Social control theory
Social control theory is a sociological framework that explores how power dynamics influence human behavior and societal norms. It examines the mechanisms through which various groups in society exert control over individuals, often asking critical questions about who holds power and how it is applied—whether through overt force or more subtle means like social conditioning and media influence. The theory posits that social bonds play a crucial role in curbing criminal behavior; when individuals develop meaningful connections and identify with positive role models, they are more likely to conform to societal expectations.
In addition to interpersonal influences, social control theory also considers the impact of mass media in shaping public perception and behavior. It highlights the idea that while media may not directly dictate thoughts or actions, it can set the agenda of what topics are deemed important in society. Furthermore, it acknowledges the role of urban planning and environmental design in controlling social interactions, illustrating how physical spaces can be manipulated to reinforce social hierarchies. Understanding social control theory provides insight into both the motivations behind human behavior and the structures that aim to maintain social order.
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Social control theory
Social control theory is the body of sociological ideas about power over and control of human behavior. Whenever the question of control or power arises, we must ask who wields power over whom, or who controls whom? Is the power exerted bluntly or subtly, with deception or honestly? Here, we focus on how various and relatively small groups in society jockey for control over many others.
Overview
When one discusses behavior, it is important to likewise consider motivation. Although there is a wide range of motivations for a vast array of human behavior, most of them can fit under the broad categories of desire and fear. Marketers and advertisers have long searched for the holy grail of evoking irresistible impulses by appealing directly to our fundamental instincts or conveying powerful suggestions to our unconscious. In 1957, a market researcher named James Vicary performed an experiment during which he used a tachiscope, a device that can project images so quickly they escape conscious notice, to project the messages “Drink Coca-Cola” and “Hungry? Eat Popcorn” many times, for less than 1/300th of a second, during a film screening. He reported a significant increase in the sales of these consumables. Although he later admitted falsifying his results, the possibility of such “brainwashing” haunts the popular imagination, especially considering the popularity of dystopian books and films such as 1984 and A Clockwork Orange, and the term is still used to discuss the process of induction into cults. Cults share with fascism the tendency to worship a charismatic leader, a phenomenon sociologist Max Weber detailed in his work.
In the absence of such absolute leadership, however, social control is often exercised through mass media. In this regard, a number of models have been developed to describe or depict how mass media influences and/or controls audiences. The two-step model addresses weaknesses of the earlier research that tried to prove direct effects of media consumption on behavior. This model, developed by Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz, was based on research they did on voting behavior and media consumption. It indicated that people are far more influenced by their personal social network in their voting behavior than they are by the media. However, they did notice that each social network had a powerful opinion leader who was very influenced by media accounts of candidates. Others showed that although it is nearly impossible to prove that the media make us think or do particular things, they set the agenda. In other words, they cannot tell us what to think, but they can tell us what to think about. Social control is achieved through designing the frame inside which we think. Marxist critiques regard mass media as ideology: the widespread dissemination of ideas that support the interests of the ruling class.
Another way social control is achieved, aside from brute force, coercion, and the persuasion techniques of the media, is the built environment. Technology scholar Langdon Winner ingeniously showed how even urban planning can have sinister intentions, such as an overpass on a highway leading to a wealthy resort beach built intentionally low to banish buses, and the mostly lower-income people who use them, from the beach. Likewise, the twentieth-century social theorist Walter Benjamin noted how urban planner Georges-Eugène Haussmann redesigned the Paris boulevards after the 1848 revolution to be extremely wide to discourage people from building barricades during political unrest.
In criminology, social control theory corresponds to social bond theory, which regards crime as a result of the lack of meaningful social bonds. If properly rewarded for good, pro-social behavior and appropriately punished for deviation, people will tend to avoid crime. There are three main mechanisms through which this is accomplished: externally (identifying with healthy role models in one’s social sphere), internally (following the dictates of conscience), and adequate satisfaction of needs.
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