Theories of social control unit 4 Flashcards
What is social control?
Refers to any strategy used to prevent deviant deviant human behaviour.
What are the internal forms of social control?
Rational ideology, tradition and internalisation of social rules and morality.
What is rational ideology?
The idea that people make decisions based on logic and their interests.
Before committing a crime, the individual weighs up the positives and negatives of the crime.
Individual makes a choice based on logic, their conscience, and feelings of guilt or worry. Each of these guide the individual to follow the law.
What is tradition?
Morals and norms that have been passed down through generations.
A persons internal morals that have been embedded into them from the influence of society and people around them.
Norms and moral ways of behaving them of behaving that ensure you conform to the rules. Religion, culture and upbringing ensure that you don’t break the law.
What is internalisation of social rules and morality?
An individuals private and public acceptance of rules and norms given by society.
Knowing what is right and wrong based upon internalised social rules.
What are the external forms of social control?
Coercion and fear of punishment.
What is coercion?
The use of force to reach a desired end. Can be physical ( bodily injury, imprisonment and death penalty), or non-violent ( strike, boycott and non-cooperation.
What is fear of punishment?
Deter someone from offending by threatening them with punishment. General deterrence and individual deterrence.
What is control theory?
A combination of internal and external factors that will influence someones behaviour.
What do internal forms of social control do?
Internal forms of social control regulate our own behaviour in accordance with the accepted form.
What do external forms of social control do?
External pressures persuade or compel members of society to conform to the rules.
Example of tradition:
Not eating red meat on Good Friday.
Examples of internalisation of social rules and morality:
Not jumping the queue and waiting in line until it’s your turn.
Not cheating in an exam.
