Describe the main ways in which social control occurs in society.

Social control refers to the methods used throughout society to limit deviance (breaking of social norms) and ensure that people conform to society’s rules and regulations. There are two main types of social control; formal and informal. Formal social control is found in certain societal institutions where the primary goal is to ensure deviance is not permitted, for example prison officers, the police force and the army – many of these jobs have a uniform associated with their profession to signify who is exerting the social control. However, other professionals such as teachers or social workers could also be seen to fit into this category. Informal social control takes place throughout society and often continues throughout our lives. For instance, people around us control our behaviour through positive (encouraging smiles and comments) and negative (frowns, negative comments) interactions which shape our behaviour. These informal ways of communicating act as a social control as they encourage us to behave in certain ways.