Social Control & Deviance: Types, Agents, Causes & Responses

TAKEAWAYS:

• Social control keeps society stable through norms, laws, and sanctions (rewards/punishments).
• Deviance is any behavior that violates social norms, but it can be functional (e.g., protests change laws).
• Formal control (police, courts) vs. informal control (family, peers) both shape behavior.
• Strain theory (Merton) and labeling theory explain why people deviate.
• Deviance is relative—what’s normal in one culture may be deviant in another.
• Social responses to deviance (rehabilitation, punishment) depend on the society’s values.

What is Social Control?

Social control is the way societies keep people following rules and norms. Without it, chaos would happen. Think of it like traffic rules—if no one followed them, roads would be dangerous.

Example of formal social control (police enforcing laws) (Image: Scorpion381, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Types of Social Control

1. Formal Social Control

   • Uses official rules (laws, punishments).
   • Example: Police arresting someone for theft.
   • Agents: Government, courts, prisons.

2. Informal Social Control

   • Uses unwritten rules (shame, praise).
   • Example: Friends laughing at someone for bad manners.
   • Agents: Family, teachers, religious leaders.

How Does Social Control Work?

• Positive Sanctions (rewards) → Good behavior (e.g., praise, medals).
• Negative Sanctions (punishments) → Bad behavior (e.g., fines, jail).
• Internalization → People believe in rules (e.g., honesty because it’s "right").

Example: If a student cheats in an exam, the school (formal control) may expel them, while classmates (informal control) may shame them.

What is Deviance?

Deviance is any behavior that breaks social norms. But what’s "normal" changes over time and place!

Types of Deviance

Key Idea:

• Deviance is relative → In Nepal, polygamy is common in some communities but illegal in others.
• Deviance can be functional → Protests (like those for Madhesi rights) lead to social change.

Why Do People Deviate? (Theories)

Sociologists explain deviance in different ways:

1. Strain Theory (Merton)

   • People deviate when they can’t achieve goals legally.
   • Example: A poor student may cheat to pass exams because they feel pressured.

2. Labeling Theory

   • Society labels people as "deviant," and they start acting that way.
   • Example: If police target certain groups (e.g., youth), they may join gangs.

3. Differential Association (Sutherland)

   • People learn deviance from close contacts (friends, family).
   • Example: A child in a criminal family may grow up to steal.

mindmap
  root((Why Deviance Happens?))
    Strain Theory
      Goal Blockage
      Innovation (Illegal means)
    Labeling Theory
      Society Labels
      Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
    Differential Association
      Learning from Peers
      Criminal Subcultures

How Do Societies Respond to Deviance?

Societies use different ways to handle deviance:

Example (Nepal):

• Chhaupadi (forcing women into sheds during menstruation) was banned after protests, showing how deviance can lead to social reform.

Deviance in Nepal: Case Studies

1. Chhaupadi
   • Deviant behavior: Women isolated during periods.
   • Response: Government banned it (2018), but cultural resistance remains.

2. Juvenile Delinquency

   • Cause: Poverty, lack of education.
   • Solution: Rehabilitation centers (e.g., Bal Bikas Kendra).

3. Drug Abuse

   • Deviant behavior: Using banned substances.
   • Response: Police crackdowns + awareness campaigns.

Exam Tip: How to Score Full Marks

1. Define Key Terms Clearly
   • Example:

     "Social control is the process by which society regulates individual behavior to maintain order."

2. Use Real Examples from Nepal

   • Link theories to Nepali cases (e.g., Chhaupadi, protests).

3. Compare Formal vs. Informal Control

   • Show how both work together (e.g., police + family stopping crime).

4. Discuss Functionalism vs. Conflict Perspective

   • Functionalists → Deviance has a purpose (e.g., protests change laws).
   • Conflict theorists → Deviance is created by powerful groups (e.g., rich vs. poor).

5. Answer in Bullet Points for Short Questions

   • Example (NEB-style):

     Q: What are the types of social control? A:

     • Formal (laws, police)
     • Informal (family, peers)

Practice Questions (NEB Style)

Short Answer (5 marks each)

1. Explain strain theory with an example from Nepal.
2. How does labeling theory affect juvenile delinquency?
3. Differentiate between formal and informal social control with examples.

Long Answer (10 marks)

4. "Deviance is functional for society." Discuss with reference to social movements in Nepal.
5. Analyze the causes and responses to drug abuse in Nepal using sociological theories.

Final Note:

• Deviance is not just "bad"—it can change society (e.g., women’s rights movements).
• Social control is everywhere—even in small things like smiling at strangers.
• Always relate theories to Nepal in exams!