- a mechanism for maintaining public order through normative regulation, which implies the actions of society aimed at preventing deviant behavior, punishing deviants or correcting them.
Social control concept
The most important condition and effective functioning social system is the predictability of social action and social behavior people, in the absence of which the social system will be disorganized and disintegrated. Society has certain means by which it ensures the reproduction of existing social relations and interactions. One of these tools is social control, the main function of which is to create conditions for the stability of the social system, the preservation of social stability and at the same time for positive social changes. This requires flexibility from social control, including the ability to recognize positive-constructive deviations from social norms that should be encouraged, and negative-dysfunctional deviations, to which certain sanctions (from the Latin sanctio - the strictest decision) of a negative nature, including including legal.
- this is, on the one hand, the mechanism of social regulation, a set of means and methods of social impact, and on the other hand, the social practice of their use.
In general, the social behavior of an individual proceeds under the control of society and the people around him. They not only teach the individual the rules of social behavior in the process of socialization, but also act as agents of social control, observing the correctness of assimilation of social behavior patterns and their implementation in practice. In this regard, social control acts as a special form and method of social regulation of people's behavior in society. Social control is manifested in the subordination of the individual to the social group in which he is integrated, which is expressed in the meaningful or spontaneous adherence to the social norms prescribed by this group.
Social control consists of two elements- social norms and social sanctions.
Social norms are socially approved or legally enshrined rules, standards, patterns that regulate the social behavior of people.
Social sanctions are rewards and punishments that motivate people to comply with social norms.
Social norms
Social norms- these are socially approved or legally enshrined rules, standards, patterns that regulate the social behavior of people. Therefore, social norms are divided into legal norms, moral norms and social norms proper.
Legal regulations - these are norms formally enshrined in various kinds of legislative acts. Violation of legal norms implies legal, administrative and other types of punishment.
Moral standards- informal norms functioning in the form of public opinion. The main instrument in the system of moral norms is public censure or public approval.
TO social norms usually include:
- group social habits (for example, “do not turn your nose up in front of your own”);
- social customs (eg hospitality);
- social traditions (for example, subordination of children to parents),
- public mores (manners, morality, etiquette);
- social taboos (absolute prohibitions on cannibalism, infanticide, etc.). Customs, traditions, customs, taboos are sometimes called general rules social behavior.
Social sanction
Sanction recognized as the main instrument of social control and represents an incentive for compliance, expressed in the form of reward (positive sanction) or punishment (negative sanction). Sanctions are formal, imposed by the state or specially authorized organizations and individuals, and informal, expressed by unofficial persons.
Social sanctions - they are rewards and punishments that motivate people to abide by social norms. In this regard, social sanctions can be called the guardian of social norms.
Social norms and social sanctions are inseparably whole, and if some social norm lacks an accompanying social sanction, then it loses its socially regulating function. For example, back in the 19th century. in countries Western Europe the birth of children only in legal marriage was considered a social norm. Therefore, illegitimate children were excluded from the inheritance of their parents' property, they were neglected in everyday communication, they could not enter into decent marriages. However, society, as it modernized and softened public opinion regarding illegitimate children, gradually began to exclude informal and formal sanctions for violation of this norm. As a result, this social norm has ceased to exist altogether.
There are the following social control mechanisms:
- isolation - isolation of the deviant from society (for example, imprisonment);
- isolation - limiting contacts of the deviant with others (for example, placement in a psychiatric clinic);
- rehabilitation - a set of measures aimed at returning the deviant to normal life.
Types of social sanctions
While formal sanctions seem to be more effective, in fact, informal sanctions are more important to a person. The need for friendship, love, recognition, or fear of ridicule and shame are often more effective than orders or fines.
In the process of socialization, forms of external control are assimilated so that they become part of his own beliefs. An internal control system is being formed, called self-control. A typical example of self-control is the pangs of conscience of a person who has committed an unworthy act. In a developed society, self-control mechanisms prevail over external control mechanisms.
Types of social control
In sociology, two main processes of social control are distinguished: the application of positive or negative sanctions for the social behavior of an individual; interiorization (from the French. interiorization - transition from outside to inside) by an individual of social norms of behavior. In this regard, external social control and internal social control, or self-control, are distinguished.
External social control is a set of forms, methods and actions that guarantee the observance of social norms of behavior. There are two types of external control - formal and informal.
Formal social control based on formal approval or condemnation, carried out by the authorities state power, political and social organizations, education system, means mass media and acts throughout the country, based on written norms - laws, decrees, decrees, orders and instructions. Formal social control can also include the dominant ideology in society. Speaking of formal social control, they mean, first of all, actions aimed at making people respect laws and order with the help of representatives of the authorities. This control is especially effective in large social groups Oh.
Informal social control based on the approval or condemnation of relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, public opinion, is expressed through traditions, customs or mass media. The agents of informal social control are such social institutions like family, school, religion. This type of control is especially effective in small social groups.
In the process of social control, violation of some social norms is followed by very weak punishment, for example, disapproval, an unfriendly look, a grin. Violation of other social norms is followed by severe punishments - the death penalty, imprisonment, expulsion from the country. Violation of taboos and legal laws is punished most severely, and certain types of group habits, in particular family habits, are the mildest.
Internal social control- independent regulation by the individual of his social behavior in society. In the process of self-control, a person independently regulates his social behavior, harmonizing it with generally accepted norms. This view control is manifested, on the one hand, in feelings of guilt, emotional experiences, "remorse" for social actions, on the other, in the form of an individual's reflection on his social behavior.
The individual's self-control over his own social behavior is formed in the process of his socialization and the formation of socio-psychological mechanisms of his internal self-regulation. The main elements of self-control are consciousness, conscience and will.
- it is an individual form of mental representation of reality in the form of a generalized and subjective model of the surrounding world in the form of verbal concepts and sensory images. Consciousness allows an individual to rationalize his social behavior.
Conscience- the ability of a person to independently formulate his own moral obligations and demand from himself to fulfill them, as well as to make a self-assessment of the actions and deeds performed. Conscience does not allow an individual to violate his established attitudes, principles, beliefs, in accordance with which he builds his social behavior.
Will- conscious regulation by a person of his behavior and activities, expressed in the ability to overcome external and internal difficulties in the performance of purposeful actions and deeds. The will helps the individual to overcome their inner subconscious desires and needs, to act and behave in society in accordance with their beliefs.
In the process of social behavior, an individual has to constantly struggle with his subconscious, which gives his behavior a spontaneous character, therefore self-control is essential condition social behavior of people. Usually, individuals' self-control over their social behavior increases with age. But it also depends on social circumstances and the nature of external social control: the tighter the external control, the weaker the self-control. Moreover, social experience shows that the weaker an individual's self-control, the more rigid external control should be in relation to him. However, this is fraught with high social costs, since strict external control is accompanied by social degradation personality.
In addition to external and internal social control of the social behavior of an individual, there are also: 1) indirect social control based on identification with a reference law-abiding group; 2) social control based on the wide availability of a variety of ways to achieve goals and meet needs, alternative to illegal or immoral.
Social sanctions are rewards and punishments that motivate people to comply with social norms. Social sanctions are the guardians of norms.
Types of sanctions:
1) Formal positive sanctions Is an approval from the authorities:
Reward;
Scholarship;
Monument.
2) Informal positive sanctions are public approval:
Praise;
Applause;
Compliment;
3) Formal negative is punishment from the official bodies:
Dismissal;
Rebuke;
The death penalty.
4) Informal negative sanctions- punishment by society:
Comment;
Mockery;
There are two types of social control:
1. external social control - it is carried out by the authorities, society, close people.
2. internal social control - it is exercised by the person himself. Human behavior is 70% dependent on self-control.
Compliance with social norms is called conformism - this is the goal of social control
3. Social deviations: deviant and delinquent behavior.
The behavior of people who do not fulfill social norms is called deviant. These actions do not correspond to the norms and social stereotypes prevailing in this society.
Positive deviation is a deviant behavior that does not cause public disapproval. These can be heroic deeds, self-sacrifice, over-devotion, over-zeal, heightened feelings of pity and sympathy, over-industriousness, etc. Negative deviation - deviations that in most people cause reactions of disapproval and condemnation. These include terrorism, vandalism, theft, betrayal, cruelty to animals, etc.
Delinquent behavior is a serious violation of the law, which can lead to criminal liability.
There are several basic forms of deviation.
1. Drunkenness - excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. Alcoholism is a painful craving for alcohol. This type of deviation is of great harm to all people. Both the economy and the well-being of society suffer from this. For example, in the United States, about 14 million people are sick with alcoholism, and the annual losses from it reach $ 100 billion. Our country is also the world leader in alcohol consumption. Russia produces 25 liters of alcohol per year per capita. Moreover, most of the alcohol is spirits. IN recent times there was also a problem of "beer" alcoholism, which mainly affects young people. For various reasons related to alcohol, about 500 thousand Russians die every year.
2. Drug addiction - a painful addiction to drugs. Concomitant consequences of drug addiction are crimes, physical and mental exhaustion, personality degradation. According to the UN, every 25th inhabitant of the Earth is a drug addict, i.e. there are more than 200 million drug addicts in the world. According to official estimates, there are 3 million drug addicts in Russia, and 5 million according to unofficial estimates. There are supporters of the legalization of "soft" drugs (such as marijuana). They give the example of the Netherlands, where the use of these drugs is allowed. But the experience of these countries has shown that the number of drug addicts is not decreasing, but only increasing.
3. Prostitution is extramarital sex for a fee. There are countries where prostitution is legalized. Proponents of legalization believe that the transfer to a legal position will allow better control of the "process", improve the situation, reduce the number of diseases, save this area from pimps and bandits, in addition, the state budget will receive additional taxes on this type of activity. Opponents of legalization point to the humiliation, inhumanity and immorality of the body trade. Immorality cannot be legalized. Society cannot live according to the principle "everything is allowed", without certain moral brakes. In addition, clandestine prostitution with all criminal, moral and medical problems will persist.
4. Homosexuality is sexual attraction to persons of the same sex. Homosexuality is in the form of: a) sodomy - sexual relations between a man and a man, b) lesbianism - a woman's sexual attraction to a woman, c) bisexuality - sexual attraction to individuals of her own and the opposite sex. The normal sexual attraction of a woman to a man and vice versa is called heterosexuality. Some countries already allow gay and lesbian marriage. Such families are allowed to adopt children. In our country, the population is generally ambivalent about such relations.
5. Anomia - a state of society in which a significant part of people neglect social norms. It happens in vague, transitional, times of crisis civil wars, revolutionary upheavals, deep reforms, when former goals and values collapse, faith in the usual moral and legal norms falls. Examples would be France of the period Great revolution 1789, Russia in 1917 and early 90s of the 20th century.
Most social groups function in accordance with certain laws and rules that, to one degree or another, govern the behavior of all members of the community. These are laws, traditions, customs and rituals.
The first ones are developed at the state or regional levels, and their observance is mandatory for absolutely all citizens of a particular state (as well as for non-residents located on its territory). The rest are rather advisory in nature and are irrelevant for modern man, although for the inhabitants of the periphery they still carry considerable weight.
Conformity as a way of adaptation
The preservation of the usual state of affairs and the existing order is necessary for people like air. Children from an early age are taught how it is desirable or even necessary to behave in the company of other people. Most educational measures are aimed at eliminating from their behavior actions that may be unpleasant to others. Children are taught:
- Restrain the manifestations of the body's vital activity.
- Do not annoy people with loud speech and bright clothes.
- Respect the boundaries of personal space (do not touch others unnecessarily).
And, of course, this list includes a ban on committing acts of violence.
When a person gives in to education and develops the appropriate skills, his behavior becomes conformist, that is, socially acceptable. Such people are considered pleasant, unobtrusive, easy to communicate with. When an individual's behavior differs from the generally accepted template, different punishments are applied to him (formal and informal negative sanctions). The purpose of these actions is to draw a person's attention to the nature of his mistakes and to correct the behavior model.
Personality psychology: a system of sanctions
In the professional vocabulary of psychoanalysts, sanctions mean the reaction of a group to the actions or words of an individual subject. Different kinds punishments are used to implement normative regulation of social systems and subsystems.
It should be noted that sanctions are also rewards. Along with values, rewards stimulate adherence to existing social norms. They serve as a reward for those subjects who play by the rules, that is, for conformists. At the same time, deviance (deviation from the laws), depending on the severity of the offense, entails certain types punishments: formal (fine, arrest) or informal (reprimand, conviction).
What is "punishment" and "censure"
The use of certain negative sanctions is due to the severity of the socially disapproved offense and the rigidity of the norms. IN modern society use:
- Punishments.
- Reproach.
The first are expressed in the fact that a fine, administrative penalty or access to socially valuable resources may be restricted to the violator.
Informal negative sanctions in the form of censure become the reaction of members of society to manifestations of dishonesty, rudeness or rudeness on the part of the individual. In this case, members of the community (group, team, family) may cease to maintain relations with the person, express public disapproval of him and point out the peculiarities of behavior. Of course, there are those who like to read notations with or without it, but this is a completely different category of people.
The essence of social control
According to the French sociologist R. Lapierre, sanctions should be divided into three main types:
- Physical, which are used to punish a person who violated social norms.
- Economic, which consist in blocking the satisfaction of the most important needs (fines, penalties, dismissals).
- Administrative, the essence of which is the lowering of social status (warning, collection, removal from office).
In the implementation of all these types of sanctions, other people are involved, except for the guilty person. This is social control: society uses the concept of a norm to correct the behavior of all participants. The goal of social control can be called the formation of a predictable and predictable model of behavior.
Informal negative sanctions in the context of self-control
For the implementation of most types of social punishment, the presence of unauthorized persons becomes mandatory. For example, a person who violated the law must be convicted in accordance with the adopted legislation (formal sanctions). The trial can require the participation of five to ten people to several dozen people, because imprisonment is a very serious punishment.
Informal negative sanctions can be used by absolutely any number of people and also have a huge impact on the offender. Even if an individual does not accept the customs and traditions of the group in which he is located, he dislikes hostility. After a certain resistance, the situation can be resolved in two ways: leaving the given society or agreeing with its social norms. In the latter case, all existing sanctions matter: positive, negative, formal, informal.
When social norms are embedded deeply in the subconscious, the need for external punishment is greatly diminished as the individual develops the ability to independently control his behavior. Personality psychology is a branch of science (psychology) that studies various individual processes. She pays quite a lot of attention to the study of self-control.
The essence of this phenomenon is that a person himself compares his actions with generally accepted norms, etiquette and customs. When he notices a deviation, he is able to determine the severity of the offense himself. As a rule, the consequence of such violations is remorse and excruciating feelings of guilt. They testify to the successful socialization of the individual, as well as his agreement with the requirements public morality and norms of behavior.
The importance of self-control for group well-being
A feature of such a phenomenon as self-control is that all measures to identify deviations from the norms and the application of negative sanctions are carried out by the violator himself. He is a judge, a jury, and an executioner.
Of course, if other people become aware of the misconduct, public censure can also take place. However, in most cases, even if the event is kept secret, the apostate will be punished.
According to statistics, 70% of social control is carried out with the help of self-control. This tool is used to one degree or another by many parents, heads of enterprises and even states. Properly developed and implemented guidelines, corporate rules, laws and traditions can achieve impressive discipline in minimum costs time and effort to carry out control activities.
Self-control and dictatorship
Informal negative sanctions (examples: condemnation, disapproval, dismissal, censure) become a powerful weapon in the hands of a skilled manipulator. By using these techniques as a means of external control over the behavior of group members while minimizing or even eliminating self-control, the leader can gain considerable power.
In the absence of their own criteria for assessing the correctness of actions, people turn to the norms of public morality and a list of generally accepted rules. To maintain balance in a group, external control should be the more severe, the worse self-control is developed.
The reverse side of excessive control and petty guardianship of a person is the inhibition of the development of his consciousness, muffling of the volitional efforts of the individual. In the context of the state, this can lead to the establishment of a dictatorship.
With good intentions ...
There are many cases in history when the dictatorship was introduced as a temporary measure - its goal was called the establishment of order. However, the existence of this regime for a long time and the spread of strict coercive control of citizens hinder the development of internal control.
As a result, a gradual degradation awaited them. These individuals, not accustomed to and unable to take responsibility, cannot do without external coercion. In the future, they need a dictatorship.
Thus, we can conclude that the higher the level of self-control development, the more civilized society is and the less it needs any sanctions. In a society whose members are characterized by a high capacity for self-control, democracy is more likely to be established.
Not only punishments are called sanctions, but also rewards that contribute to the observance of social norms.
Sanctions - guards of norms. Along with values, they are responsible for why people strive to fulfill norms. Norms are protected from two sides - from the side of values and from the side of sanctions.
Social sanctions - a ramified system of rewards for fulfilling the norms, i.e. for conformity, for agreeing with them, and punishments for deviating from them, i.e. for devian-nosg.
Conformism represents external agreement with generally accepted norms, when internally the individual can maintain disagreement with them, but not tell anyone about it.
Conformity - the goal of social control. However, conformism cannot be the goal of socialization, because it must end with an internal agreement with the generally accepted.
There are four types of sanctions: positive and negative, formal and informal. They give four types of combinations that can be represented as a logical square:
Positive negative
FORMAL
INFORMAL
Formal positive sanctions(F +)- public approval from official organizations (government, institution, creative union): government awards, state awards and scholarships, awarded titles, academic degrees and titles, construction of a monument, presentation of certificates of honor, admission to high positions and honorary functions (for example, election chairman of the board).
Informal positive sanctions(H +) - public endorsement that does not come from official organizations: friendly praise, compliments, tacit acknowledgment, benevolent disposition, applause, glory, honor, compliments, recognition of leadership or expertise, smile.
Formal negative sanctions (F-)- punishments provided for by legal laws, government decrees, administrative instructions, prescriptions, orders: deprivation of civil rights, imprisonment, arrest, dismissal, fine, deprivation, confiscation of property, demotion, demotion, demotion, death penalty, excommunication churches.
Informal negative sanctions (H-) - punishments not provided for by official authorities: censure, reprimand, ridicule, mockery, cruel joke, unflattering nickname, neglect, refusal to lend a hand or maintain a relationship, gossip, slander, unfriendly review, complaint, writing a pamphlet or feuilleton, exposing article.
So, social sanctions play a key role in the system of social control. Sanctions, together with values and norms, constitute a mechanism of social control. Social sanctions are a system of rewards and punishments. They are divided into four types: positive and negative, formal and informal. Depending on the method of imposing sanctions - collective or individual - social control can be external and internal (self-control). In terms of intensity, the sanctions are strict or harsh, and lax or soft.
By themselves, norms do not control anything. Human behavior is controlled by other people based on norms that are expected to be followed by everyone. Compliance with the rules, like the implementation of sanctions, makes our behavior predictable. Each of us knows that an official award awaits an outstanding scientific discovery, and imprisonment for a serious crime. When we expect a certain action from another person, we hope that he knows not only the norm, but also the next sanction.
Thus, norms and sanctions are combined into a single whole. If a norm lacks an accompanying sanction, then it ceases to regulate real behavior. It becomes a slogan, an appeal, an appeal, but it ceases to be an element of social control.
The application of social sanctions in some cases requires the presence of unauthorized persons, while in others it does not. Dismissal is made out by the personnel department of the institution and involves the preliminary publication of an order or order. Imprisonment requires a complex trial procedure, on the basis of which a judgment is made. Bringing to administrative responsibility, for example, fines for travel without a ticket, presupposes the presence of an official transport controller, sometimes a policeman. The conferment of an academic degree presupposes an equally complex procedure for defending a scientific dissertation and making a decision by the Academic Council.
Sanctions against group habits breakers require fewer individuals. Sanctions are never applied to oneself. If the application of sanctions is done by the person himself, is directed at himself and takes place inside, then this form of control should be considered self-control.
Social behavior that corresponds to the norms and values defined in society is designated as conformist (from Lat. Conformis - similar, similar). The main task of social control is the reproduction of a conformist type of behavior.
Social sanctions are applied to monitor compliance with norms and values. Sanction is the reaction of the group to the behavior of the social subject. With the help of sanctions, normative regulation of the social system and its subsystems is carried out.
Sanctions are called not only punishments, but also rewards that contribute to the observance of social norms. Together with values, they contribute to the observance of social norms and thus social norms are protected from two sides, from the side of values and from the side of sanctions. Social sanctions are a ramified system of rewards for the fulfillment of social norms, that is, for conformism, agreement with them and a system of punishments for deviating from them, that is, deviance.
Negative sanctions are linked with socially disapproved violations of norms, depending on the severity of the rules, they can be divided into punishments and censures:
forms of punishment- administrative penalties, restriction of access to socially valuable resources, prosecution, etc.
forms of censure- expression of public disapproval, refusal to cooperate, breakdown of relations, etc.
The use of positive sanctions is associated not only with compliance with norms, but with the implementation of a number of socially significant services aimed at preserving values and norms. Forms of positive sanctions are awards, monetary rewards, privileges, endorsements, and the like.
Along with negative and positive, formal and informal sanctions are distinguished, which differ. depending on the institutions applying them and the nature of their action:
formal sanctions implemented by official institutions sanctioned by society - law enforcement agencies, courts, tax services, the penitentiary system.
informal applied by informal institutions (comrades, family, neighbors).
There are four types of sanctions: positive, negative, formal, informal. Οʜᴎ give four types of combinations that can be represented as a logical square.
| f + | f_ |
| n + | n_ |
(F +) Formal positive sanctions. This is a public endorsement from official organizations. Such approval can be expressed in government awards, state awards and scholarships, titles conferred, monuments erected, certificates of honor or admission to high offices and honorary functions (eg, being elected as chairman of the board).
(H +) Informal Positive Sanctions - Public endorsement that does not come from formal organizations can be expressed in friendly praise, compliment, honor, compliment, or recognition of leadership or expertise. (just a smile) (F) -) formal negative sanctions - punishments provided for by legal laws, government decrees, administrative instructions, orders and orders can be expressed in arrest, imprisonment, dismissal, deprivation of civil rights, confiscation of property, fine, demotion, excommunication from the church, the death penalty.
(H-) informal negative sanctions - punishment not foreseen by official authorities: censure, remarks, ridicule, disdain, unflattering nickname, refusal to maintain relations, disapproving review, complaint, exposing article in the press.
Four groups of sanctions help determine which individual behavior can be considered beneficial to the group:
- legal - a system of punishments for actions prescribed by law.
- ethical - a system of censures, remarks arising from moral principles,
- satirical - ridicule, disdain, smirks, etc.,
- religious sanctions .
French sociologist R. Lapierre distinguishes three types of sanctions:
- physical with the help of which the punishment for violation of social norms is carried out;
- economic blocking the satisfaction of urgent needs (fines, penalties, restrictions on the use of resources, dismissals); administrative (lowering social status, warnings, penalties, removal from office).
Τᴀᴋᴎᴍ ᴏϬᴩᴀᴈᴏᴍ, sanctions together with values and norms constitute a mechanism of social control. By themselves, norms do not control anything. The behavior of people is controlled by other people on the basis of norms. Compliance with norms, like the implementation of sanctions, makes human behavior predictable,
Τᴀᴋᴎᴍ ᴏϬᴩᴀᴈᴏᴍ, norms and sanctions are combined into a single whole. If a norm lacks an accompanying sanction, then it ceases to regulate behavior and becomes just a slogan or appeal, and not an element of social control.
The application of social sanctions in some cases requires the presence of unauthorized persons, and in others it does not (imprisonment requires a serious trial, on the basis of which a sentence is passed). The assignment of an academic degree involves an equally complex process of defending a dissertation and making a decision by the Academic Council. If the application of the sanction is made by the person himself, is directed at himself and takes place inside, then this form of control is called self-control. Self-control is internal control.
Individuals independently control their behavior, coordinating it with generally accepted norms. In the process of socialization, norms are assimilated so firmly that people who violate them feel guilty. Approximately 70% of social control is carried out through self-control. The higher self-control is developed among members of society, the less it is extremely important for this society to resort to external control, and, on the contrary, the weaker self-control, the more rigid external control should be. At the same time, strict external control, petty guardianship of citizens, inhibit the development of self-awareness and muffle the volitional efforts of the individual, as a result, a dictatorship arises.
Often, a dictatorship is established for the time being for the benefit of citizens, in order to restore order, but citizens who are accustomed to submitting to coercive control do not develop internal control, they gradually degrade as social beings, as individuals who are able to take responsibility and do without external coercion, that is, dictatorship. thus, the degree of development of self-control characterizes the type of people prevailing in society and the emerging form of the state. With developed self-control, there is a high probability of establishing democracy, with undeveloped - dictatorship.
Social sanctions and their typology. - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Social sanctions and their typology." 2017, 2018.