- a mechanism for maintaining public order through regulatory regulation, implying social actions aimed at preventing deviant behavior, punishing deviants or correcting them.

Concept of social control

The most important condition for effective functioning social system is the predictability of social actions and social behavior people, in the absence of which the social system will face disorganization and collapse. Society has certain means with the help of which it ensures the reproduction of existing social relations and interactions. One of these means is social control, the main function of which is to create conditions for the sustainability of the social system, preservation social stability and at the same time for positive social change. This requires flexibility from social control, including the ability to recognize positive-constructive deviations from social norms, which should be encouraged, and negative-dysfunctional deviations, to which certain sanctions (from the Latin sanctio - the strictest decree) of a negative nature, including legal ones, should be applied.

- this is, on the one hand, a mechanism of social regulation, a set of means and methods of social influence, and on the other - social practice their use.

In general, the social behavior of an individual occurs under the control of society and the people around him. They not only teach the individual the rules of social behavior in the process of socialization, but also act as agents of social control, monitoring the correct assimilation of patterns of social behavior and their implementation in practice. In this regard, social control acts as a special form and method of social regulation of people’s behavior in society. Social control is manifested in the individual’s subordination to the social group into which he is integrated, which is expressed in meaningful or spontaneous adherence to social norms prescribed by this group.

Social control consists of two elements— social norms and social sanctions.

Social norms are socially approved or legally enshrined rules, standards, patterns that regulate people’s social behavior.

Social sanctions are means of reward and punishment that encourage people to comply with social norms.

Social norms

Social norms- these are socially approved or legally enshrined rules, standards, patterns that regulate the social behavior of people. Therefore, social norms are divided into legal norms, moral norms and social norms themselves.

Legal standards - These are norms formally enshrined in various types of legislative acts. Violation of legal norms involves legal, administrative and other types of punishment.

Moral standards- informal norms that function in the form of public opinion. The main tool in the system of moral norms is public censure or public approval.

TO social norms usually include:

• group social habits (for example, “don’t turn up your nose in front of your own people”);
• social customs (eg hospitality);
• social traditions (for example, the subordination of children to parents),
• social mores (manners, morals, etiquette);
• social taboos (absolute prohibitions on cannibalism, infanticide, etc.). Customs, traditions, mores, taboos are sometimes called general rules social behavior.

Social sanction

Sanction is recognized as the main instrument of social control and represents an incentive for compliance, expressed in the form of reward (positive sanction) or punishment (negative sanction). Sanctions can be formal, imposed by the state or specially authorized organizations and individuals, and informal, expressed by unofficial persons.

Social sanctions - they are means of reward and punishment that encourage people to comply with social norms. In this regard, social sanctions can be called a guardian of social norms.

Social norms and social sanctions are an inseparable whole, and if a social norm does not have an accompanying social sanction, then it loses its social regulatory function. For example, back in the 19th century. In Western European countries, the social norm was the birth of children only in a legal marriage. Therefore, illegitimate children were excluded from inheriting their parents’ property, they were neglected in everyday communication, and they could not enter into decent marriages. However, as society modernized and softened public opinion regarding illegitimate children, it began to gradually eliminate informal and formal sanctions for violating this norm. As a result, this social norm ceased to exist altogether.

The following are distinguished: mechanisms of social control:

• isolation - isolation of the deviant from society (for example, imprisonment);
• isolation - limiting the deviant’s contacts with others (for example, placement in a psychiatric clinic);
• rehabilitation is a set of measures aimed at returning the deviant to normal life.

Types of social sanctions

Although formal sanctions seem to be more effective, informal sanctions are actually more important to the individual. The need for friendship, love, recognition or the fear of ridicule and shame are often more effective than orders or fines.

During the process of socialization, forms of external control are internalized so that they become part of his own beliefs. An internal control system called self-control. A typical example of self-control is the torment of conscience of a person who has committed an unworthy act. In a developed society, self-control mechanisms prevail over external control mechanisms.

Types of Social Control

In sociology, two main processes of social control are distinguished: the application of positive or negative sanctions for an individual’s social behavior; interiorization (from the French interiorisation - transition from outside to inside) by an individual of social norms of behavior. In this regard, external social control and internal social control, or self-control, are distinguished.

External social control is a set of forms, methods and actions that guarantee compliance with social norms of behavior. There are two types of external control - formal and informal.

Formal social control based on official approval or condemnation, carried out by authorities state power, political and social organizations, the education system, the media and operates throughout the country, based on written norms - laws, decrees, regulations, orders and instructions. Formal social control may also include the dominant ideology in society. When we talk about formal social control, we primarily mean actions aimed at making people respect laws and order with the help of government officials. Such control is especially effective in large social groups.

Informal social control, based on the approval or condemnation of relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, public opinion, expressed through traditions, customs or the media. Agents of informal social control are social institutions such as family, school, and religion. This type of control is especially effective in small social groups.

In the process of social control, violation of some social norms is followed by very weak punishment, for example, disapproval, an unfriendly look, a grin. Violation of other social norms results in severe punishments - death penalty, imprisonment, exile from the country. Violation of taboos and legal laws is punished most severely; certain types of group habits, in particular family ones, are punished most mildly.

Internal social control— independent regulation by an individual of his social behavior in society. In the process of self-control, a person independently regulates his social behavior, coordinating it with generally accepted norms. This type control manifests itself, on the one hand, in feelings of guilt, emotional experiences, “remorse” for social actions, on the other hand, in the form of an individual’s reflection on his social behavior.

An individual’s self-control over his own social behavior is formed in the process of his socialization and the formation of socio-psychological mechanisms of his internal self-regulation. The main elements of self-control are consciousness, conscience and will.

- this is an individual form of mental representation of reality in the form of a generalized and subjective model the surrounding world in the form of verbal concepts and sensory images. Consciousness allows an individual to rationalize his social behavior.

Conscience- the ability of an individual to independently formulate his own moral duties and demand that he fulfill them, as well as to make a self-assessment of his actions and deeds. Conscience does not allow an individual to violate his established attitudes, principles, beliefs, according to which he builds his social behavior.

Will— a person’s conscious regulation of his behavior and activities, expressed in the ability to overcome external and internal difficulties when performing purposeful actions and deeds. Will helps an individual overcome his internal subconscious desires and needs, act and behave in society in accordance with his beliefs.

In the process of social behavior, an individual has to constantly struggle with his subconscious, which gives his behavior a spontaneous character, therefore self-control is the most important condition for people’s social behavior. Typically, individuals' self-control over their social behavior increases with age. But it also depends on social circumstances and the nature of external social control: the stricter the external control, the weaker the self-control. Moreover, social experience shows that the weaker an individual’s self-control, the stricter external control should be in relation to him. However, this is fraught with great social costs, since strict external control is accompanied by social degradation personality.

In addition to external and internal social control of an individual’s social behavior, there are also: 1) indirect social control, based on identification with a law-abiding reference group; 2) social control, based on the wide availability of a variety of ways to achieve goals and satisfy needs, alternative to illegal or immoral ones.

External social control is a set of forms, methods and actions that guarantee compliance with social norms of behavior. There are two types of external control - formal and informal.

Formal social control, based on official approval or condemnation, is carried out by government bodies, political and social organizations, the education system, the media and operates throughout the country, based on written norms - laws, decrees, regulations, orders and instructions. Formal social control may also include the dominant ideology in society. When we talk about formal social control, we primarily mean actions aimed at making people respect laws and order with the help of government officials. Such control is especially effective in large social groups.

Informal social control, based on the approval or condemnation of relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, public opinion, expressed through traditions, customs or the media. Agents of informal social control are social institutions such as family, school, and religion. This type of control is especially effective in small social groups.

In the process of social control, violation of some social norms is followed by very weak punishment, for example, disapproval, an unfriendly look, a grin. Violation of other social norms is followed by severe punishments - death penalty, imprisonment, expulsion from the country. Violation of taboos and legal laws is punished most severely; certain types of group habits, in particular family ones, are punished most mildly.

Internal social control- independent regulation by an individual of his social behavior in society. In the process of self-control, a person independently regulates his social behavior, coordinating it with generally accepted norms. This type of control manifests itself, on the one hand, in feelings of guilt, emotional experiences, “remorse” for social actions, and on the other hand, in the form of an individual’s reflection on his social behavior.

An individual’s self-control over his own social behavior is formed in the process of his socialization and the formation of socio-psychological mechanisms of his internal self-regulation. The main elements of self-control are consciousness, conscience and will.

Human consciousness - this is an individual form of mental representation of reality in the form of a generalized and subjective model of the surrounding world in the form of verbal concepts and sensory images. Consciousness allows an individual to rationalize his social behavior.

Conscience- the ability of an individual to independently formulate his own moral duties and demand that he fulfill them, as well as to make a self-assessment of his actions and deeds. Conscience does not allow an individual to violate his established attitudes, principles, beliefs, according to which he builds his social behavior.

Will- a person’s conscious regulation of his behavior and activities, expressed in the ability to overcome external and internal difficulties when performing purposeful actions and deeds. Will helps an individual overcome his internal subconscious desires and needs, act and behave in society in accordance with his beliefs.

Social control, in essence, is the process by which society, its individual spheres, management systems, subsystems, social units determine whether their actions or decisions are correct or whether they need adjustment.

Forms of social control[edit | edit wiki text]

Social control can be exercised in institutional and non-institutional forms.

1. Institutional form social control is implemented through a special apparatus specializing in control activities, which is a combination of state and public organizations (bodies, institutions and associations).

2. Non-institutional form social control is a special type of self-regulation inherent in various social systems, control over people's behavior by mass consciousness.
Its functioning is based primarily on the action of moral and psychological mechanisms, consisting of continuous monitoring of the behavior of other people and assessments of compliance with social prescriptions and expectations. A person becomes aware of himself by observing other members of society (organization, group, community), constantly comparing himself with them, learning certain norms of behavior in the process of socialization. Society cannot exist without mental reactions and mutual assessments. It is thanks to mutual contacts that people become aware of social values, acquire social experience and skills of social behavior.

A type of institutional social control is state control.Among the types of state control there are: political, administrative and judicial.

· Political control carried out by those bodies and persons who exercise the powers of the supreme power. Depending on the political and state structure, this is parliament, regional and local elected bodies. Political control can, to a certain extent, be exercised by political parties that have received the support of the majority of the people, especially those represented in government bodies.

· Administrative control carried out executive bodies all branches of government. Here, as a rule, control of superior officials over the actions of subordinates is implemented, inspection and supervisory bodies are created that analyze the implementation of laws, regulations, management decisions, study the efficiency and quality of administrative activities.

· Judicial control are carried out by all the courts at the disposal of society: general (civil), military, arbitration and constitutional courts.

However, it is difficult for one state to respond to many social requests and demands, which leads to the aggravation of social conflicts that have a destructive effect on the character public life. This requires effective feedback to ensure citizen participation in public administration, important element which is public control. Therefore, along with state control, special form control represents public control - public control on the part of society represented by the public, individual citizens, social organizations and movements, public opinion. In a modern democratic society, public control is the activity, first of all, of the established institutions of civil society, the formal and informal participation of individual citizens and their associations in them.

Most often, the basis for dividing social control into various types is the subjectivity of its implementation. The subjects here are workers, administration, public organizations of labor collectives.

Depending on the subject, the following are usually distinguished: types of social control:

1. Administrative control. Carried out by representatives of the enterprise administration, managers at various levels in accordance with regulatory documents. This type of control is also called external, since its subject is not included in the directly controlled system of relations and activities and is outside this system. In an organization, this is possible thanks to managerial relations, so here the control exercised by the administration is external.

The advantages of administrative control are due primarily to the fact that it is a special and independent activity. This, on the one hand, frees personnel directly involved in the main production tasks from control functions, and on the other hand, it contributes to the implementation of these functions at a professional level.

The disadvantages of administrative control are that it may not always be comprehensive and prompt; It is also quite possible that he is biased.

2. Public control. Carried out by public organizations within the framework provided for by the charters or regulations on their status. The effectiveness of public control is determined by the organization, structure and cohesion of the relevant public organizations.

3. Group control. This is mutual control of team members. There are formal group control (work meetings and conferences, production meetings) and informal (general opinion in the team, collective sentiments).

Mutual control arises when the bearers of social control functions are subjects of organizational and labor relations who have the same status. Among the advantages of mutual control, the simplicity of the supervision mechanism is noted first of all, since normal or deviant behavior is observed directly. This not only ensures the relatively constant nature of control functions, but also reduces the likelihood of errors in regulatory assessment associated with misrepresentation of facts in the process of obtaining information.

However, mutual control also has disadvantages. First of all, this is subjectivity: if relations between people are characterized by competition and rivalry, then they are naturally predisposed to unfairly attribute to each other some violations of discipline, and to prejudicially evaluate each other’s organizational and labor behavior.

4. Self-control. Represents the conscious regulation of one’s own work behavior based on self-assessments and assessments of compliance existing requirements and standards. As we see, self-control is a specific way of behavior of the subject of organizational-labor relations, in which he independently (regardless of the factor of external coercion) supervises his own actions and behaves in accordance with socially accepted norms.

The main advantage of self-control is the limitation of the need for special control activities on the part of the administration. In addition, self-control allows the employee to feel freedom, independence, and personal significance.

Self-control has two main drawbacks: each subject, in assessing his own behavior, tends to underestimate social and normative requirements, and is more liberal towards himself than towards others; self-control is largely random, that is, poorly predictable and controllable, depends on the state of the subject as a person, and manifests itself only with such qualities as consciousness and morality.

Depending on the nature of the sanctions or rewards used, social control is of two types: economic (rewards, penalties) and moral (contempt, respect).

Depending on the nature of the implementation of social control, the following types are distinguished.

1. Continuous and selective. Continuous social control is of an ongoing nature; the entire process of organizational-labor relations, all individuals included in the organization, are subject to supervision and evaluation. With selective control, its functions are relatively limited; they apply only to the most significant, predetermined aspects of the labor process.

3. Open and hidden. Select open or hidden form social control is determined by the state of awareness, awareness of the social control functions of the object of control. Covert control is carried out using technical means or through intermediaries.

We all live surrounded by people, sharing our joys and sorrows with them. But not everyone wants to obey social norms and rules. For a certain orderliness of society, the concept of “social control” was introduced. These new phenomena in society are very effective. We all remember the social shaming developed during the heyday of the USSR. When a person did not want to work or was a hooligan, he was taken on bail, but the whole society condemned him for such inappropriate behavior. And it worked! The man, perhaps not of his own free will, but began to change. As a result, the society achieved its goal. Social control was introduced for the same purpose - to streamline interpersonal and social relations.

Social control: concept, types, functions

A society can be called organized and relatively safe only if there are mechanisms of self-control of citizens and social control of the state. The more developed the first concept is, the less social surveillance will be required on the part of authorities. Self-control is the responsible behavior of an adult who has developed the skills of volitional effort over himself at the level of self-awareness, control over his behavior in accordance with generally accepted norms in society.

It is natural for children to act capriciously, impulsively, spontaneously. An adult has internal self-control so as not to create conflicts or other unfavorable situations for himself and for society. If a society consists of people with an underdeveloped sense of responsibility, then it needs formal types of social control to be introduced by special bodies. But we must not forget that constant harsh oppression gradually makes self-control less and less significant, and, as a result, society is degrading, since there are fewer and fewer people who are able to think responsibly and control their will.

What are the main types of public control?

Existing types social management behavior is divided into two large sections, which are called formal and informal.

The essence of formal control is the implementation of legislative and rational regulation by government bodies of management and supervision of the behavior of citizens. In case of violation of norms, the state applies sanctions.

Formal control was preceded by informal control, which still exists in society. Its essence lies in the self-organization of a certain social group, where the rules are not written, but are regulated by the opinions of group members, authoritative individuals, and elders.

How is formal control carried out?

Formal control has its roots in the historical period of formation of forms public organization, going beyond the simple, that is, state. Today, the state form of organization of society has reached such a level of development that such types of social control as formal control simply must be highly organized. The larger the state, the more difficult it is to organize public order. Formal control is the organization of order throughout the entire state, that is, it has a global scale. Its functions are carried out by special people who receive state wages(judges, police officers, psychiatrists). The developing social control in society and its types have led to the organization of entire institutions, structures and authorized bodies. These include the police, the prosecutor's office, courts, schools, the media and similar institutions.

Features of informal control

Informal management of behavior at the level of a large society is ineffective. It is localized and limited to the members of the group. For violation of the norms established in such social groups, punishment is applied, taking the form of threats or real actions: physical impact on the individual, rejection in communication, reproaches, ridicule, various types of censure... Informal types and forms of social control do not neglect sanctions in the form exclusion from the community, so-called ostracism. For a person to whom this group is important, such an action is very noticeable. He feels emptiness and hopelessness. This prompts him to take various actions to return to such a group or, conversely, to replace interests and reassess values.

How effective informal types and forms of social control and the level of its organization will depend on the degree of cohesion of members of a social group, unity in goals and opinions. Let's take, for example, a rural community of bygone times, the traditions of which are preserved in some places to this day - there were no clearly defined rules, but the preservation of rituals and various ceremonies fosters social behavior, norms and a deep understanding of the need to observe them.

Socialization as a form of control

In a traditional society with unwritten informal rules, the essence and types of social control differ significantly from a modern developed society, where all norms of individual behavior are strictly prescribed and enshrined in a set of laws. Sanctions in such a group of people are imposed in the form of fines, prison terms, administrative, disciplinary and criminal liability. To reduce violations of the law, the state, through its institutions and structures, carries out measures to socialize society - through education, cultural work, propaganda through the media, and so on.

Coercion of a person

If socialization methods do not work, you have to use types and methods of social control such as coercion. If an individual does not want to voluntarily submit, society forces him to do so by force. Coercion includes the main types of social control, which are described in the norms of each state, based on its norms and laws. Coercion can be local, preventive, for example at the place of work, using the basic laws of the state. It can also be carried out immediately without warning, using harsh forms of influence on a person. This coercive type of social control is psychological impact on the individual through psychiatric clinics using drug treatment.

Forms of human responsibility

If a person does not show responsibility in work or behavior, the state takes upon itself the functions of educating such a citizen different methods. These methods are not always as humane as we would like. For example, surveillance is not a very humane form of instilling responsibility on the part of the state. It is carried out in different ways.

Supervision can be general, when the supervisory authority monitors the implementation general norms, without going into details, looks only at the end result. It can also be detailed, when the controller agent monitors every detail, regulating the implementation of the necessary standards at every stage. State-wide supervision can evolve into forms where not only behavior is regulated, but also thoughts and private life. That is, the state takes forms of total control, fosters denunciation, applies censorship, surveillance and other methods.

In a developed civil democratic society, social control (types of sanctions) is not total. Citizens are taught responsible behavior that does not require coercion. Responsibility can be political, moral, legal, financial. Group and collective responsibility, bound by cultural values, traditions and norms, is very important. When a person is in a team, he has a desire to fit in with a significant group of people. Without noticing, he changes, trying to imitate the members of the team. Such a change in behavior does not imply pressure and violent influence on the individual.

Implementation of internal control

Internal behavior management implies the concept and types of social control that regulate measures aimed at the effective implementation by citizens of structural units of the tasks assigned to them. Thus, an audit and control body is formed that inspects the financial part, economic and job descriptions, compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards and the like.

On the other hand, internal control refers to human responsibility. A well-mannered and responsible person will not allow himself to commit offenses or any actions that are contrary to the basic norms of society. Self-control is developed in childhood. But also, with the help of certain methods, a person can be encouraged to take responsibility and regulate his behavior, emotions, words and actions.

What are the main functions of social control?

Internal social control, types, functions by which it is characterized - this is the controllability of powers to avoid abuse in the workplace, checking document flow and safety material assets. As for the functions of social control in general, they can be divided into:

1. Regulatory.
2. Protective.
3. Stabilizing.

Regulatory – ensures the regulation of relations and their management at all stages of development of society and its levels. Protective – aims to protect all traditional values ​​accepted in society, to stop all attempts to break and destroy these traditions. Stabilizing – takes measures to maintain public order in accordance with the norms adopted by law, predicts the behavior of individuals and social groups, preventing actions aimed at destabilizing public order.

A society without values ​​is doomed to destruction. This is what unites and expresses the goals and aspirations of society and its individual citizens. Values ​​have their own classification and hierarchy.

• spiritual;
• material;
• economic;
• political;
• social.

According to the direction:

• integrating;
• differentiating;
• approved;
• denied.

They are also divided according to needs and type of civilization. In general, we can say that values ​​are classified into:

• formed under the influence of traditions and modernity;
• primary basic and secondary;
• expressing the ideals of society (terminal);
• expressing tools for achieving a goal (instrumental).

Whatever the type of value, its main task is to be a measure of the level of socialization of society and the implementation of laws and behavioral norms adopted in it. In the USSR, oddly enough, values ​​were based on the principles of the Bible. The person was condemned for promiscuity, disrespect towards parents, theft, and envy. After the massive revolutions of freedom, the so-called sexual revolutions, the values ​​of society were turned upside down. The institution of family has lost its former significance, children began to show less respect for their parents. Without a basis, it is difficult to instill responsibility and control the correct behavior of people. Now social control no longer performs an educational function, but a punitive one.

The Role of Social Control Agents

IN modern society there are certain people - agents who exercise social control. These people have undergone special training to properly organize society. Agents of social control are police officers, doctors (psychiatrists), judges, social workers. They do not work with enthusiasm, but receive a certain payment for their work. It is difficult to imagine modern society without these people, since they are a kind of guarantors of previously adopted decrees, instructions, laws and regulations legislative branch states.

Social control today is not based on the principle “grandmother said so”; with the loss of the authority of elders, other control methods have appeared, which are determined by the state. On at the moment society is organized by institutions. These institutions are varied:

• police;
• prosecutor's office;
• places of detention;
• media;
• school;
• social services.

These bodies are authorized by the state to maintain, regulate and improve public order through the application of punitive or educational methods to specific people. Naturally, all these methods are used strictly according to the instructions of higher authorities. If a person or group of people does not listen to the recommendations or decisions of agents of social control, sanctions are applied to them: criminal punishment, disciplinary or administrative liability.

Nowadays, more and more often on TV screens, as well as on the Internet, you can come across the phrase “social control”. And many ask themselves the question: “What is it and why is it needed at all?”

IN modern world Social control is understood as the supervision of human behavior in society in order to prevent conflicts, restore order and maintain the existing social order. The presence of social control is one of the the most important conditions normal functioning state, as well as compliance with its laws. An ideal society is considered to be one in which each member does what he wants, but at the same time this is what is expected of him and what is required by the state at the moment. Of course, it is not always easy to force a person to do what society wants him to do.

Mechanisms of social control have long stood the test of time, and the most common among them, of course, are group pressure and human socialization. For example, in order for a state to experience population growth, it is necessary to convince families that having children is good and beneficial for their health. More primitive societies seek to control human behavior through coercion, but this method does not always work. In addition, when large numbers population in the state it is almost impossible to use this measure of social control.

The study of forms and types of social control is fundamentally important for today's society. Nowadays the population is given more and more freedoms, however, responsibility also increases. Methods of controlling deviant behavior are changing, becoming more sophisticated and invisible, and sometimes not every person realizes that everything he does was programmed by the state and placed in his head from birth. This work reveals the most popular and effective forms and types of social control, most often used in society. Knowing them is useful for every educated person, since for normal existence it is fundamentally important to know all those mechanisms that influence human consciousness.

What is social control and deviant behavior

Now in the world there is no such ideal society in which each member behaves in accordance with accepted requirements. Very often, so-called social deviations can arise, which do not always reflect well on the structure of society. Forms of social deviations can be very different: from harmless to very, very dangerous. Some have deviations in personal organization, some in social behavior, some in both. These include all kinds of criminals, hermits, geniuses, ascetics, representatives of sexual minorities, otherwise called deviants.

“The most innocent at first glance act, associated with a violation of the traditional distribution of roles, may turn out to be deviant. Let's say more high salary the wife may seem an abnormal phenomenon, since the husband from time immemorial has been the main producer of material values. In a traditional society, such a distribution of roles could not arise in principle.

So, any behavior that causes disapproval of public opinion is called deviant.” Typically, sociologists distinguish between 2 main types of deviation: primary and secondary. Moreover, if the primary deviation is not particularly dangerous for society, since it is regarded as a kind of prank, then secondary deviations stick the label of a deviant on the individual. Secondary deviations include criminal offenses, drug use, homosexuality and much more. Criminal behavior, sexual deviations, alcoholism or drug addiction cannot lead to the emergence of new cultural patterns useful to society. It should be recognized that the overwhelming number of social deviations play a destructive role in the development of society. Therefore, society simply needs a mechanism that will allow it to control unwanted deviant behavior.

A similar mechanism is social control. Thus, social control is a set of means by which a society or social group guarantees conformal behavior of its members in relation to role requirements and expectations. In this regard, with the help of social control, all the necessary conditions are created for the sustainability of each social system, it contributes to the preservation of social stability, and at the same time does not interfere with positive changes in the social system. Therefore, social control requires greater flexibility and the ability to correctly assess various deviations from social norms of activity that occur in society in order to encourage useful deviations and punish destructive ones.

A person begins to feel the influence of social control already in childhood, in the process of socialization, when a person is explained who he is and why he lives in the world. From infancy, a person develops a sense of self-control, he takes on various social roles, imposing the need to meet expectations. At the same time, most children grow up and become respectable citizens of their country who respect the law and do not seek to violate the norms accepted in society. Social control is diverse and ubiquitous: it occurs whenever at least two people interact.

Forms of social control

For for many years During its existence, humanity has developed a number of various forms social control. They can be both tangible and completely invisible. The most effective and traditional form can be called self-control. It appears immediately after a person is born and accompanies him throughout his entire adult life. Moreover, each individual himself, without coercion, controls his behavior in accordance with the norms of the society to which he belongs. Norms in the process of socialization are very firmly established in a person’s consciousness, so firmly that having violated them, a person begins to experience the so-called pangs of conscience.

Approximately 70% of social control is achieved through self-control. The more self-control the members of a society develop, the less that society has to resort to external control. And vice versa. The less self-control people have, the more often institutions of social control, in particular the army, courts, and the state, have to come into action. However, strict external control and petty supervision of citizens inhibit the development of self-awareness and expression of will, and muffle internal volitional efforts. This creates a vicious circle into which more than one society has fallen throughout world history. The name of this circle is dictatorship.

Often a dictatorship is established for a time, for the benefit of citizens and in order to restore order. But it lingers for a long time, to the detriment of people and leads to even greater arbitrariness. Citizens accustomed to submitting to coercive control do not develop internal control. Gradually they degrade as social beings, capable of taking responsibility and doing without external coercion (i.e. dictatorship). In other words, under a dictatorship, no one teaches them to behave in accordance with rational norms. Thus, self-control is a purely sociological problem, because the degree of its development is characterized by the prevailing social type people and the emerging form of the state. Group pressure is another common form of social control. Of course, no matter how strong a person’s self-control, belonging to any group or community has a huge impact on the personality.

When an individual is included in one of the primary groups, he begins to conform to basic norms and follow a formal and informal code of conduct. The slightest deviation usually results in disapproval from group members and the risk of expulsion. “Variations in group behavior resulting from group pressure can be seen in the example of a production team. Each member of the team must adhere to certain standards of behavior not only at work, but also after work. And if, say, disobedience to the foreman can result in harsh remarks from the workers for the violator, then absenteeism and drunkenness often end in his boycott and rejection from the team.” However, depending on the group, the strength of group pressure may vary. If the group is very cohesive, then, accordingly, the strength of group pressure increases. For example, in a group where a person spends free time, it is more difficult to exercise social control than in places where joint activities are regularly carried out, such as in the family or at work.

Group control can be formal or informal. Official meetings include all sorts of work meetings, deliberative meetings, shareholder councils, etc. Informal control refers to the impact on group members by participants in the form of approval, ridicule, condemnation, isolation and refusal to communicate.

Another form of social control is propaganda, which is considered a very powerful tool that influences human consciousness. Propaganda is a way of influencing people, which in some respect interferes with the rational education of a person, in which the individual draws his own conclusions. The main task of propaganda is to influence groups of people in such a way as to shape the behavior of society in the desired direction. Propaganda should influence those forms of social behavior that are closely related to the system of moral values ​​in society. Everything is subject to propaganda processing, from people’s actions in typical situations to beliefs and orientations. Propaganda is used as a kind of technical means suitable for achieving its goals. There are 3 main types of propaganda.

The first type includes the so-called revolutionary propaganda, which is needed in order to force people to accept a value system, as well as a situation that is in conflict with the generally accepted one. An example of such propaganda is the propaganda of communism and socialism in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century.

The second type is destructive propaganda. Its main goal is to destroy the existing value system. The clearest example of such propaganda was Hitler’s, which did not try to force people to accept the ideals of Nazism, but did their best to undermine trust in traditional values.

And finally, the third type of propaganda is reinforcing. It is designed to consolidate people's attachments to certain values ​​and orientations. This type of propaganda is typical for the United States, where the existing value system is reinforced in a similar way. According to sociologists, this type of propaganda is the most effective; it serves very well to maintain established value orientations. In addition, it reflects established, traditional stereotypes. This type of propaganda is mainly aimed at instilling conformism in people, which presupposes agreement with the dominant ideological and theoretical organizations.

Currently, the concept of propaganda in public consciousness associated mainly with the military sphere or politics. Slogans are considered one of the ways to implement propaganda in society. A slogan is a short saying, usually expressing a main goal or guiding idea. The correctness of such a statement is usually not in doubt, since it is only of a general nature.

During a period of crisis or conflict in a country, demagogues may throw out, for example, slogans such as “My country is always right,” “Motherland, faith, family,” or “Freedom or death.” But do most people analyze real reasons of this crisis or conflict? Or do they just go along with what they are told?

In his work on the First World War, Winston Churchill wrote: “Just one draft is enough - and crowds of peaceful peasants and workers turn into mighty armies, ready to tear the enemy to pieces.” He also noted that most people, without hesitation, carry out the order given to them.

The propagandist also has at his disposal many symbols and signs that carry the ideological charge he needs. For example, a flag can serve as a similar symbol, and ceremonies such as the firing of twenty-one guns and saluting are also symbolic. Love for parents can also be used as leverage. It is obvious that such concepts - symbols as fatherland, motherland or the faith of ancestors, can become a powerful weapon in the hands of clever manipulators of other people's opinions.

Of course, propaganda and all its derivatives are not necessarily evil. The question is who is doing it and for what purpose. And also about who this propaganda is being directed at. And if we talk about propaganda in a negative sense, then it is possible to resist it. And it's not that difficult. It is enough for a person to understand what propaganda is and learn to identify it in the general flow of information. And having learned, it is much easier for a person to decide for himself how compatible the ideas instilled in him are with his own ideas about what is good and what is bad.

Social control through coercion is also another common form of it. It is usually practiced in the most primitive as well as traditional societies, although it may be present in smaller quantities even in the most developed states. In the presence of a high population of a complex culture, so-called secondary group control begins to be used - laws, various violent regulators, formalized procedures. When an individual does not want to follow these regulations, the group or society resorts to coercion to force him to do the same as everyone else. In modern societies there are strictly developed rules, or a system of control through coercion, which is a set of effective sanctions applied in accordance with various types deviations from the norms.

Social control through coercion is characteristic of any government, but its place, role, and character in various systems are not the same. In a developed society, coercion is imposed mainly for crimes committed against society. Decisive role the fight against crime belongs to the state. It has a special coercive apparatus. Legal norms determine why government bodies may use coercion. The means of coercion are physical and mental violence, i.e. threat. There is also no reason to believe that a threat can only be a means of coercion when it is punishable in itself.

The state must also protect its citizens from coercion by threats, which in themselves are not punishable if the content of the threat is an illegal act, otherwise many cases of serious mental violence would go unpunished. The element of coercion, attached to the threat, gives it a different and greater meaning. It goes without saying that the threat must contain an indication of a significant, in the eyes of the threatened, illegal evil, otherwise it will be unable to influence the will of the threatened person.

In addition to the above, there are many other forms of social control, such as encouragement, pressure from authority, and punishment. A person begins to feel each of them from birth, even if he does not understand that he is being influenced.

All forms of social control are covered by its two main types: formal and informal.

Formal social control

It is carried out by government entities or institutions of society specially created for this purpose. With the emergence and development state forms management, special mechanisms of coercion and law, formal control pushed the informal into the background. To implement formal control, special sets of rules and laws are developed that apply throughout the country. Social control gained institutional support. It's global. It is carried out by specially trained people, the so-called agents of formal control. These include judges, psychiatrists, social workers, special church officials, etc.

Formal control is exercised by such institutions of modern society as the courts, the education system, the army, production, the media, and the government. The school controls through exam grades, the government controls through the tax system and social assistance the population, the state - thanks to the police, the secret service, state radio and television channels and the press. The very functioning of the state is possible only due to the presence of formal social control. The presence of formal control ensures the safety of the citizens of the state, guarantees compliance with laws, and contributes to its development and prosperity.

Historically, formal control arose later than informal control - during the emergence of complex societies and states, in particular, ancient Eastern empires. The very need to apply formal social control arises only when society becomes very large and begins to include various social strata of the population. If in a small community you can get by with condemnation to control all its members, then in a large and vast state it is almost impossible to keep track of everyone. Therefore, formal social control arises.

Informal social control

Informal control is based on approval or condemnation from a group of relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, as well as from public opinion, which is expressed through traditions and customs or the media. Informal control over a person greatly influences his character, worldview, tastes and habits. Many sociologists also call informal social control local: it cannot spread to a large group of people at once, but it has a great influence on each individual throughout his life. In modern society, informal control operates mainly at the level of primary groups.

His tools are mainly gossip, ridicule, boycott, advice, compliment and much more. At the level of large groups, the power of public opinion weakens, and informal control becomes ineffective. The existence of informal social control in traditional societies was possible only due to the fact that social regulation was unwritten and consisted of ideas about what should be, transmitted from mouth to mouth. A small rural community could control all aspects of the lives of its members: the choice of a bride or groom, methods of resolving disputes and conflicts, methods of courtship, choosing the name of a newborn, and much more. There were no written rules. Acted as controller public opinion, most often expressed by the oldest members of the community. Religion was organically woven into a unified system of social control.

Strict observance of rituals and ceremonies associated with traditional holidays and ceremonies (for example, marriage, birth of a child, reaching maturity, betrothal, harvest) fostered a sense of respect for social norms and instilled a deep understanding of their necessity.

Nowadays, informal control can also be exercised by family, circle of relatives, friends and acquaintances. They are called agents of informal control. If we consider the family as a social institution, then we should talk about the most important institution of social control.

It is difficult to overestimate the influence of informal social control on an individual member of society. From childhood, we are influenced by our parents and friends, shaping our ideas about good and evil, right and wrong. Perhaps, informal social control is still somewhat more important than formal, because no matter how the laws of the state change, what the family has invested in a person will remain in him for the rest of his life. And a person tends to listen to the opinions of others more often than to his own.

Conclusion

Having studied the main types and forms of social control, we can come to the conclusion that the character, value system, habits and worldview of a person are completely determined by the society to which he belongs.

The role and importance of social control is difficult to overestimate. It not only supports the existing value system, but also plays an important role in stabilizing the social system, as well as guiding social order. Its main task is to make a habit of standards of behavior in society that do not cause disapproval and dissatisfaction of other members of society. The stabilizing and protective functions of social control make possible the existence of modern multinational, multimillion-dollar states with complex system relationships.

The problem of social deviations and deviant behavior is attracting increasing attention of domestic sociologists. Ways to rationally control and spread positive behavior are being more actively developed. An important task for researchers is also to typologize deviant behavior of an individual and develop a conceptual framework for the mechanism of social control.

However, it is worth recognizing that, despite all the efforts of sociologists, society still experiences huge number unwanted deviations, which are quite difficult to combat. The task of the future is to find the most optimal forms of control of deviant behavior in order to ensure happy life every member of society.

References

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