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23 Dec 2025

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4 pages

Understanding Informal and Formal Social Control Methods in Society

Saffron

@saffron

Formal and informal social controlmechanisms play a crucial role... Show more

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# AC 2.1: Explain forms of social control ### Superego:
- The superego/moral conscience is
developed through early socialisation, it
tells u

External Forms of Social Control

This page delves into the external forms of social control, which are mechanisms imposed by society to regulate individual behavior. These forms of control are more visible and often involve formal institutions and systems.

Agencies of social control are organisations or institutions that impose rules to shape behavior. These can include family, peer groups, and the education system. These agencies can employ both positive and negative sanctions to encourage desired behavior.

Coercion is a significant external form of social control, involving the use or threat of force (physical or psychological) to compel individuals to act in a certain way. The criminal justice system often utilises coercion through negative sanctions, such as imprisonment.

The Criminal Justice System (CJS) plays a crucial role in external social control. It comprises various agencies with the power to enforce formal legal sanctions. These include the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), judges, magistrates, and the prison service.

Example: The police have powers to stop, search, arrest, detain, and question suspects, demonstrating how the CJS exerts external social control.

Highlight: Fear of punishment is a key aspect of external social control, aiming to deter individuals from committing offenses.

Vocabulary: Formal social control refers to the official mechanisms, such as laws and regulations, used to maintain order in society.

Control Theory in Criminology

This page explores control theory in criminology, focusing on Travis Hirschi's concept of bonds of attachment. This theory provides insights into why individuals conform to societal norms and refrain from criminal behavior.

Hirschi argues that crime occurs when an individual's bonds to society are weak. He identifies four key elements of social bonding:

Attachment: The more individuals care about others' opinions, the less likely they are to engage in criminal activity.
Commitment: A strong commitment to conventional lifestyles, such as education and employment, reduces the likelihood of offending.
Involvement: Active participation in positive activities, like community work or studying, leaves less time for criminal behavior.
Beliefs: Socialisation that instills a belief in obeying the law decreases the probability of offending.

The theory emphasizes the importance of parenting in creating strong social bonds. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children's lives, take an interest in their education and friendships, and express disapproval of criminal behavior.

Definition: Control theory in criminology focuses on the factors that prevent individuals from engaging in criminal behavior, rather than what causes them to commit crimes.

Highlight: Youth clubs and community involvement are justified as crime prevention measures based on control theory principles.

Quote: "Crime only occurs when someone's bonds to society are weak." - This summarizes the core premise of Hirschi's control theory.

The page also briefly mentions feminist perspectives on social control and crime. Heidensohn argues that women's low offending rate is due to their oppression in patriarchal society, while Carlen suggests that women who experienced family abuse or were in care failed to form strong bonds of attachment, leading to criminal behavior.

Control Theory and Social Bonds

The final page explores social control theory and its applications, particularly focusing on Hirschi's bonds of attachment theory.

Quote: "Crime only occurs when someone's bonds to society are weak" - Travis Hirschi

Definition: Control theory explains how social bonds and attachments prevent individuals from engaging in criminal behavior.

Example: Youth clubs and community involvement programs demonstrate practical applications of control theory principles.

Highlight: Feminist perspectives, including Heidensohn's and Carlen's work, provide important insights into gender-specific aspects of social control.

Internal Forms of Social Control

This page introduces the concept of internal forms of social control, which are mechanisms that individuals internalise to regulate their behavior in society. These forms of control are deeply ingrained and often operate subconsciously.

The superego, developed through early socialisation, acts as a moral conscience that guides individuals in distinguishing right from wrong. It plays a crucial role in exercising self-control and preventing antisocial behavior.

Tradition and culture also serve as powerful internal controls. Through socialisation, individuals adopt cultural values, norms, and traditions as part of their identity. Conforming to these traditions reinforces one's sense of belonging within a community.

The internalisation of social rules and morality is another significant aspect of internal social control. This process occurs through socialisation, where individuals learn and adopt rules from parents, religious institutions, schools, and peer groups.

Definition: Informal social control refers to the ways in which norms, roles, and values shape individual behavior without the need for formal laws or regulations.

Example: A Muslim individual fasting during Ramadan demonstrates how cultural traditions can act as a form of internal social control.

Vocabulary: "Rational ideology" is a term used to describe the process by which individuals internalise social rules and use them to determine right from wrong.

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Criminology

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1,259

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23 Dec 2025

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4 pages

Understanding Informal and Formal Social Control Methods in Society

Saffron

@saffron

Formal and informal social control mechanisms play a crucial role in maintaining social order and preventing criminal behavior. This comprehensive guide explores internal and external forms of control, their implementation through various agencies, and theoretical frameworks explaining their effectiveness.

Internal... Show more

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External Forms of Social Control

Example: The police have powers to stop, search, arrest, detain, and question suspects, demonstrating how the CJS exerts external social control.

Highlight: Fear of punishment is a key aspect of external social control, aiming to deter individuals from committing offenses.

Vocabulary: Formal social control refers to the official mechanisms, such as laws and regulations, used to maintain order in society.

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

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Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Control Theory in Criminology

Hirschi argues that crime occurs when an individual's bonds to society are weak. He identifies four key elements of social bonding:

Attachment: The more individuals care about others' opinions, the less likely they are to engage in criminal activity.
Commitment: A strong commitment to conventional lifestyles, such as education and employment, reduces the likelihood of offending.
Involvement: Active participation in positive activities, like community work or studying, leaves less time for criminal behavior.
Beliefs: Socialisation that instills a belief in obeying the law decreases the probability of offending.

Definition: Control theory in criminology focuses on the factors that prevent individuals from engaging in criminal behavior, rather than what causes them to commit crimes.

Highlight: Youth clubs and community involvement are justified as crime prevention measures based on control theory principles.

Quote: "Crime only occurs when someone's bonds to society are weak." - This summarizes the core premise of Hirschi's control theory.

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Control Theory and Social Bonds

The final page explores social control theory and its applications, particularly focusing on Hirschi's bonds of attachment theory.

Quote: "Crime only occurs when someone's bonds to society are weak" - Travis Hirschi

Definition: Control theory explains how social bonds and attachments prevent individuals from engaging in criminal behavior.

Example: Youth clubs and community involvement programs demonstrate practical applications of control theory principles.

Highlight: Feminist perspectives, including Heidensohn's and Carlen's work, provide important insights into gender-specific aspects of social control.

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Internal Forms of Social Control

Definition: Informal social control refers to the ways in which norms, roles, and values shape individual behavior without the need for formal laws or regulations.

Example: A Muslim individual fasting during Ramadan demonstrates how cultural traditions can act as a form of internal social control.

Vocabulary: "Rational ideology" is a term used to describe the process by which individuals internalise social rules and use them to determine right from wrong.