Term "social control" was introduced into scientific circulation by the French sociologist and social psychologist Tarde. He treated him like important tool correction of criminal behavior. Subsequently, Tarde expanded the understanding of this term and considered social control as one of the main factors of socialization.

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

Informal and formal control

Informal control is based on the acceptance 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, or through means mass media.

IN 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 rituals, fostered respect for social norms and an understanding of their necessity.

Informal control is limited to a small group, in large group it is ineffective. Agents are not formal control there are 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 people, 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, army, church, 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- is the punishment and rewards applied public group to the 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, awards, titles and titles, state awards and high positions. They are closely related to the presence of regulations; they determine how an individual should behave and rewards are provided for his compliance with normative regulations.

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

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 remark, ridicule, cruel joke, neglect, unkind review, slander, etc.

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

Taking into account the method of applying sanctions, current and future sanctions are distinguished.

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 punishment (the promise of 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 in order to induce an individual to behave in a way 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. There is a growing movement for the abolition of not only the death penalty, but also imprisonment and the transition to alternative measures of punishment and restoration of the rights of victims.

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 so concerned about punishing a crime as he is about preventing a 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 acts. They are able to protect a specific person, a potential victim, from possible attacks.

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

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

Prevention involves influencing the causes of deviant behavior. And who can say with certainty that he knows these reasons? There are dozens of theories explaining the causes of deviations. Which of them can be taken as a basis and applied in practice?

Preventiveness 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 tightening 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 roles, so the sanctions here are quite conditional.

Prestige of status: Roles associated with prestigious status 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 tasks

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 biological and psychological theories deviant behavior and crime.

8. Describe sociological theories of deviant behavior and crime.

9. What functions does the system perform? social control?

10. What are “sanctions”? What types of sanctions?

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

12. Name the differences between repressive and preventive sanctions.

13. Give examples on what the severity of sanctions depends on.

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

15. Name the agents of informal and formal control.

Formal negative sanctions are one of the tools for maintaining social norms in society.

What is the norm

This term comes from Latin language. Literally means “rule of behavior”, “model”. We all live in a society, in a team. Everyone has their own values, preferences, interests. All this gives the individual certain rights and freedoms. But we must not forget that people live next to each other. This single collective is called society or society. And it is important to know what laws govern the rules of behavior in it. They are called social norms. Formal negative sanctions help ensure compliance.

Types of social norms

Rules of behavior in society are divided into subtypes. This is important to know, because social sanctions and their application depend on them. They are divided into:

• Customs and traditions. They pass from one generation to another over many centuries and even millennia. Weddings, holidays, etc.
• Legal. Enshrined in laws and regulations.
• Religious. Rules of conduct based on faith. Baptismal ceremonies, religious festivals, fasting, etc.
• Aesthetic. Based on feelings about the beautiful and the ugly.
• Political. Regulate political sphere and everything connected with it.

There are also many other standards. For example, etiquette rules, medical standards, safety rules, etc. But we have listed the main ones. Thus, it is a mistake to believe that social sanctions apply only to the legal sphere. Law is only one of the subcategories of social norms.

Deviant behavior

Naturally, all people in society must live according to generally accepted rules. Otherwise there will be chaos and anarchy. But some individuals sometimes stop obeying generally accepted laws. They violate them. This behavior is called deviant or deviant. It is for this that formal negative sanctions are provided.

Types of sanctions

As has already become clear, they are called upon to restore order in society. But it is a mistake to think that sanctions have a negative connotation. That this is something bad. In politics, this term is positioned as a restrictive tool. There is an incorrect concept that means prohibition, taboo. We can recall and cite as an example recent events and the trade war between Western countries and the Russian Federation.

There are actually four types:

• Formal negative sanctions.
• Informal negative.
• Formal positive.
• Informal positive.

But let’s take a closer look at one type.

Formal negative sanctions: examples of application

It was not by chance that they got this name. Their peculiarities are the following factors:

• Associated with formal manifestation, in contrast to informal ones, which have only an emotional connotation.
• They are used only for deviant (deviant) behavior, in contrast to positive ones, which, on the contrary, are designed to reward the individual for exemplary compliance with social norms.

Let us give a specific example from labor legislation. Let's say citizen Ivanov is an entrepreneur. Several people work for him. In the course of labor relations, Ivanov violates the terms of the labor contract concluded with employees and delays their salaries, arguing that this is due to the crisis in the economy.

Indeed, sales volumes have dropped sharply. The entrepreneur does not have enough funds to cover wage arrears to employees. You might think that he is not guilty and can detain with impunity cash. But in reality this is not the case.

As an entrepreneur, he had to weigh all the risks when carrying out his activities. Otherwise, he is obliged to warn employees about this and begin the appropriate procedures. This is provided for by law. But instead, Ivanov hoped that everything would work out. The workers, of course, did not suspect anything.

When the payment day comes, they find out that there is no money in the cash register. Naturally, their rights are violated (each employee has financial plans for vacation, social Security, possibly certain financial obligations). Workers file a formal complaint with state inspection on labor protection. In this case, the entrepreneur violated the norms of the labor and civil codes. The inspection authorities confirmed this and ordered to pay wages soon. For each day of delay, a certain penalty is now charged in accordance with the refinancing rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. In addition, the inspection authorities imposed an administrative fine on Ivanov for violations labor standards. Such actions will be an example of formal negative sanctions.

Conclusions

But an administrative fine is not the only measure. For example, an employee was severely reprimanded for being late to the office. The formality in this case lies in a specific action - entering it into a personal file. If the consequences for his lateness were limited only to the fact that the director emotionally, in words, reprimanded him, then this would be an example of informal negative sanctions.

But not only in labor relations they apply. In almost all areas, mainly negative formal social sanctions predominate. The exception, of course, is moral and aesthetic norms, rules of etiquette. Their violations are usually followed by formal sanctions. They are emotional in nature. For example, no one will fine a person for not stopping on the highway in forty-degree frost and not taking his mother and mother as a travel companion. infant. Although society may react negatively to this. A barrage of criticism will fall on this citizen, if, of course, this is made public.

But we should not forget that many norms in these areas are enshrined in laws and regulations. This means that for violating them, you can, in addition to informal ones, receive formal negative sanctions in the form of arrests, fines, reprimands, etc. For example, smoking in public places. This is an aesthetic norm, or rather, a deviation from it. It’s not nice to smoke on the street and poison all passers-by with tar. But until recently they relied only on informal sanctions. For example, a grandmother may speak critically of the offender. Today there is a smoking ban - legal norm. For violating it, the individual will be punished with a fine. This shining example transformation of an aesthetic norm into a legal plane with formal consequences.

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 repeatability, continuity and stability of development is ensured. public life. 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, regulations 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, social control is created. necessary conditions for the sustainability of the social system, it contributes to the preservation of social stability, and also, at the same time, positive changes V 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, but are necessary for it. further development- encourage.

The implementation of social control begins in the process of socialization, at which time the individual begins to internalize 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 group and 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 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 ceremonies, and civil holidays, and industrial skills, etc. Currently, the role of the main social regulator in modern societies are no longer carried out by customs, but by social institutions. Customs in their “pure” form are still preserved in the sphere of everyday life, morality, civil rituals and in conventional rules various kinds- conventions (for example, rules traffic). Depending on the system public relations, in which they are located, customs are divided into progressive and reactionary, outdated. With outdated customs in developed countries a struggle is being waged, 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 through different shapes behavior and attitude towards the individual, and legal, political, economic sanctions- through the activities of various social institutions, even specially created for this purpose (forensic investigation, etc.).

In civilized societies the most common the following types sanctions:

Negative informal sanctions - this can be an expression of displeasure, sadness on the face, termination 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 others. 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 liberation movement With early XIX V. 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.”

One way or another, each of us depends on the society in which he exists. Of course, this does not manifest itself in the complete conformity of certain individuals, because everyone has their own opinion and view on this or that issue. However, very often the public is able to influence the behavior of an individual, shape and change his attitude towards his own actions. This phenomenon is characterized by the ability of certain representatives of society to respond to something with the help of sanctions.

They can be very different: positive and negative, formal and informal, legal and moral, and so on. This largely depends on what exactly the individual’s action is.

For example, for many of us, informal positive sanction is the most rewarding. What is its essence? First of all, it is worth saying that both informal and formal sanctions can be positive. The first ones take place, for example, at a person’s place of work. The following example can be given: office worker concluded several profitable deals - his superiors gave him a certificate for this, promoted him in position and raised his salary. This fact was recorded in certain documents, that is, officially. Therefore, in this case we see a formal positive sanction.

Actually, an informal positive sanction

However, in addition to official approval from superiors (or the state), a person will receive praise from his colleagues, friends, and relatives. This will manifest itself in verbal approval, shaking hands, hugs, and so on. Thus, society will give informal positive sanction. It does not find any material manifestation, but for most individuals it is more significant than even an increase wages.

There are a huge number of situations in relation to which informal positive sanctions can be applied. Examples will be given below.

Thus, it can be seen that this type encouraging the actions of one or another individual most often manifests itself in simple everyday situations.

However, as in the case of salary increases, formal positive sanctions can coexist with informal ones. For example, a person received it during combat operations. Along with official praise from the state, he will receive approval from others, universal honor and respect.

So, we can say that formal and informal positive sanctions can be applied to the same act.