Refers to informal negative control. Formal negative sanctions: concept, examples. Classification of sanctions by time of application

Term" social control

. Sanctions

. Current sanctions

The severity of sanctions depends on:

Test questions and assignments

10. What are "sanctions"?

Term" social control"was introduced into scientific circulation by the French sociologist and social psychologist Gabriel Tarde. He considered it as an important means of correcting criminal behavior. Subsequently, Tarde expanded the considerations of this term and considered social control as one of the main factors of socialization.

Social control is a special mechanism for social regulation of behavior and maintaining public order

Informal and formal control

Informal control is based on the approval or condemnation of a person’s actions on the part of her relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, as well as on the part of public opinion, which is expressed through customs and traditions, etc. Through the media.

In a traditional society there were very few established norms. Most aspects of life for members of traditional rural communities were controlled informally. Strict observance of rituals and ceremonies associated with traditional holidays and ceremonies fostered respect for social norms and an understanding of their necessity.

Informal control is limited to a small group; it is ineffective in a large group. Agents of informal control include relatives, friends, neighbors, acquaintances

Formal control is based on approval or condemnation of a person’s actions by official authorities and administration. In a complex modern society, which numbers many thousands or even millions of Jews, it is impossible to maintain order by means of informal control. In modern society, control over order is carried out by special social institutions, such as courts, educational institutions, the army, churches, mass media, enterprises, etc. Accordingly, employees of these institutions act as agents of formal control.

If an individual goes beyond the limits of social norms, and his behavior does not correspond to social expectations, he will certainly face sanctions, that is, with the emotional reaction of people to normatively regulated behavior.

. Sanctions- these are punishments and rewards that are applied by a social group to an individual

Since social control can be formal or informal, there are four main types of sanctions: formal positive, formal negative, informal positive and informal negative.

. Formal positive sanctions- this is public approval from official organizations: diplomas, prizes, titles and titles, state awards and high positions. They are closely related to the presence of regulations that determine how an individual should behave and which provide rewards for his compliance with normative regulations.

. Formal negative sanctions- these are punishments provided for by legal laws, government regulations, administrative instructions and orders: deprivation of civil rights, imprisonment, arrest, dismissal from work, fines, official penalties, reprimand, death penalty, etc. They are associated with the presence of regulations governing behavior individual and indicate what punishment is intended for non-compliance with these norms.

. Informal positive sanctions- this is public approval from unofficial individuals and organizations: public praise, compliment, tacit approval, applause, fame, smile, etc.

. Informal negative sanctions- this is a punishment unforeseen by official authorities, such as a remark, ridicule, a cruel joke, contempt, an unkind review, slander, etc.

The typology of sanctions depends on the educational system we have chosen.

Considering the method of applying sanctions, current and future sanctions are identified

. Current sanctions are those that are actually used in a particular community. Everyone can be sure that if he goes beyond existing social norms, he will be punished or rewarded according to existing regulations

Prospective sanctions are associated with promises of application of punishment or reward to an individual in case of violation of normative requirements. Very often, only the threat of execution (the promise of a reward) is sufficient to keep the individual within the normative framework.

Another criterion for dividing sanctions is related to the time of their application

Repressive sanctions are applied after an individual performs a certain action. The amount of punishment or reward is determined by public beliefs regarding the harmfulness or usefulness of its action

Preventive sanctions are applied even before an individual commits a certain action. Preventive sanctions are applied with the aim of inducing an individual to the type of behavior that is needed by society

Today, in most civilized countries, the prevailing belief is a “crisis of punishment,” a crisis of state and police control. The movement for the abolition of not only the death penalty, but also legal imprisonment and the transition to alternative measures of punishment and restoration of the rights of victims is growing more and more.

The idea of ​​prevention is considered progressive and promising in world criminology and sociology of deviations

Theoretically, the possibility of crime prevention has long been known. Charles. Montesquieu, in his work “The Spirit of Laws,” noted that “a good legislator is not as concerned about the punishment of crime as the father. In preventing crime, he will try not so much to punish as to improve morality.” Preventive sanctions improve social conditions, create a more favorable atmosphere and reduce inhumane actions. They are useful to protect a specific person, a potential victim, from possible attacks.

However, there is another point of view. While agreeing that the prevention of crime (as well as other forms of deviant behavior) is democratic, liberal and progressive than repression, some sociologists (T. Mathissen, B. Andersen, etc.) question the realism and effectiveness of their preventive measures the arguments are as follows:

Since deviance is a certain conditional construct, a product of social agreements (why, for example, is alcohol allowed in one society, but in another its use is considered a deviation?), It is the legislator who decides what constitutes an offense. Will prevention turn into a way to strengthen the position of officials?

prevention involves influencing the causes of deviant behavior. And who can say with certainty that he knows these reasons? and apply the basis in practice?

prevention is always an intervention in a person’s personal life. Therefore, there is a danger of violation of human rights through the introduction of preventive measures (for example, violation of the rights of homosexuals in the USSR)

The severity of sanctions depends on:

Measures of role formalization. The military, police, and doctors are controlled very strictly, both formally and by the public, and, say, friendship is realized through informal social relationships. Ole, that’s why the sanctions here are quite conditional.

status prestige: roles associated with prestigious statuses are subject to severe external control and self-control

The cohesion of the group within which role behavior occurs, and therefore the strength of group control

Test questions and assignments

1. What behavior is called deviant?

2. What is the relativity of deviation?

3. What behavior is called delinquent?

4. What are the causes of deviant and delinquent behavior?

5. What is the difference between delinquent and deviant behavior?

6. Name the functions of social deviations

7. Describe the biological and psychological theories of deviant behavior and crime

8. Describe sociological theories of deviant behavior and crime

9. What functions does the social control system perform?

10. What are "sanctions"?

11. What difference is there between formal and informal sanctions?

12 Names for the Difference Between Repressive and Preventive Sanctions

13. Prove with examples what the tightening of sanctions depends on

14. What is the difference between methods of informal and formal control?

15. Name of agents of informal and formal control

INFORMAL SANCTIONS

- English sanctions, informal; German Sanctionen, unformale. Spontaneous, emotionally charged reactions of the immediate environment (friends, neighbors, relatives) to an individual’s behavior that deviates from social behavior. expectations.

Antinazi. Encyclopedia of Sociology, 2009

See what “INFORMAL SANCTIONS” are in other dictionaries:

    INFORMAL SANCTIONS- English sanctions, informal; German Sanctionen, unformale. Spontaneous, emotionally charged reactions of the immediate environment (friends, neighbors, relatives) to an individual’s behavior that deviates from social behavior. expectations... Explanatory dictionary of sociology

    Reactions of a social group (society, work collective, public organization, friendly company, etc.) to the behavior of an individual that deviates (both in a positive and negative sense) from social expectations, norms and values.... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

    AND; and. [from lat. sanctio (sanctionis) inviolable law, the strictest decree] Legal. 1. Statement of something. higher authority, permission. Obtain a warrant for arrest. Give permission for the issue to be published. Detained with the sanction of the prosecutor. 2. Measure,… … encyclopedic Dictionary

    - (lat. institutum establishment, establishment) social structure or order of social structure that determines the behavior of a certain number of individuals of a particular community. Institutions are characterized by their capabilities... ... Wikipedia

    A set of processes in a social system (society, social group, organization, etc.), through which compliance with certain definitions is ensured. “patterns” of activity, as well as compliance with restrictions on behavior, the violation of which... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

    Primary- (Primaries) The concept of primaries, the rules for conducting primaries Information about the concept of primaries, the conduct of primaries, the results of primaries Contents Primaries (primaries), preliminary elections - a type of voting in which one ... ... Investor Encyclopedia

    Firm- (Firm) Definition of a company, characteristics and classification of companies Definition of a company, characteristics and classification of companies, concepts of a company Contents Contents Firm Legal forms The concept of a company and entrepreneurship. Basic characteristics and classifications of companies... ... Investor Encyclopedia

    SOCIAL-ROLE CONFLICT- a contradiction either between the normative structures of social. roles, or between the structural elements of social. roles. In a complexly differentiated environment, an individual fulfills the requirements of not one, but several roles, in addition, the specific role itself associated with... ... Russian Sociological Encyclopedia

    Group norms- [from lat. norma guiding principle, sample] a set of rules and requirements developed by each actually functioning community and playing the role of the most important means of regulating the behavior of members of a given group, the nature of their relationships, ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology and Pedagogy

    omitted- prisons. slang omitted representative of the lowest group in the informal hierarchy of prisoners, a kind of untouchable caste. You cannot take anything from someone who is lowered, you cannot touch him, you cannot sit on his bunk, etc. Those who are lowered have their own separate places in... ... Universal additional practical explanatory dictionary by I. Mostitsky

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

Types of sanctions:

1) Formal positive sanctions are approval from official bodies:

Scholarship;

Monument.

2) Informal positive sanctions are approval from society:

Applause;

Compliment;

3) Formal negative is punishment from official bodies:

Dismissal;

The death penalty.

4) Informal negative sanctions - punishments from society:

Comment;

Mockery;

There are two types of social control:

1. external social control - it is carried out by authorities, society, and close people.

2. internal social control - it is exercised by the person himself. 70% of human behavior depends on self-control.

Compliance with social norms is called conformity - this is the goal of social control

3. Social deviations: deviant and delinquent behavior.

The behavior of people who do not comply with social norms is called deviant. These actions do not correspond to the norms and social stereotypes established in a given society.

Positive deviance is deviant behavior that does not cause disapproval from society. These can be heroic deeds, self-sacrifice, super-dedication, excessive zeal, a heightened sense of pity and sympathy, super-hard work, etc. Negative deviation is deviations that cause reactions of disapproval and condemnation in most people. This may include terrorism, vandalism, theft, betrayal, cruelty to animals, etc.

Delinquent behavior is a serious violation of the law that may result in criminal liability.

There are several main forms of deviation.

1. Drunkenness – excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. Alcoholism is a painful attraction to alcohol. This type of deviation brings great harm to all people. Both the economy and the well-being of society suffer from this. For example, in the United States, about 14 million people suffer from alcoholism, and annual losses from it reach up to 100 billion dollars. Our country is also a world leader in alcohol consumption. Russia produces 25 liters of alcohol per capita per year. Moreover, most of the alcohol is strong alcoholic drinks. Recently, the problem of “beer” alcoholism has emerged, which mainly affects young people. About 500 thousand Russians die annually for various reasons related to alcohol.

2. Drug addiction is a painful attraction to drugs. Associated consequences of drug addiction are crimes, physical and mental exhaustion, and personality degradation. According to the UN, every 25th inhabitant of the Earth is a drug addict, i.e. There are more than 200 million drug addicts in the world. According to official estimates, there are 3 million drug addicts in Russia, and 5 million according to unofficial estimates. There are supporters of the legalization of “soft” drugs (such as marijuana). They give the example of the Netherlands, where the use of these drugs is legal. But the experience of these countries has shown that the number of drug addicts is not decreasing, but only increasing.

3. Prostitution – extramarital sexual relations for payment. There are countries where prostitution is legalized. Supporters of legalization believe that the transfer to a legal position will allow better control of the “process”, improve the situation, reduce the number of diseases, rid this area of ​​pimps and bandits, in addition, the state budget will receive additional taxes from this type of activity. Opponents of legalization point out the humiliation, inhumanity and immorality of body trade. Immorality cannot be legalized. Society cannot live according to the principle of “everything is permitted”, without certain moral brakes. In addition, underground prostitution with all its criminal, moral and medical problems will continue.

4. Homosexuality is sexual attraction to people of the same sex. Homosexuality occurs in the form of: a) sodomy - sexual relations between a man and a man, b) lesbianism - sexual attraction of a woman to a woman, c) bisexuality - sexual attraction to individuals of the same and opposite sex. The normal sexual attraction of a woman to a man and vice versa is called heterosexuality. Some countries already allow marriages between gays and lesbians. Such families are allowed to adopt children. In our country, the population generally has ambivalent attitudes towards such relationships.

5. Anomie is a state of society in which a significant part of people neglects social norms. This happens in troubled, transitional, crisis times of civil wars, revolutionary upheavals, deep reforms, when previous goals and values ​​collapse, and faith in the usual moral and legal norms falls. Examples include France during the Great Revolution of 1789, Russia in 1917 and the early 90s of the 20th century.

SOCIOLOGY: HISTORY, FUNDAMENTALS, INSTITUTIONALIZATION in RUSSIA

Chapter 4
TYPES AND FORMS OF CONNECTIONS IN THE SOCIAL SYSTEM

4.2. Social control

Social control, what is it? How does social control relate to social connection? In order to understand this, let's ask ourselves a number of questions. Why do acquaintances bow and smile at each other when they meet, and send greeting cards for the holidays? Why do parents send their children over a certain age to school, but people don't go to work barefoot? A number of similar questions can be continued further. All of them can be formulated as follows. Why do people perform their functions in the same way every day, and some functions even pass from generation to generation?

Thanks to this repetition, the continuity and stability of the development of social life is ensured. It makes it possible to foresee people's reactions to your behavior in advance, this contributes to the mutual adaptation of people to each other, since everyone already knows what they can expect from the other. For example, a driver sitting behind the wheel of a car knows that oncoming cars will keep to the right, and if someone drives towards him and crashes into his car, then he can be punished for this.

Each group develops a number of methods of beliefs, prescriptions and prohibitions, a system of coercion and pressure (even physical), a system of expression that allows the behavior of individuals and groups to be brought into line with accepted patterns of activity. This system is called the social control system. Briefly, it can be formulated as follows: social control is a mechanism of self-regulation in social systems, which is carried out thanks to the normative (legal, moral, etc.) regulation of individual behavior.

In this regard, social control also performs corresponding functions; with its help, the necessary conditions are created for the stability of the social system, it contributes to the preservation of social stability, as well as, at the same time, 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 appropriately punish deviations that are harmful to society, and encourage them necessary for its further development.

The implementation of social control begins in the process of socialization, at this time the individual begins to assimilate social norms and values ​​corresponding to the level of development of society, he develops self-control, and he accepts various social roles that impose on him the need to fulfill role requirements and expectations.

The main elements of the social control system: habit, custom and system of sanctions.

Habit- this is a stable way of behavior in certain situations, in some cases taking on the character of a need for the individual, which does not meet with a negative reaction from the group.

Each individual may have his own habits, for example, getting up early, doing exercises in the morning, wearing a certain style of clothing, etc. There are habits that are generally accepted by the entire group. Habits can develop spontaneously and be the product of purposeful upbringing. Over time, many habits develop into stable character traits of an individual and are carried out automatically. Also, habits arise as a result of the acquisition of skills and are established by traditions. Some habits are nothing more than remnants of old rituals and celebrations.

Usually breaking habits does not lead to negative sanctions. If the behavior of an individual corresponds to the habits accepted in the group, then it meets with recognition.

Custom is a stereotypical form of social regulation of behavior, adopted from the past, which meets certain moral assessments of the group and the violation of which leads to negative sanctions. Custom is directly related to a certain coercion for the recognition of values ​​or coercion in a certain situation.

The concept of “custom” is often used as a synonym for the concepts of “tradition” and “ritual”. Custom means strict adherence to instructions that came from the past, and custom, unlike traditions, does not function in all areas of social life. The difference between custom and ritual lies not only in the fact that it symbolizes certain social relations, but also acts as a means used for the practical transformation and use of various objects.

For example, custom requires respecting respectable people, giving way to old and helpless people, treating people who occupy a high position in the group according to etiquette, etc. Thus, custom is a system of values ​​recognized by a group, certain situations in which these values ​​can occur, and standards of behavior consistent with these values. Disrespect for customs and their failure to comply undermine the internal cohesion of the group, since these values ​​have a certain importance for the group. The group, using coercion, encourages its individual members in certain situations to comply with standards of behavior that correspond to its values.

In pre-capitalist society, custom was the main social regulator of public life. But custom not only performs the functions of social control, maintains and strengthens intragroup cohesion, it helps to transmit social and

cultural experience of humanity from generation to generation, i.e. acts as a means of socialization of the younger generation.

Customs include religious rituals, civil holidays, production skills, etc. Currently, the role of the main social regulator in modern societies is no longer performed by customs, but by social institutions. Customs in their “pure” form have been preserved in the sphere of everyday life, morality, civil rituals, and in conventional rules of various kinds - conventions (for example, traffic rules). Depending on the system of social relations in which they are located, customs are divided into progressive and reactionary, outdated. In developed countries, a struggle is being waged against outdated customs, and new progressive civil rites and customs are being established.

Social sanctions. Sanctions are operational measures and means developed by a group necessary to control the behavior of its members, the purpose of which is to ensure internal unity and continuity of social life, stimulating desirable behavior and punishing undesirable behavior of group members.

Sanctions may be negative(punishment for unwanted actions) and positive(reward for desirable, socially approved actions). Social sanctions are an important element of social regulation. Their meaning lies in the fact that they act as an external stimulus inducing an individual to a certain behavior or a certain attitude towards the action being performed.

There are sanctions formal and informal. Formal sanctions - this is the reaction of formal institutions to some behavior or action in accordance with a pre-formulated (in law, charter, regulation) procedure.

Informal (diffuse) sanctions are already a spontaneous, emotionally charged reaction of informal institutions, public opinion, a group of friends, colleagues, neighbors, i.e. immediate environment on behavior deviating from social expectations.

Since an individual is at the same time a member of different groups and institutions, the same sanctions can strengthen or weaken the effect of others.

According to the method of internal pressure, the following sanctions are distinguished:

- legal sanctions - it is a system of punishments and rewards developed and provided for by law;

- ethical sanctions - it is a system of censures, reprimands and incentives based on moral principles;

- satirical sanctions - this is a system of all kinds of ridicule and mockery applied to those who do not behave as is customary;

- religious sanctions- these are punishments or rewards established by the system of dogmas and beliefs of a particular religion, depending on whether the individual’s behavior violates or complies with the prescriptions and prohibitions of this religion [see: 312. P. 115].

Moral sanctions are implemented directly by the social group itself through various forms of behavior and attitudes towards the individual, and legal, political, economic sanctions- through the activities of various social institutions, even those specially created for this purpose (judicial investigation, etc.).

The following types of sanctions are most common in civilized societies:

Negative informal sanctions - this can be an expression of displeasure, sadness on the face, termination of friendly relations, refusal to shake hands, various gossip, etc. The listed sanctions are important because they are followed by important social consequences (deprivation of respect, certain benefits, etc.).

Negative formal sanctions are all kinds of punishments that are provided for by law (fines, arrests, imprisonment, confiscation of property, death sentence, etc.). These punishments act as a threat, intimidation and, at the same time, warn what awaits the individual for committing antisocial acts.

Informal positive sanctions are the reaction of the immediate environment to positive behavior; which corresponds to the standards of behavior and value systems of the group, expressed in the form of encouragement and recognition (expression of respect, praise and flattering reviews

in oral conversation and in print, friendly gossip, etc.).

Formal positive sanctions are the reaction of formal institutions, carried out by people specially selected for this purpose, to positive behavior (public approval from the authorities, awarding orders and medals, monetary rewards, erection of monuments, etc.).

In the 20th century Researchers' interest in studying the unintended or hidden (latent) consequences of the application of social sanctions has increased. This is due to the fact that tougher punishment can lead to opposite results, for example, fear of risk can lead to a decrease in an individual’s activity and the spread of conformity, and fear of being punished for a relatively minor offense can push a person to commit a more serious crime, hoping to avoid detection. The effectiveness of certain social sanctions must be determined specifically historically, in connection with a certain socio-economic system, place, time and situation. The study of social sanctions is necessary to identify the consequences and to apply them both for society and for the individual.

Each group develops a specific system supervision.

Supervision - it is a system of formal and informal ways of detecting undesirable actions and behavior. Also, supervision is one of the forms of activity of various government bodies to ensure the rule of law.

For example, in our country there are currently prosecutorial supervision and judicial supervision. Prosecutor's supervision means the supervision of the prosecutor's office over the accurate and uniform implementation of laws by all ministries, departments, enterprises, institutions and other public organizations, officials and citizens. And judicial supervision is the procedural activity of courts to verify the validity and legality of sentences, decisions, rulings and court decisions.

In 1882, police supervision was legally established in Russia. This was an administrative measure used in the fight against the liberation movement from the beginning of the 19th century. Police supervision could be open or covert, temporary or lifelong. For example, the supervised person did not have the right to change his place of residence, be in government or public service, etc.

But supervision is not only a system of police institutions, investigative bodies, etc., it also includes everyday monitoring of an individual’s actions by the social environment around him. Thus, the informal system of supervision is a constant assessment of behavior carried out by one group member after another, with a mutual assessment that the individual must take into account in his behavior. Informal supervision plays a large role in regulating everyday behavior in daily contacts, in the performance of professional work, etc.

A system of control, based on a system of various institutions, ensures that social contacts, interactions and relationships are carried out within the limits established by the group. These frameworks are not always too rigid and allow for individual “interpretation.”

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

Types of sanctions:

1) Formal positive sanctions are approval from official bodies:

Scholarship;

Monument.

2) Informal positive sanctions are approval from society:

Applause;

Compliment;

3) Formal negative is punishment from official bodies:

Dismissal;

The death penalty.

4) Informal negative sanctions - punishments from society:

Comment;

Mockery;

There are two types of social control:

1. external social control - it is carried out by authorities, society, and close people.

2. internal social control - it is exercised by the person himself. 70% of human behavior depends on self-control.

Compliance with social norms is called conformity - this is the goal of social control

3. Social deviations: deviant and delinquent behavior.

The behavior of people who do not comply with social norms is called deviant. These actions do not correspond to the norms and social stereotypes established in a given society.

Positive deviance is deviant behavior that does not cause disapproval from society. These can be heroic deeds, self-sacrifice, super-dedication, excessive zeal, a heightened sense of pity and sympathy, super-hard work, etc. Negative deviation is deviations that cause reactions of disapproval and condemnation in most people. This may include terrorism, vandalism, theft, betrayal, cruelty to animals, etc.

Delinquent behavior is a serious violation of the law that may result in criminal liability.

There are several main forms of deviation.

1. Drunkenness – excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. Alcoholism is a painful attraction to alcohol. This type of deviation brings great harm to all people. Both the economy and the well-being of society suffer from this. For example, in the United States, about 14 million people suffer from alcoholism, and annual losses from it reach up to 100 billion dollars. Our country is also a world leader in alcohol consumption. Russia produces 25 liters of alcohol per capita per year. Moreover, most of the alcohol is strong alcoholic drinks. Recently, the problem of “beer” alcoholism has emerged, which mainly affects young people. About 500 thousand Russians die annually for various reasons related to alcohol.

2. Drug addiction is a painful attraction to drugs. Associated consequences of drug addiction are crimes, physical and mental exhaustion, and personality degradation. According to the UN, every 25th inhabitant of the Earth is a drug addict, i.e. There are more than 200 million drug addicts in the world. According to official estimates, there are 3 million drug addicts in Russia, and 5 million according to unofficial estimates. There are supporters of the legalization of “soft” drugs (such as marijuana). They give the example of the Netherlands, where the use of these drugs is legal. But the experience of these countries has shown that the number of drug addicts is not decreasing, but only increasing.

3. Prostitution – extramarital sexual relations for payment. There are countries where prostitution is legalized. Supporters of legalization believe that the transfer to a legal position will allow better control of the “process”, improve the situation, reduce the number of diseases, rid this area of ​​pimps and bandits, in addition, the state budget will receive additional taxes from this type of activity. Opponents of legalization point out the humiliation, inhumanity and immorality of body trade. Immorality cannot be legalized. Society cannot live according to the principle of “everything is permitted”, without certain moral brakes. In addition, underground prostitution with all its criminal, moral and medical problems will continue.

4. Homosexuality is sexual attraction to people of the same sex. Homosexuality occurs in the form of: a) sodomy - sexual relations between a man and a man, b) lesbianism - sexual attraction of a woman to a woman, c) bisexuality - sexual attraction to individuals of the same and opposite sex. The normal sexual attraction of a woman to a man and vice versa is called heterosexuality. Some countries already allow marriages between gays and lesbians. Such families are allowed to adopt children. In our country, the population generally has ambivalent attitudes towards such relationships.

5. Anomie is a state of society in which a significant part of people neglects social norms. This happens in troubled, transitional, crisis times of civil wars, revolutionary upheavals, deep reforms, when previous goals and values ​​collapse, and faith in the usual moral and legal norms falls. Examples include France during the Great Revolution of 1789, Russia in 1917 and the early 90s of the 20th century.

100 RUR bonus for first order

Select the type of work Diploma work Course work Abstract Master's thesis Practice report Article Report Review Test work Monograph Problem solving Business plan Answers to questions Creative work Essay Drawing Essays Translation Presentations Typing Other Increasing the uniqueness of the text Master's thesis Laboratory work On-line help

Find out the price

In order to quickly respond to people's actions, expressing its attitude towards them, society has created a system of social sanctions.

Sanctions are society's reactions to the actions of an individual. The emergence of a system of social sanctions, like norms, was not accidental. If norms are created to protect the values ​​of society, then sanctions are designed to protect and strengthen the system of social norms. If a norm is not supported by a sanction, it ceases to apply. Thus, three elements - values, norms and sanctions - form a single chain of social control. In this chain, sanctions play the role of a tool with the help of which an individual first gets acquainted with the norm and then realizes values. For example, a teacher praises a student for a well-learned lesson, encouraging him for his conscientious attitude to learning. Praise acts as a stimulus to reinforce such behavior in the child’s mind as normal. Over time, he realizes the value of knowledge and, acquiring it, will no longer need external control. This example shows how the consistent implementation of the entire chain of social control transforms external control into self-control. There are different types of sanctions. Among them we can distinguish positive and negative, formal and informal.

Positive sanctions are approval, praise, recognition, encouragement, fame, honor that others reward those who act within the framework of accepted norms in society. Not only outstanding actions of people are encouraged, but also a conscientious attitude towards professional duties, many years of impeccable work and initiative, as a result of which the organization made a profit, and providing assistance to those who need it. Each type of activity has its own incentives.

Negative sanctions are condemning or punishing actions of society towards those individuals who violate socially accepted norms. Negative sanctions include censure, dissatisfaction with others, condemnation, reprimand, criticism, fine, as well as more stringent actions - imprisonment, imprisonment or confiscation of property. The threat of negative sanctions is more effective than the expectation of reward. At the same time, society strives to ensure that negative sanctions do not punish so much as prevent violations of norms, and are proactive rather than late.

Formal sanctions come from official organizations - the government or the administration of institutions, which in their actions are guided by officially adopted documents, instructions, laws and decrees.

Informal sanctions come from those people who surround us: acquaintances, friends, parents, work colleagues, classmates, passers-by. Formal and informal sanctions can also be:

Material - a gift or fine, bonus or confiscation of property;

Moral - awarding a diploma or honorary title, an unkind review or a cruel joke, a reprimand.

In order for sanctions to be effective and reinforce social norms, they must meet a number of requirements:

sanctions must be timely. Their effectiveness is significantly reduced if a person is rewarded, much less punished, after a significant period of time. In this case, the action and the sanction for it are separated from each other;

sanctions must be proportionate to the action and justified. Undeserved encouragement gives rise to dependent attitudes, and punishment destroys faith in justice and causes discontent in society;

sanctions, like norms, must be binding on everyone. Exceptions to the rules give rise to a “double standard” morality, which negatively affects the entire regulatory system.

Thus, norms and sanctions are combined into a single whole. If a norm does not have an accompanying sanction, then it ceases to operate and regulate real behavior. It can become a slogan, a call, an appeal, but it ceases to be an element of social control.

Formal positive sanctions (F+) - public approval from official organizations (government, institution, creative union): government awards, state prizes and scholarships, awarded titles, academic degrees and titles, erection of a monument, presentation of certificates of honor, admission to high positions and honorary functions (for example, election as chairman of the board).

Informal positive sanctions (N+) - public approval that does not come from official organizations: friendly praise, compliments, tacit recognition, friendly disposition, applause, fame, honor, flattering reviews, recognition of leadership or expert qualities, smile.

Formal negative sanctions (F-) - punishments provided for by legal laws, government decrees, administrative instructions, orders, orders: deprivation of civil rights, imprisonment, arrest, dismissal, fine, depreciation, confiscation of property, demotion, demotion, deposition from throne, death penalty, excommunication.

Informal negative sanctions (N-) - punishments not provided for by official authorities: censure, remark, ridicule, mockery, cruel joke, unflattering nickname, neglect, refusal to shake hands or maintain relationships, spreading rumors, slander, unkind review, complaint, writing a pamphlet or feuilleton, an exposé article.


Agents and institutions of socialization perform not one, but two functions:

- teach child's cultural norms;

- control, how firmly, deeply and correctly social norms and roles are internalized.

Social control- is a mechanism for maintaining social order, based on a system of regulations, prohibitions, beliefs, coercive measures, which ensures compliance of actions
the individual to accepted patterns and organizes the interaction between individuals.

Social control includes two main elements - norms and sanctions.

Norms- instructions on how to behave correctly in society.

Sanctions- means of reward and punishment that encourage people to comply with social norms.

Social control is carried out in the following forms:

1) coercion;

2) influence of public opinion;

3) regulation in social institutions;

4) group pressure.

Even the simplest norms represent what is valued by a group or society. The difference between norms and values ​​is expressed as follows: norms are rules of behavior, and values ​​are abstract concepts of what is good and evil, right and wrong, should and should not.

Sanctions not only punishments are called, but also incentives that promote compliance with social norms. Social sanctions are an extensive system of rewards for fulfilling norms, i.e. for conformity, for agreeing with them, and punishment
for deviation from them, i.e. for deviance.

Conformism represents external agreement with the generally accepted, despite the fact that internally an individual can maintain disagreement within himself, but not tell anyone about it.

Conformity is the goal of social control. However, it cannot be the goal of socialization, because it must end in internal agreement with the generally accepted.

There are four types of sanctions: positive And negative, formal And informal.

Formal positive sanctions - public approval from government organizations (government, institutions, creative union): government awards, state prizes
and scholarships, awarded titles, academic degrees and titles, construction of a monument, presentation of certificates of honor, admission to high positions
and honorary functions (for example, election as chairman of the board).

Informal positive sanctions- public approval that does not come from official organizations: friendly praise, compliments, tacit recognition, goodwill, applause, fame, honor, flattering reviews, recognition of leadership or expert
qualities, smile.

Formal negative sanctions- punishments provided for by legal laws, government decrees, administrative instructions, orders, orders: deprivation of civil rights, imprisonment, arrest, dismissal, fine, depreciation, confiscation of property, demotion, demotion, dethronement, death penalty, excommunication churches.

Informal negative sanctions- punishments not provided for by official authorities: censure, remark, ridicule, mockery, cruel joke, unflattering nickname, neglect, refusal to shake hands or maintain relationships, spreading rumors, slander, unkind review, writing a pamphlet or feuilleton, revealing article.

The assimilation of social norms is the basis of socialization. Social
behavior that does not correspond to the norm, considered by the majority of members of society as reprehensible or unacceptable, is called deviant(deviant) behavior, and a serious violation of the law leading to criminal punishment is called delinquent(antisocial) behavior.

The famous social anthropologist R. Linton, who worked extensively in microsociology and is one of the founders of role theories, introduced the concept of modal and normative personality.

Normative personality- this is, as it were, the ideal personality of a given culture.

Modal personality- a more common type of personality variants deviating from the ideal. The more unstable a society is, the more people there are whose social type does not coincide with the normative personality. Conversely, in stable societies the cultural pressure on the individual is such that a person’s views on behavior are less and less detached from the “ideal” stereotype.

Characteristic feature of deviant behavior - cultural relativism (relativity). In the primitive period, and among some primitive tribes even today, cannibalism, gerontocide (killing old people), incest and infanticide (killing children) were considered normal phenomena caused by economic reasons (scarcity of food) or social order (permission of marriage between relatives). Cultural relativism can be a comparative characteristic not only of two different societies and eras, but also of two or more large social groups within one society. In this case, we need to talk not about culture, but about subculture. Examples of such groups are political parties, government, social class or stratum, believers, youth, women, pensioners, national minorities. Thus, failure to attend a church service is a deviation from the position of a believer, but the norm from the position of an unbeliever. The etiquette of the noble class required addressing by first name and patronymic, and the diminutive name (Kolka or Nikitka) - the norm of communication in the lower strata - was considered a deviation among the nobles.

Thus, we can conclude: deviation is relative to: a) historical era; b) the culture of society.

Sociologists have established a trend: a person assimilates patterns of deviant behavior the more often he encounters them and the younger his age. Violations of social norms by young people can be serious and frivolous, conscious and unconscious. All serious violations, whether conscious or not, that fall within the category of an unlawful act are considered delinquent behavior.

Alcoholism- a typical type of deviant behavior. An alcoholic is not only a sick person, but also a deviant; he is not capable of normal
fulfill social roles.

Addict- a criminal, since drug use is classified by law as a criminal act.

Suicide, i.e. freely and intentionally ending one’s life is a deviation. But killing another person is a crime. Conclusion: deviance and delinquency are two forms of deviation from normal behavior. The first form is relative and insignificant, the second is absolute and significant.

At first glance, the social consequences of deviant behavior should seem absolutely negative. Indeed, although society is capable of assimilating a considerable number of deviations from the norm without serious consequences for the functioning of its social organism, persistent and widespread deviations can still disrupt or even undermine organized social life. If a significant number of individuals simultaneously fail to meet social expectations, the entire system of society, all its institutions, may suffer. For example, in modern Russian society there are more and more parents who refuse to raise their children, and, accordingly, more and more children are left without parental care. The direct connection of this phenomenon with social destabilization and the growth of crime is obvious. The deviant behavior of masses of military personnel in military units manifests itself in hazing and desertion, and this means a serious threat to stability in the army. Finally, the deviant behavior of some part of society demoralizes the rest and discredits the existing value system in their eyes. Thus, corruption of officials, unpunished on a massive scale, police brutality and other negative phenomena in the life of society deprive people of the hope that honest work and “playing by the rules” will be socially rewarded, and push them also to deviate.

Thus, deviations are contagious. And society, treating them carefully, has the opportunity to extract some positive experience from the existence of deviations.

Firstly, identifying deviations and publicly declaring them as such helps strengthen social conformity - the willingness to obey norms - of the majority of the rest of the population. Sociologist E. Sagarin notes: “One of the most effective methods for ensuring that the majority of people follow norms is to declare some to be norm violators. This allows you to keep others in submission and at the same time in fear of being in the place of violators... By expressing a hostile attitude towards people who are not good and correct, the majority or dominant group can strengthen ideas about what is good and right, and thereby create a society of individuals that is more loyal to attitude towards the accepted ideology and norms of behavior.”

Secondly, condemnation of deviation allows society to see in more contrast what it accepts as the norm. In addition, according to
K. Erikson, sanctions that suppress deviant behavior show people that it will continue to be punished. Once upon a time, those responsible for crimes were publicly punished. Nowadays, the same result is achieved through the media, which widely publicizes trials and verdicts.

Third, by collectively condemning norm violators, the group strengthens its own cohesion and unity. Facilitates group identification. Thus, the search for the “enemy of the people” served as a good way to rally society around the ruling group, which supposedly “can protect everyone.”

Fourthly, the emergence and even more widespread
in a society of deviations indicates that the social system is not functioning correctly. The increase in crime indicates that there are many dissatisfied people in society, a low standard of living for the majority of the population, and the distribution of material wealth is too uneven. The presence of a large number of deviations indicates an urgent need for social change.


Sociology / Yu. G. Volkov, V. I. Dobrenkov, N. G. Nechipurenko [and others]. M., 2000. P. 169.

Sanctions are not only punishments, but also incentives that promote compliance with social norms.

Sanctions – security guards are fine. Along with values, they are responsible for why people strive to fulfill norms. Norms are protected from two sides – from the side of values ​​and from the side of sanctions.

Social sanctions – an extensive system of rewards for fulfilling norms, i.e. for conformity, for agreeing with them, and punishments for deviation from them, i.e. for deviant behavior.

Conformism represents external agreement with generally accepted norms, when internally an individual can maintain disagreement with them, but not tell anyone about it.

Conformism – the goal of social control. However, the goal of socialization cannot be conformity, because it must end in internal agreement with the generally accepted.

There are four types of sanctions: positive and negative, formal and informal. They give four types of combinations that can be represented as a logical square:

Positive Negative

FORMAL

INFORMAL

Formal positive sanctions(F+)– public approval from official organizations (government, institution, creative union): government awards, state prizes and scholarships, awarded titles, academic degrees and titles, construction of a monument, presentation of certificates of honor, admission to high positions and honorary functions (for example, election chairman of the board).

Informal positive sanctions(H+) – public approval that does not come from official organizations: friendly praise, compliments, tacit recognition, goodwill, applause, fame, honor, flattering reviews, recognition of leadership or expert qualities, smile.

Formal negative sanctions (F-)- punishments provided for by legal laws, government decrees, administrative instructions, orders, orders: deprivation of civil rights, imprisonment, arrest, dismissal, fine, depreciation, confiscation of property, demotion, demotion, dethronement, death penalty, excommunication churches.

Informal negative sanctions (N-) – punishments not provided for by official authorities: censure, remark, ridicule, mockery, cruel joke, unflattering nickname, neglect, refusal to shake hands or maintain relationships, spreading rumors, slander, unkind review, complaint, writing a pamphlet or feuilleton, revealing article.

So, social sanctions play a key role in the system of social control. Sanctions, together with values ​​and norms, constitute a mechanism of social control. Social sanctions are a system of rewards and punishments. They are divided into four types: positive and negative, formal and informal. Depending on the method of imposing sanctions - collective or individual - social control can be external and internal (self-control). According to the degree of intensity, sanctions are strict, or tough, and non-strict, or soft.

The rules themselves do not control anything. People's behavior is controlled by other people based on norms that are expected to be followed by everyone. Compliance with norms, like compliance with sanctions, makes our behavior predictable. Each of us knows that an official reward awaits for an outstanding scientific discovery, and imprisonment for a serious crime. When we expect a certain action from another person, we hope that he knows not only the norm, but also the sanction that follows it.

Thus, norms and sanctions are combined into a single whole. If a norm does not have an accompanying sanction, then it ceases to regulate real behavior. It becomes a slogan, a call, an appeal, but it ceases to be an element of social control.

The application of social sanctions in some cases requires the presence of outsiders, but in others it does not. Dismissal is formalized by the personnel department of the institution and involves the preliminary issuance of an order or order. Imprisonment requires a complex judicial procedure upon which a judgment is made. Bringing to administrative liability, say, a fine for traveling without a ticket, requires the presence of an official transport controller, and sometimes a policeman. The awarding of an academic degree involves an equally complex procedure for defending a scientific dissertation and the decision of the academic council.

Sanctions for violators of group habits require a smaller number of persons. Sanctions are never applied to oneself. If the application of sanctions is carried out by the person himself, is directed at himself and occurs internally, then this form of control should be considered self-control.

A mechanism for maintaining social order through normative regulation, implying social actions aimed at preventing deviant behavior, punishing deviants or correcting them.

Concept of social control

The most important condition for the effective functioning of a social system is the predictability of social actions and social behavior of 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, maintaining social stability and at the same time for positive social changes. 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 must be applied, including including legal ones.

This is, on the one hand, a mechanism of social regulation, a set of means and methods of social influence, and on the other hand, the social practice of 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 subordination of an individual 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 the social behavior of people.

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 norms - 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 functioning 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 of 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, 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.

- 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, in accordance with 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 of the individual.

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.

Latest materials in the section:

To use presentation previews, create a Google account and sign in:...

Based on materials from the collection “Strophes of the Century. Anthology of Russian poetry". Comp. E. Yevtushenko. Minsk-Moscow, 1995. Central Jewish resource Regional...


Environmental education of preschoolers in kindergarten and family teacher-defectologist Voronina L.Yu. March 2017 MBDOU d/s No. 6 2017 announced in...

In contrast to self-control, external control is a set of institutions and mechanisms that guarantee compliance with generally accepted norms of behavior and laws. It is divided into informal and formal.

Informal control based on approval or condemnation from a group of relatives, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, as well as from religion, public opinion, which is expressed through traditions and customs or the media.

The traditional rural community controlled all aspects of the lives of its members: choosing a bride, methods of resolving disputes and conflicts, choosing the name of a newborn, and much more. There were no written rules. Public opinion, most often expressed by the oldest members of the community, acted as a controller.

Informal control can also be exercised by the 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.

Formal control based on approval or condemnation from official authorities and administration. Informal control is effective only among a small group of people. Therefore it is called local (local).

Formal control, on the contrary, operates throughout the country. It's global. It is carried out by specially trained people - agents of formal control.

These include judges, psychiatrists, social workers, special church officials, etc. If in traditional society social control was based on unwritten rules, then in modern society it is based on legal norms, instructions, decrees, regulations, and laws. Social control gained institutional support.

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 examination grades, the government controls the system of taxation and social assistance to the population, the state controls through the police, the secret service, state radio and television channels and the press.

Thus, external control is divided into informal (it is based on unwritten rules) and formal (based on legal norms - laws). Both have agents and institutions of control. Control methods, depending on the sanctions applied, are divided into hard, soft, direct, and indirect.

The media are instruments of indirect soft control.

Organized crime is an instrument of direct strict control.

The effect of the constitution and the criminal code are instruments of direct soft control. Economic sanctions of the international community are tools of indirect strict control. The names of control methods differ from the names of the type of sanctions, but the content of both is largely similar.

Most social groups operate in accordance with certain laws and rules that, to one degree or another, regulate the behavior of all members of the community. These are laws, traditions, customs and rituals.

The first ones were developed at the state or regional level, and their compliance is mandatory for absolutely all citizens of a particular state (as well as for non-residents located on its territory). The rest are rather advisory in nature and irrelevant for modern people, although they still have considerable weight for residents of the periphery.

Conformism as a way of adaptation

Preservation of the usual state of affairs and the existing order is necessary for people, like air. From an early age, children are taught how it is desirable or even necessary to behave in the company of other people. Most educational measures are aimed at eliminating from their behavior actions that may be unpleasant for others. Children are taught:

  • Restrain the manifestations of the body's vital functions.
  • Do not irritate people with loud speech and bright clothes.
  • Respect personal space boundaries (do not touch others unnecessarily).

And, of course, this list includes a ban on committing acts of violence.

When a person can be educated and develops the appropriate skills, his behavior becomes conformist, that is, socially acceptable. Such people are considered pleasant, unobtrusive, and easy to communicate with. When an individual’s behavior deviates from the generally accepted pattern, various punitive measures are applied to him (formal and informal negative sanctions). The purpose of these actions is to draw a person’s attention to the nature of his mistakes and correct his behavior pattern.

Personality psychology: system of sanctions

In the professional vocabulary of psychoanalysts, sanctions mean the reaction of a group to the actions or words of an individual subject. Various types of punishments are used to implement normative regulation of social systems and subsystems.

It should be noted that sanctions are also incentives. Along with values, rewards stimulate compliance with existing social norms. They serve as a reward for those subjects who play by the rules, that is, for conformists. At the same time, deviance (deviation from the laws), depending on the severity of the offense, entails certain types of punishment: formal (fine, arrest) or informal (reprimand, conviction).

What is “punishment” and “censure”

The use of certain negative sanctions is determined by the severity of the socially disapproved offense and the rigidity of the norms. In modern society they use:

  • Punishments.
  • Reprimands.

The first are expressed in the fact that the violator may be subject to a fine, an administrative penalty, or his access to socially valuable resources may be limited.

Informal negative sanctions in the form of reprimands become the reaction of members of society to manifestations of dishonesty, rudeness or rudeness on the part of the individual. In this case, members of the community (group, team, family) may stop maintaining relationships with the person, express social disapproval of him and point out peculiarities of behavior. Of course, there are those who like to read lectures with or without reason, but this is a completely different category of people.

The essence of social control

According to the French sociologist R. Lapierre, sanctions should be divided into three main types:

  1. Physical, which are used to punish a person who has violated social norms.
  2. Economic, which consists in blocking the satisfaction of the most important needs (fine, penalty, dismissal).
  3. Administrative, the essence of which is to lower social status (warning, punishment, removal from office).

In the implementation of all of the listed types of sanctions, other people besides the offender take part. This is social control: society uses the concept of norm to correct the behavior of all participants. The goal of social control can be called the formation of a predictable and predictable model of behavior.

Informal negative sanctions in the context of self-control

To carry out most types of social punishment, the presence of strangers becomes mandatory. For example, a person who has broken the law must be sentenced in accordance with the adopted legislation (formal sanctions). The trial may require the participation of from five to ten people to several dozen people, because imprisonment is a very serious punishment.

Informal negative sanctions can be used by any number of people and also have a huge impact on the offender. Even if an individual does not accept the customs and traditions of the group in which he is located, hostility is unpleasant to him. After some resistance, the situation can be resolved in two ways: leaving a given society or agreeing with its social norms. In the latter case, all existing sanctions are important: positive, negative, formal, informal.

When social norms are embedded deeply in the subconscious, the need to use external punishment is significantly weakened, as the individual develops the ability to independently control his behavior. Personality psychology is a branch of science (psychology) that studies various individual processes. She pays quite a lot of attention to the study of self-control.

The essence of this phenomenon is that a person himself compares his actions with generally accepted norms, etiquette and customs. When he notices a deviation, he is able to determine the severity of the offense himself. As a rule, the consequence of such violations is remorse and a painful feeling of guilt. They indicate the successful socialization of the individual, as well as his agreement with the requirements of public morality and norms of behavior.

The importance of self-control for group well-being

A feature of such a phenomenon as self-control is that all measures to identify deviations from norms and apply negative sanctions are carried out by the violator himself. He is judge, jury and executioner.

Of course, if the misconduct becomes known to other people, public censure may also occur. However, in most cases, even if the event is kept secret, the apostate will be punished.

According to statistics, 70% of social control is achieved through self-control. Many parents, heads of enterprises and even states resort to this tool to one degree or another. Properly developed and implemented guidelines, corporate rules, laws and traditions make it possible to achieve impressive discipline with minimal time and effort spent on control activities.

Self-control and dictatorship

Informal negative sanctions (examples: condemnation, disapproval, removal, censure) become a powerful weapon in the hands of a skilled manipulator. By using these techniques as a means of external control over the behavior of group members while simultaneously minimizing or even eliminating self-control, the leader can gain considerable power.

In the absence of their own criteria for assessing the correctness of actions, people turn to the norms of public morality and a list of generally accepted rules. To maintain balance in the group, external control should be the stricter, the worse the self-control is developed.

The downside of excessive control and petty supervision of a person is the inhibition of the development of his consciousness, the muffling of the volitional efforts of the individual. In the context of a state, this can lead to the establishment of a dictatorship.

With good intentions...

There are many cases in history when dictatorship was introduced as a temporary measure - its purpose was said to be to restore order. However, the presence of this regime for a long time and the spread of strict coercive control of citizens hinder the development of internal control.

As a result, they faced gradual degradation. These individuals, who are not used to and do not know how to take responsibility, are not able to do without external coercion. In the future, dictatorship becomes necessary for them.

Thus, we can conclude that the higher the level of development of self-control, the more civilized the society is and the less it needs any sanctions. A society whose members have a high capacity for self-control is more likely to establish democracy.



What else to read