Social Control » Unwritten Rules and Sanctions

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

What social control means in sociology
The difference between formal and informal social control
How unwritten rules (norms) shape our everyday behaviour
Different types of social sanctions and how they work
Real-world examples of unwritten rules and sanctions in different settings
How to analyse the effectiveness of informal social control

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Understanding Social Control

Every society needs ways to make sure people behave in acceptable ways. This is called social control. Without it, there would be chaos! Some rules are written down as laws, but many of the rules we follow every day are unwritten and enforced by those around us.

Key Definitions:

Social Control: The methods used by society to encourage conformity to norms, values and laws.
Formal Social Control: Official rules enforced by people with authority (police, teachers, etc.).
Informal Social Control: Unofficial rules enforced through everyday social interactions.
Norms: Unwritten rules about how people should behave in specific situations.
Sanctions: Rewards or punishments used to encourage people to follow social norms.

👉 Formal Social Control

Written down as laws, rules, or regulations. Enforced by official authorities like police, judges, teachers, or managers. Punishments are clearly defined and can include fines, detention, prison, or being fired.

🤝 Informal Social Control

Unwritten rules enforced by ordinary people through social pressure. These include giving disapproving looks, gossip, praise, or excluding someone from a group. We learn these rules through socialisation.

Unwritten Rules: The Power of Social Norms

Social norms are the unwritten rules that guide our behaviour in everyday situations. They're like invisible guidelines that most people follow without even thinking about them. These norms vary between different cultures, social groups and even different situations.

Types of Social Norms

🙋 Folkways

Everyday customs that aren't strictly enforced. Breaking them might make people think you're odd, but not necessarily bad.

Examples: Queue etiquette, table manners, dress codes

🙏 Mores

Stronger moral norms that most people in society take seriously. Breaking these can lead to strong disapproval.

Examples: Being honest, respecting elders, not cheating

😱 Taboos

Very strong prohibitions where violation is seen as extremely serious or disgusting.

Examples: Incest, cannibalism, extreme disrespect for sacred objects

How We Learn Unwritten Rules

We aren't born knowing the unwritten rules of society. We learn them through a process called socialisation:

Primary socialisation: Learning basic norms from family during early childhood
Secondary socialisation: Learning more complex norms from school, peers, media and other institutions
Role modelling: Observing and copying the behaviour of others
Direct instruction: Being told what's acceptable ("Say thank you", "Don't interrupt")
Trial and error: Learning from the reactions we get to our behaviour

Case Study Focus: Classroom Norms

Think about your classroom. There are formal rules (no mobile phones, no eating), but also many unwritten rules:

Don't sit in someone else's "usual" seat
Don't answer every question the teacher asks
Don't "tell on" classmates for minor rule-breaking
Don't be too enthusiastic about homework

Breaking these unwritten rules might lead to eye-rolling, teasing, or being excluded from social groups - all examples of informal sanctions.

Social Sanctions: Enforcing the Unwritten Rules

Sanctions are the reactions people get when they follow or break social norms. They can be positive (rewards) or negative (punishments) and they can be formal (official) or informal (unofficial).

👍 Positive Sanctions

Rewards for following norms:

Formal: Certificates, prizes, promotions, good grades
Informal: Smiles, compliments, inclusion in groups, social media likes

👎 Negative Sanctions

Punishments for breaking norms:

Formal: Detention, fines, prison sentences, being fired
Informal: Disapproving looks, gossip, ridicule, social exclusion

The Power of Informal Sanctions

Informal sanctions can be incredibly powerful. For many people, the fear of being laughed at or excluded is a stronger motivator than the fear of formal punishment. This is why peer pressure is so effective - especially among teenagers.

Sociologists have identified several key informal sanctions:

Ridicule: Making fun of someone who breaks norms
Gossip: Talking negatively about someone behind their back
Shaming: Publicly pointing out someone's norm violation
Ostracism: Excluding someone from a social group
Disapproval: Showing displeasure through facial expressions or body language

Case Study Focus: Social Media and Sanctions

Social media has created new ways to apply informal sanctions:

Positive sanctions: Likes, shares, supportive comments, gaining followers
Negative sanctions: Unfriending, blocking, negative comments, "cancelling"

In 2021, a UK teenager posted a racist comment after England lost the Euro final. Within hours, he was identified online, lost his job and received thousands of negative comments. This shows how quickly informal sanctions can now be applied on a massive scale.

Unwritten Rules in Different Settings

Unwritten rules vary dramatically between different social contexts. What's acceptable in one setting might be completely inappropriate in another.

🏫 School

Unwritten rules: Don't be a "teacher's pet", support friends even when they're wrong, dress in the right style even within uniform rules

Sanctions: Teasing, exclusion from friendship groups, negative nicknames

🏠 Family

Unwritten rules: Who sits where at dinner, who does which chores, how to address different family members

Sanctions: Disapproving looks, "the silent treatment", withdrawal of privileges

🏢 Workplace

Unwritten rules: Don't use all your sick days, don't microwave fish in the office kitchen, don't bypass the chain of command

Sanctions: Office gossip, exclusion from social events, limited career advancement

When Unwritten Rules Conflict

Sometimes we face situations where different social norms conflict with each other. For example:

A norm among friends might be to stick together and not "snitch", but school rules require reporting dangerous behaviour
Family norms might emphasise academic achievement, while peer norms might value social activities over studying
Cultural norms from your family background might clash with the dominant norms at school or work

These conflicts can create what sociologists call "role strain" - stress from trying to meet competing expectations.

Analysing Social Control

Sociologists have different views on social control:

📈 Functionalist Perspective

Functionalists see social control as necessary for society to function smoothly. Unwritten rules and sanctions help maintain social order and teach shared values. Without them, society would fall into chaos.

⚖ Marxist Perspective

Marxists argue that social control often benefits the powerful. Unwritten rules can reinforce inequality by making people accept their position in society as "normal" or "natural" rather than questioning it.

Is Informal Social Control Effective?

The effectiveness of unwritten rules and informal sanctions depends on several factors:

Group cohesion: Sanctions work better in close-knit communities where people care about others' opinions
Visibility: Behaviour that happens in public is easier to control than private behaviour
Consensus: Norms work best when most people agree they're important
Alternatives: People may reject group norms if they can join different groups with different norms

Exam Tip: Evaluating Social Control

In your exam, you might need to evaluate the effectiveness of informal social control. Consider:

How informal control compares to formal control
Examples where informal sanctions are more effective than formal ones
Situations where informal control breaks down
How different sociological perspectives view social control
Real-world examples from different social contexts

Summary: Unwritten Rules and Sanctions

Unwritten rules (norms) are a crucial part of social control. They guide our everyday behaviour in ways we often don't notice. When we follow these norms, we receive positive sanctions like approval and inclusion. When we break them, we face negative sanctions like disapproval and exclusion.

These informal methods of social control are powerful because humans are social creatures who care deeply about belonging and being accepted. Understanding how unwritten rules and sanctions work helps us make sense of social behaviour and the pressures we all face to conform.

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