Social Control » Informal Methods of Social Control

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

Definition and purpose of informal social control
Different types of informal social control methods
How families, peers and communities enforce social norms
The role of socialisation in informal social control
Advantages and limitations of informal social control
Real-world examples and case studies

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Introduction to Informal Methods of Social Control

Social control refers to the ways society encourages people to follow its norms and rules. While formal social control involves official systems like laws and police, informal social control happens in our everyday interactions with family, friends and others around us. These informal methods are often more powerful than we realise in shaping our behaviour!

Key Definitions:

Informal Social Control: The ways in which norms, values and behaviours are enforced without official rules or laws.
Social Norms: Unwritten rules about how people should behave in particular situations.
Sanctions: Rewards or punishments that encourage people to follow social norms.

💬 Positive Sanctions

These are rewards given when you follow social norms. They include:

Praise and compliments
Smiles and nods
Inclusion in social groups
Respect from others

Example: Your friends congratulating you for doing well in an exam.

😟 Negative Sanctions

These are punishments for breaking social norms. They include:

Disapproving looks
Gossip and rumours
Social exclusion
Ridicule or mockery

Example: Friends giving you the silent treatment for betraying their trust.

Key Agents of Informal Social Control

👪 The Family

The family is often called the primary agent of social control. Parents and guardians teach children what's right and wrong from an early age through:

Modelling behaviour: Children watch and copy what parents do
Verbal guidance: Explaining rules and expectations
Discipline: Setting boundaries and consequences
Rewards: Praise and treats for good behaviour

For example, a parent might praise a child for sharing toys (positive sanction) or use a "time out" when they hit another child (negative sanction).

👥 Peer Groups

As we grow up, friends and classmates become increasingly important in shaping our behaviour. Peer pressure is a powerful form of informal social control that works through:

Acceptance: Being included when you follow group norms
Ridicule: Being mocked for being "different"
Conformity: Pressure to dress, speak, or act like others
Social media: Likes, comments and online approval

Teenagers are particularly susceptible to peer influence as they try to establish their identity and fit in with social groups.

Case Study: School Uniform Conformity

In many UK schools, even when teachers aren't watching, students often enforce uniform rules among themselves. Students who wear their uniform incorrectly might face teasing or be called "try-hards" if they're too perfect. This shows how peer groups create their own norms about how rules should be followed not too strictly, but not too rebelliously either.

This informal control often has more influence on how students actually wear their uniform than the formal school rules do!

🏢 Community and Neighbourhood

Local communities enforce social norms through:

Neighbourhood watch: Keeping an eye on suspicious activity
Gossip networks: Spreading information about who's breaking norms
Public opinion: Creating a sense of what's acceptable locally
Social reputation: Building or damaging someone's standing in the community

For example, neighbours might give disapproving looks to someone who doesn't maintain their garden, or praise someone who volunteers for community events.

How Informal Social Control Works

📖 Socialisation

The process of learning society's norms and values from an early age. This happens through family, education, media and other social interactions.

Example: Learning to say "please" and "thank you" as a child.

🧠 Internalisation

When social norms become part of your own beliefs and values. You follow them even when no one is watching because they feel "right."

Example: Feeling guilty when you litter, even if no one sees you do it.

👀 Social Surveillance

The feeling of being watched and judged by others in your community, which encourages conformity to social norms.

Example: Dressing appropriately for a funeral because you know others will notice.

The Power of Shame and Embarrassment

Shame and embarrassment are powerful emotions that help maintain social control. When we break social norms, these feelings can be more painful than formal punishments:

Public embarrassment: Being called out for inappropriate behaviour
Shame: Feeling bad about yourself for breaking social rules
Guilt: Internal discomfort about actions that go against internalised norms

For example, a student might avoid cheating on a test not because of school rules, but because they'd feel ashamed if their friends found out.

Case Study: Social Media and Public Shaming

Social media has created new forms of informal social control. "Cancel culture" and viral shaming videos can quickly punish people who break social norms. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people who hoarded toilet paper or refused to wear masks were often filmed and shamed online.

This shows how informal social control has evolved in the digital age, where public shaming can reach millions of people instantly and have serious consequences for someone's reputation and mental health.

Advantages and Limitations of Informal Social Control

✅ Advantages

Less costly than formal systems like police and courts
More immediate - happens in the moment behaviour occurs
Often more effective as it comes from people we care about
Creates self-regulation through internalised norms
Flexible and can adapt to different situations

❌ Limitations

Can reinforce prejudice and discrimination
May maintain harmful traditions that need changing
Varies between communities, creating confusion
Can be too weak to prevent serious deviance
May lead to conformity rather than critical thinking

Informal Social Control in Different Contexts

🏫 Schools

While schools have formal rules and punishments, much of the social control happens informally through:

Teacher approval or disapproval (facial expressions, tone of voice)
Peer acceptance or rejection
Social status among classmates
Group norms about what's "cool" or "uncool"

💻 Workplace

In workplaces, informal control includes:

Office culture and unwritten rules
Colleague relationships and approval
Informal feedback and social cues
Inclusion in or exclusion from social events

Conclusion: Why Informal Social Control Matters

Informal social control is often invisible but incredibly powerful in shaping our everyday behaviour. It helps society function smoothly without always needing formal rules and punishments. However, it can also maintain inequalities and resist positive social change.

Understanding how informal social control works helps us recognise the influences on our own behaviour and make more conscious choices about which social norms we want to follow or challenge.

Next time you feel yourself conforming to a social norm, ask yourself: Am I doing this because I believe it's right, or because I fear informal sanctions from others?

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