Social control

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/social-control

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary dichotomy?Distinguished between formal control (laws, institutions) and informal control (norms, social pressure)
2. What is the agents of control?Includes family, education, religion, media, law enforcement, and the legal system
3. How did people keep rules in old times before writing?In old societies, people used family ties, stories, and elders to remind everyone what is right or wrong. If someone broke the rules, they might be left out or punished with a ritual.
4. What are formal rules and who enforces them?Formal rules are written laws that are checked by police, courts, and prisons. These rules are clear and have official punishments if broken.

Anomie: A state of normlessness where social bonds are weakened, leading to social disorganization.
Deviance: Behavior that violates social norms or expectations.
Socialization: The lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating norms, customs, and ideologies.