What is Social Control?

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Social Control

Social control is the way families, communities, and whole societies nudge or pressure people to follow certain rules, values, and ways of behaving. It covers everything from gentle disapproval or praise to formal laws and punishments.

In simple terms, social control is how a group tries to keep order and protect what it sees as “normal” or “right.” It encourages behaviour the group approves of and discourages behaviour it sees as wrong or dangerous, using rewards (praise, status, freedom) and penalties (criticism, shame, fines, jail). The goal can be positive (safety, cooperation) or misused (protecting unfair power or harmful norms), depending on who sets the rules and whose interests they serve.

informal and formal Social Control

Informal social control: Unwritten rules enforced by people around you – family, friends, neighbours, co‑workers. This includes looks, gossip, jokes, praise, inclusion, or exclusion. For example, being mocked for cutting in line or praised for helping.

Formal social control: Official rules enforced by institutions – laws, school rules, workplace policies, religious rules, police and courts. This includes fines, grades, promotions, warnings, suspensions, or prison.

Both types work together: a person might avoid stealing partly because it is illegal (formal) and partly because they would feel ashamed or be rejected by others (informal).

Everyday examples

Parents, teachers, and peers shaping behaviour with approval, disapproval, and expectations (home, school, online communities).
Laws and regulations setting limits on driving, business, speech, or substances, backed by police and courts.
Media, religion, and culture modelling what is admired or mocked, influencing clothes, relationships, and opinions.

Social control can:

Help people live together more safely and predictably by reducing random harm and chaos.
Also create problems if it enforces unfair norms, targets certain groups more harshly, or punishes harmless difference.

Understanding social control means seeing that some of the pressure people feel (“people will think I’m weird,” “you can’t do that here,” “it’s against the rules”) is not just personal, but part of how groups manage behaviour – sometimes for the common good, sometimes in ways that need questioning and change.