AC2.1 forms of social control

What are norms

Social expectations that guide the way society behaves - helps to keep deviant behaviour in check

Norms differ depending on the country & culture

What are values

Rules shared by most people in a culture or religion, seen as guidelines of what people think should happen

E.g. holding the door open for someone

What are moral codes

‘Good’ ways of behaving, breaking a moral code would be considered serious in society

E.g. murder, rape

what are internal forms of social control

our conscious regulating our behaviour, telling us something is wrong

Internal factors help to regulate our own behaviour through self-control in accordance with societies accepted form of behaviour

What are the 3 forms of internal control

1. Psychoanalytical theory - Freud

2. Socialisation

3. Rational ideology

How is psychoanalysis a form of internal social control

Our conscience is formed as a result of our id, ego, superego

Superego - our moral principle that encourages social responsibility, it tells us what’s right & wrong and inflicts guilt to restrain the ‘animal’ urges of the id - if we acted upon these it would lead to anti-social & criminal behaviour

How is socialisation a form of internal social control

Societies rules & moral codes become our own through the process of socialisation (internalise)

E.g. parents, traditions, culture, friends, institutions (school, religion)

How is rational ideology a form of internal social control & criminologists

Our own conscience internalises rights & wrong behaviour

A person may feel worried, guilty, or anxious about partaking in a certain action or behaviour which in turn may guide them to make a law-abiding choice

Clark & Cornish - criminality is often a rational choice where crimes are purposive acts committed with the intention of benefitting the offender

What are 4 forms of external social control

1. Agencies of social control

2. Coercion

3. Fear of punishment

4. Control theories

What are agencies of control & examples

Set out rules that are expectations everyone should follow in order to avoid breaking the law or rules

E.g.

Teachers/schools - have disciplinary policies to regulate behaviour & conduct of pupils - often give both positive & negative sanctions (stickers, detention)

Justice system - negative sanctions for criminal behaviour

(Links to Skinner’s operant learning theory of behaviour reinforcement)

What is coercion & example

To force someone to do/not to do something by the fear of threat of force

E.g. suspended sentences - used as a deterrent by courts because the offender knows if they commit an offence within a certain period of time they will go to prison, this hangs over their heads & prevents them from reoffending

How is fear of punishment a form of external social control & theory

Right realism - the thought/threat of going to prison is enough to deter people from committing crime

What are the control theories & criminologists

1. Containment theory - Walter Reckless

2. Social bond theory - Travis Hirschi

What is the containment theory

Reckless’ primary focus was why people obey the law, given the pulls/pressure of society

He suggests - many were ‘immune’ to these pulls because of:

1. Inner containment - comes from family & upbringing that builds self-control

2. Outer containment - influences from peer groups or the law

What is the social bond theory

Hirschi suggests - we are all subject to ‘animalistic impulses’, so we are all capable of committing crime, people are more likely to be deviant when their ‘bond to society is broken’, those with ‘good social bonds’ are less likely to commit crime

What are the 4 elements of the social bond theory

1. Attachment - to others, if an individual cares about others, their opinions of them & their reactions to what they do they’re less likely to commit crime

2. Containment - to someone or something (job, marriage), we are less likely to commit crime as this would risk lowering our social standing with others

3. Involvement - in conventional activities (sports) means a person is less likely to be involved in criminal activity

4. Belief - if we are socialised into believing crime is wrong then we are likely to believe this & avoid breaking the law