social control

Học thuật
Thân thiện
social control

A community uses social control to maintain peaceful public spaces.

Definition

Noun: 1. The regulation of individual or group behavior by a community or society: This refers to the methods, both formal and institutional and informal and interpersonal, through which a society enforces conformity to its norms, rules, and laws. It encompasses the mechanisms that maintain social order and stability.

Usage
  • Social control is a fundamental concept in sociology. It describes how societies and groups influence the actions of their members.
  • It can be active (e.g., laws, police, punishments) or passive (e.g., social norms, peer pressure, customs).
  • The term is typically used in academic, sociological, or analytical contexts to discuss the structure and functioning of societies.
Examples
  • Formal laws and a judicial system are instruments of social control.
  • Gossip and social ostracism can be powerful forms of informal social control in small communities.
  • The study examined how religion functions as a mechanism of social control.
  • Maintaining public order requires effective social control.
Advanced Usage
  • Mechanisms of social control: The specific tools or processes used, such as sanctions (rewards and punishments), socialization, or ideology.
  • Internal vs. external social control: Internal control refers to self-regulation through internalized norms (conscience), while external control involves outside pressures from others.
  • Social control theory: A criminological perspective that posits that people's relationships, commitments, values, and beliefs encourage them not to break the law.
Variants and Related Words
  • Social order (n): The stable state of a society characterized by functioning institutions and adherence to norms.
  • Normative control (n): Control exerted through the establishment and enforcement of social norms.
  • Sanction (n): A penalty for breaking a rule, or a reward for following one, used as a means of enforcement.
Synonyms
  • Regulation
  • Governance
  • Discipline
  • Constraint
Related Phrases
  • Agent of social control: An individual or institution that exercises control (e.g., police, teachers, family).
  • Means of social control: The specific methods used to exert control.
  • Breakdown of social control: A situation where societal mechanisms fail to maintain order, potentially leading to deviance or chaos.
Related Concepts
  • Conformity: Compliance with standards, rules, or laws.
  • Deviance: Behavior that violates social norms.
  • Social norms: Shared expectations and rules that guide behavior within a group or society.
  • Authority: The legitimate power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior.
social control

A community uses social control to maintain peaceful public spaces.

Noun
  1. control exerted (actively or passively) by group action