will perceive criminal acts as a normal thing to do and believe it is right not wrong
What is tradition?
Norms and values that have been passed down through generations
Traditional society relies mostly on informal social control
It is embedded in its culture to socialise its members
Sanctions can include criticism, disapproval and social discrimination if people don’t follow traditions
Why does tradition lack social control?
People from future generations will start to think that traditions are outdated and will not follow them
They are only informal so occur within the religion therefore don’t hold must power over people
What is coercion?
The use of force to achieve a desired end and this can be physical or non-violent.
Physical coercion can be imprisonment or bodily injury and non violent coercion can be boycotts and strikes
People will obey rules as they do not want force to be used against them
Why does coercion lack social control?
Coercion cannot change peoples beliefs and physical coercion isn’t seen to be very effective as can create more riots and disagreements
What is fear of punishment?
Deterring crime due to the worry of being treated in a negative way such as going to prison or getting a fine
Can be used to control or prevent criminal actions
General deterrence = receiving punishment in public to deter others
Specific deterrence = punishment that the individual will receive from committing a crime
Why does fear or punishment lack social control?
Fear of punishment doesn’t tackle the causes of crimes such as it being due to drug or alcohol problems
It only punishes individuals so doesn’t look at rehabilitating them
Why is control theory?
It justifies why people obey laws or commit crimes
Provides explanation for how behaviour conforms to what is accepted in society
Deviance and crime occurs because of inadequate restraints and the absence of relationships causes people to be deviant due to free will
Why does control theory lack social control?
It only focuses on the social connections in society and how they cause crime.
Doesn’t focus on how money or power create crime.
