How Does Society Control Us? Continued
Overview
The police and the courts are the dramatic face of social control, but they are not the part you meet most often. Long before any law is involved, you are kept in line by people who care about you and whose opinion you care about: your family, your teachers, your friends, the voices in the media, your faith community and your colleagues. This is informal control, and it does the everyday work of keeping society orderly.
This note looks at the informal agencies one by one and the sanctions each uses, from a parent's reward to a flood of likes online, from being ostracised by friends to being dismissed from a job. It then asks the opposite question: why do some people refuse to conform? You will explore sub-cultures, from youth and online groups to protest and religious movements, and learn why joining them can make perfect sense to the people involved.
Objectives
- Family.
- Education.
- Peer group.
- Media.
- Religion.
- Workplace.
- Positive and negative sanctions, e.g.: ostracism, parental rewards, social media ‘likes’, religious rewards/sanctions, school punishments, dismissal from a job.
- Reasons why some people join them.
- Deviant and non-conformist behaviour.
- Examples of: protest groups, online sub-cultures, youth sub-cultures, religious sub-cultures.
Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on How Does Society Control Us? Continued. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which of the following is an informal agency of social control? A. The courts B. The police C. The family D. The penal system Answer: C
- Deliberately excluding or ignoring someone as a punishment is known as: A. coercion B. ostracism C. canalisation D. socialisation Answer: B
- Receiving many likes on a social media post is best understood as a: A. formal negative sanction B. informal positive sanction C. formal positive sanction D. coercive sanction Answer: B
- A group within society whose norms and way of life differ from the mainstream is called a: A. value consensus B. peer group C. sub-culture D. status group Answer: C
- Which of the following is a common reason people give for joining a sub-culture? A. To avoid all social contact B. To find identity, belonging and status C. To strengthen formal control D. To increase their fear of ostracism Answer: B
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
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