UNIT-V

TOPICS

(i) Social Stratification

(ii) Social Status

(iii) Social Role

(iv) Socialisation

(v)Social Control

Social Stratification

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Stratification

Social Stratification is a common phenomenon in all societies ancient or

modern, simple or complex. In every society the system of stratification exists.
The social differentiation on the basis of high and low is the historical heritage
of all societies. These social stratus and layers, divisions and sub divisions
have over the time been accepted on the basis of sex and age, status and role,
qualification and inefficiency, ascription and monopolization, ritual and
ceremony and on numerous other bases. It is of varied nature. It is no less based
on the considerations of superiority and inferiority, authority and sub-
ordination, profession and vocation.

Meaning:

Arrangement of individual in vertical evaluation.

Ranking of people in society.
Placing of individuals in social strata.
Layering of people in social network.
Position of person in hierarchical order.
Diversity and inequality by which person are stratified.
Division of society into classes, castes, natures etc.
Social position, power and prestige.

Definitions:

(i) Murray: ''Horizontal division of society into higher and lower social
units.''

(ii) Macro Sociologists: ''Process of differentiation where by people ranked

higher and lower.''

(iii) Gilbert: ''Division of society into permanent groups based on superiority

and sub-ordination.''

Features:

(I) Social in nature.

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(II) May be ancient or old found everywhere.

(III)Universal Phenomenon.

(iv) Diverse forms are available in society.

(v) Differentiation.

(vi) Consequential : Life change and life style. (vii) Ranking of individual in
social network. (viii) Superiority among people.

(ix) Super imposing people in hierarchy.

Types:

There are four types of social stratification. These are as follows:

(i) Class : Upper, middle and lower.

(ii) Caste : Jati system and verna system.

(iii) Estate : Vasal and serfs

(iii)Landlord and slaves. Bases

There are so many basis of stratification. These are the main bases
under which stratification can be ranked:

Bases:

(i) Economic Possession.

(ii) Ability of people.

(iii) Execution of task.

(iii) Age ranking.

(iv) Income.

(vi) Customs.

(i) Economic Possession: On the bases of economic possession the

stratification can be noticed. It also refers to material possession, such as money,
wealth, property and all the other valuables utilitarian material objects has
contributed to have good ranking in the society.

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 (ii) Ability of People: On the basis of caliber and quality as well as
skill, the individual can be ranked so that he has the good prestige in the
society. Qualities also refer physical strength, intelligence, beauty, courage,
loyalty to a cause, moral courage, etc.

(iii) Execution of task: On the basis of performance, individuals can

have good repo in the society. They have leader like quality and execution of
given task under a given time for that situation. This execution of tasks is judged
by other people and they are making grade of that individual.

(iv) Age ranking: As we know age ranking is present in every

society. On the basis of age the jobs are given to the elder people so that the
society may be functional in all aspect. We also expect the people to conform to
the norms attached to this age status.

(v) Income: Income is playing a vital role in the society. If we have

more income our social ranking will be evaluated high. It is a prestigious issue
one of the tests conducted in U.S.A. has revealed that the majority of people
having high social stratification. It is also observed that high income people all
enjoying with high esteem.

(vi) Custom and Sanskritization: As we know in every society,

there is a change in custom pattern. It varies from one society to another. The
person, having high rites and rituals, they are considered forward. The lower
people always following the moves, customs, rites and rituals of higher
people. So they are getting sanskritized and think themselves with higher
grade. So we can say custom, rites and rituals are also the basis of
stratification.

CHANGING TRENDS

Changing Pattern of Stratification

Social stratification is a laying in society in higher and lower category. Starting

from primitive era to modern time, a lying or grading is seen in every society.
In every society have the inequality on the basis of so many things. But now
days a clear picture are seen in terms of the changing patterns in social
stratification. There are so many reasons, causes, factors are involved which
makes changes in ranking in society.

These are the following changing trends:

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 (1) Impact of economic freedom

(2) Loose hold of Varna System

(3) Higher education and their effect

(4) Advance mode of transport and communication

(5) Job opportunity

(6) Different government scheme

(7) Awareness of individuals and

(8) Industrialization

(1) Impact of economic freedom: Now days every person wants to live in
a prosperous manner. For this they require a good amount of money. People are
migrating from village and coming in town. They reside for more money, doing
hard work, even might also for them working hour. In this way they are earning
more and more money and thinking them self rich and ignoring other system
available in society. In this way, they got economic freedom. Not depending on
others and considering themselves equal with others.

(2) Loose hold of Varna System: Now a day there is a loose hold of Varna
system on the society. It also affects the Jajmani System. All the people are
involved in Jajmani System; they are quitting the village and coming to
city.The offspring of Jajman and kamin, not willing to continue the
herediitical profession. They want a change in the traditional occupation. They
do not want to serve the higher caste as consider it is a bad element. Now new
generations are thinking that Jajmani system is a curse. For the development of
individual they want free from Mahajan. So there is a great impact of
stratification as holding loose connection on Varna System.

(3) Higher education and their effect: Education removes the

barricades of stratification. When the individuals are obtaining higher
education they think living in modern world. They are sharing their idea on
globe and understanding grading in society. The grading of society makes a
man wise and aware towards inequality. Educated man having the logical
vision so they can able to understand the difference on the basis of education.
Educated man understands the problems and they want equality. So we can say
there is a changing trend of stratification in society.

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 (4) Advance mode of transport and communication: Due to advance
system in transport and communication the social grading also changing its
mode people are living far furlong and connected at global village. They
think that stratification is a bad thing or it is a social evil and this evil must be
terminated. For abolition of grading the society they also organize rally and
protest this inequality in society. Every individual are equal and have same grade
in society, they believe.

(5) Job opportunity: India is a land of agriculture. For agriculture more

man power required. Most of people living in village and involved in
agriculture. Agriculture is also based on Jajmani system. Due to available of
different job, individuals are moving from village to city and getting different job
as per their capabilities. So in this way, it has been seen, there is a changing trend
of social stratification.

(6) Different government scheme: Now days, we are living in a welfare

state. For the development of people, Government has launched a various
types of scheme, under that all the people can be brought under one developed
umbrella. With the help of different schemes all individuals are benefitted and
promoting equality. Once they achieve the required things they ignore the social
stratification and demand equal status in society. In this way there is changing
trends on grading in society can be observed?

(7) Awareness of individuals: Man is a social animal. Man becomes social

when he acquires logical vision i.e. making sense between right and wrong.
The individual only able to make difference when he has the ability of
awareness. Mean in every steps of life, he must be aware towards this
responsibilities and social obligations. If he is aware, he is able to understand the
social grading system. Naturally, he will raise their voice against
inequality. So we can say, awareness of individual also having and influence
and changing pattern of social stratification.

(8) Industrialization: This is the feature of modern society. Factory or

industry requires a large number of man powers to work in day and night for the
production in heavy amount. This large production gives rise to profit making
business. The owner as well as workers both has handsome money in this hand.
This gives rise to standard of the working staff. In term they want equal aspect
of life and thus affecting the social stratification.

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 Social Status

Status

The concept of 'Status' seems to have come up in the beginning of the 19th
century. Linton has been a prominent scholar in publicize this concept. We
conceive of a man's status differently in the varying conditions. When talking to
parents, is in the status of a son.

Meaning:

Social status is the place of an individual person in a society. In other

words, it is place of an individual in interacts system of social relation. Before
we go into a detailed study of these topics, it is useful of we understand the
meaning of these terms.

Status:

Individuals position in society.

Determined by age, sex, family, group etc.
Ranking of individual or Grading of person as per
position.
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 Actual position held by person in social network.
depends on role.
Definition:

(1) MacIver and Page: ''Status is the social position that determines for its
profession a part from its personal attribute or social service, a degree of respect,
prestige and influences.''

(2) Ogburn and Nimkoff : ''A person's status in his group standing or ranking
in relation to others.''

(3) Martindale: ''We define status as a position in social or aggregate identified

with the pattern of prestige, symbols and actions.''

(4) Lapier : ''Social status is commonly thought of as the position which the
individual has in the society.''

(5) Kimball Young: ''In every society every group each member has some
function with which he is associated and which carries with it some degree of
power and prestige. The degree of prestige or power is referred as the status.

Features:

(i) Place of Individual: It is nothing but a place of an individual in the group or

society.

(ii) Element of prestige: There is an element of prestige attached with every

status, the higher the element of prestige, the higher the status, and service, a
degree of respect, prestige and influence.

(iii) Work and birth defines: Work and sometimes birth defines the status of
person in societal network.

(iv) Influence: Sometimes influence of person, also determines the status by

which he exercises on its members.

(v) Culture: Culture is also playing the vital role of status. Culture also
determines the position of individuals in social system.

Determinant:

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 There are various vectors that determine the social status. As we have already
seen social status has relative difference. Some get better status and some gets
less. Generally following factors are enumerated by Linton:

(i) Age and sex (ii) Occupations

(iii) Prestige (iv) Family
(v) Peer group (vi) Association and group.
Types:

In every society, no status is isolated. Every individual in society enjoy

one or more than in status. In 1936, R. Linton, in his well know work. The
study of man derived the term status. These are two types:

(i) Ascribed Status and

(ii) Achieved Status.

(i) Ascribed Status: Ascribed status which is from the birth itself. Man
occupies some status on the basis of sex, age, kinship, color, birth, physical
ability, caste or race etc. These are known as the statuses already granted to
the man as soon as he is born i.e. since birth itself, and known as ascribed
status. For this position, man has nothing to do, and he occupies them without
any efforts. The popular example of such status is caste and family.

(ii) Achieved Status: By this status, is meant that position which an individual
gets or achieve on the basis of his specific qualities or personal attributes. For
achieving it, one has to make several efforts and compete with the others in the
field. Class status is an important example of achieved status. There are so many
people who surpass sue others on the basis of this own efforts and
achievements. For example, if a person wants to become member of the
parliament, he has to achieve it by work and efforts.

Differences between Achieved and Ascribed Status

Achieved Status Ascribed Status

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1. Acquired by one's own efforts. Granted by the societies.
2. No role of sex, age and other things. Age, sex, race, kinship, color are
It is based on merit. determinant of this status.
3. It is more flexible and dynamic in Ascribed status is more stable in nature.
nature. Closely related to cultural and social
4. Mainly based on economic system system.
of society.
5. Boosts the development of Encourage the individuals.
collectivism.
6. Features of modern society. Found in closed and traditional society.

7. Exists complete harmony between The co-ordination between status and

status and role. role is not necessary.

Role

Role is the specific functions that one is expected to perform in that group.
Every role performer is a status holder. Status and role are interconnected. So we

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can say, performance of a conspicuous part of a task is the roles. It is the manner
in which a position is supposed to be filled by individual. It is group expectation
of conduct by the status holder. A status ''Sets the limit of dominance and
subordination, the role attaching to that status in group's ideal of how
dominance should be wielded and sub-ordination performed.''

Meaning:

Performance by an individual
Role-
a set of expectation executed in society.
playing various acts.
Approved behavior is to be played in society.
Behavioral aspect of status.
Definition:

(i) Elliot and Merril : ''Role is the part, an individual plays as a result of each
status.''

(ii) Ogburn and Nimkoff : ''Role is a set of socially expected and approves
behaviour pattern consisting of the duties and privileges associated with a
particular position in a group''.

(iii) Young and MacIver: ''A role is the function of a status.''

(iv) K. Davis: ''The manner in which a person actually carries of the

requirements of his position.''

In role performance the emphasis is no quality. One's role as a father implies

a more specific and particular manner of performance.

Features:

(i) A manner.

(ii) Set of expectations can be played.

(iii) Required performance.

(iv) Performance as per society approval and accepted norms.

(v) Desired behavioural pattern.

Determinants:

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 ( i ) Age and Gender.
(ii) Kinship and family.
(iii) Caste and class.

(iv) Racial back grounds.

(iv) Educational qualification.

(v) Occupational position.
(vi) Economic conditions.
(vii) Political Position and
(viii) Others.

Types:

(1) Ascribed role and (2) Achieved Role

(1) Ascribed Role: ''A role is said to be ascribed if its occupant acquire it
automatically or as the result of objective characteristics or relations to others
which are beyond their control. Like status, the ascribed role may come to the
performer by virtue of birth in a particular family, sex and age.''

(2) Achieved Role: It is the performance of an individual totally acquired on

the basis of merit and caliber. In an achieved role, the emphasis is on
upholding a standard. In other words, one in fulfilling the expected role has to
meet the high expectations of the group.

Role Usage:

(i) Role expectation.

(ii) Role sequence.

(iii) Role behaviour

(iv) Role playing.

(v) Role taking.

(vi) Role conflict

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 Socialization

Socialization is a learning process throughout the life from birth to death

and cradle to grave. It is a long process which a man learns from his society.
Man's behavior is little instinctive, it is rather a ''learnt'' behavior. The human
child comes into the work as a biological organism with animal needs. He is
gradually molded in society into a social being and learns social ways of acting
and feeling. The continued existence of society becomes impossible without this
process. No individual could become the person and no culture could exist
without it. This process of molding and shaping the personality of the
human infants is called socialization.

Meaning:

Social training to new born child.

Moulding and shaping of personality

Learning the various pattern of society.

Transformation of human animal into human being.
Learning process throughout the life.
Internalizing social norms.
Transmission of culture.
Definition :

(i) A. W. Green: ''Socialization is the process by which the child acquires a

cultural content along with selfhood and personality.''

(ii) Johnson: ''Socialization is learning that enables the learner to perform

social norms.''

(iii) Gilling and Gilling : By the term socialization, we mean the process by
which the individual develops into a sanctioning member of the group
according to its standard, conformity of its modes, observing traditions and
adjustment itself to the social situation, he merits sufficiency to command the
tolerance if not admiration of his fellows.

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(iv) Bogardus : ''Socialisation is the process of working together, of developing
group responsibility, or being guided by the welfare needs of others.''

(v) P. Worsley : ''A process of transmission of culture, the process whereby

man learn the rules and practices of social group.''

(vi) Lundberg: ''Socialization consists of complex process of interaction

through which the individual learns the habits, beliefs, skill and standards of
judgments that are necessary for his effective participation in social groups and
communities.''

Types:

As per Robertson: There are four types of socialization that a person

undergoes in the course of his life time may be one or more of four different
stages:

(i) Primary Socialization: This is the most essential and basic types of
socialization. It takes place in the early years of life of new born child. It
concentrates on the teaching of i n d i v i d u a l s i n t e r m s o f socialization of
cultural norms and values, establishment of emotional ties and the appreciation
of other roles and respective.

(ii) Anticipatory Socialization: Men not only learn the culture of

group of which they are immediate members. They may also learn the culture of
groups to which they do not belong. Such a process whereby men socialize
themselves into the culture of group with the anticipation of joining that
group is referred to by socialists like Merton as anticipatory socialization. A
person who intends to join the Army may start doing physical exercise to
toughen his body and learning the manners of army person to become one
with them later.

(iii) Development Socialization: This kind of learning is based on the

achievements of primary socialization. ''It builds on already acquired skills and
knowledge as the adult progresses through new situations such as marriage
or new jobs. These require new expectations, obligations and roles. Now
learning is added to and blended with old in a relatively smooth and
continuous process of development.''

(iv) Re-Socialization: It is the process of learning the pattern as a new.

In other words we can say 'the strip of a way of learned patterns and

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substitution of new ones for them. Such re-socialization takes place mostly
when a social role is radically changed. It may also happen in periods of rapid
social mobility. For example a newly wedded housewife may be forced to
become a prostitute in brothel. In this instance the social role of the individual
got changed radically.

Agencies:

There are two types of agencies of socialization:

(i) Primary and

(ii) Secondary Socialization.

(1)
rimary Socialization :

Primary socialization is the process in which individuals learn on

direct basis. Following are the agencies of primary socialization-

(a) Family: The process of socialization begins for every one of us in the
family. The influence of the family develops the personality of the child.
The child after having born in the family becomes its member and learns several
things not only in regard to family but also the society.

(b) Peer Groups: Peer groups mean those groups made up of the
contemporaries of the child, his associates in school, in playground and in the
street. He learns from these children, facts and facets of culture that they have
previously learnt at different times from these parents. The members of peer
groups have other sources of information about the culture.

(c) Neighbors: Neighborhoods and playmates are not very distinct from
each other. Play group is a group of children in which child plays while
neighborhoods includes other grown up people as well. From the neighbors

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the child learns about the social values and also the acts of a djusting with
others. So neighborhoods play a vital role in the process of socialization.

(d) Teachers/School: The teachers also play an important role in

socialization when the child enters the school. It is in the school that the culture
is formally transmitted and acquired, in which the lore and the learning, the
science or art, of the generation is passed on to the next. It is not only the formal
knowledge of the culture that is transmitted there but also taboos, customs.

(e) Literature and Mass Media of Communication: There is another

source of socialization. This is, of course, is found in literate societies and that is
literature. The civilization that we share is constructed of world or literature.
Words such all us in terrupt and cascade, they leap into our visit as a billboard and
newspaper, magazine and text book and assault our ears, as in radio and
television. The media of mass communication gives us their messages.
These messages too contain capable form, the premises of our culture, its
altitudes and ideologies.

(2) Secondary Socialization

Secondary socialization is the process in which indirect socialization can

take place. These are as follows:

(a) The school:

The school is the secondary agency of socialization. In the school the child gets
his education which moulds his ideas and attitudes. A good education can make
the child a good citizen. While a bad education can turn him into a criminal.
Education is of great importance in socialization. A well planned system of
education can produce socialized person. The school is another important and
crucial agent of socialization. The education which the child receives in his
school from the age of three to eighteen years is of vital importance. The school
is known as a micro system and it is an institution where learning takes place

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and individuals develop. The school provides the intellectual and social
experience from which individuals develop knowledge, skill, customs, belief,
interests and attitudes that characterize them and shape their abilities to perform
adult roles. However, provision of good members to the society is the objective
of education. Subject knowledge which is being taught by a teacher is
exclusively new experience. He is motivated to imitation not only external
characteristics of teachers such as accent behavior, handwriting etc. But also
their ideas as well as.

(b) The institutions:

There are so many primary and secondary social institutions in the society. Like
marriage, political institutions, Economic Institutions, Recreational Institutions
etc. They are also playing a vital role in the human life and they are the active
agencies of socialization.

© The Religion:

Religion has been an important factor in society. In the early society religion
provided a bond of unity. Though in modern society the importance of religion
has diminished, yet it continues to mould our beliefs and the way of life. The
child sees his parents going to the temple and performing religious ceremonies.
He learns and listen religious sermon which may determine his course of life
and shape his life. Religion or religious conviction forms social and cultural
patterns for individuals. The manners the Muslims dress is not the way for other
religious groups. Any religion inculcates moral values such as love and
compassion for others. Religions do not permit anyone to engage in adultery,
theft and robberies.

(d)The work place/Politics and the state:

The work place where the individual is performing his duty it is also a agent of
socialization. He learns a lot of things from that an environment and getting
assimilated as per the work place norms. At the same time political arena also
decide the socialization of the individuals. The state is an authoritarian agency.
It makes laws for the people and lays down the modes of conduct expected of
them. People have compulsory to obey these laws. If they fail with the laws of
the state, they may be punished for such failure. Thus the state also moulds our
behaviour and an active agency for good socialization.

(a) Other agencies:

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People are also influenced by other agencies of socialization as well. The other
most predominant agent amongst them is scouts, youth organizations, the
military and employment setting. In some countries the military training is
given to ordinary youths recruited for some other professions since it helps to
produce individuals with discipline.

In the end we can say, the socialization is the persistent process of

familiarization of individual to the society. Socialization provides and
understanding in respect of society and culture in which the individual lives and
also helps to form his personality. The institutions that make the individuals
familiarized to the society are known agents of socialization. Amongst them the
primary socialization is done by family. Influence of the family is also helpful
for the formation of individual’s personality. In addition to it school, peer
groups, mass media, religion work place and politics also influence to form a
particular individual’s personality. As a nutshell we can say that the
socialization starts from pre-conception to the death of an individual.

Stages of socialization

Socialization is a gradual process of learning. The born child is not taught

all the things about social life at once. It proceeds from simplicity to
complexity. During the early stages of life, socialization takes place within the
simple, limited social world. Gradually this social world becomes broader and
broader and the child is confronted with several things to learn and to adjust.
Socialization consists of four stages from infant to adulthood. They are:

(i) The oral stage,

(ii) The anal stage,
(iii) The oedipal stage and
(iv) The adolescence stage.
(i) The First Stage :

The Oral Stage: This stage begins with the birth of the child and continues up
to the completion of one year. At the birth the little infant must breathe,
must exert him, to be fed and he may be protected from cold, hot, uses and
other discomforts. For everything the child cries a great deal. By means of
crying the child establishes its oral depending. The child develops some
definite expectation about the feeding time. The child learns to give signals for
his felt reeds. In this stage, the child is involved in himself and his mother.
Freud called this stage, the stage of identification.
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 (ii) The Second Stage :

The Anal stage. The second stage normally begins soon after the first year
and completed during the third year. It is here that the child learns that he
cannot depend entirely on the mother and that he has to take some degree of
care for himself. ''Toilet training is the main focus of new concern the child is
taught to do some task such or toileting, keeping, clothes, clean etc.''

(III)The Third Stage:

Oedipal Stage: This stage normally starts from the third year to puberty (age of
13). It is the stage where the child becomes the member of the family as a whole.
It is here the child has to identify himself with the social rules ascribed to him
on the basis his sex. The boy develops the Oedipus complex. The feeling of
jealousy towards father and love to mother. In same way, the girl develops the
complex the feeling of jealousy towards her mother and towards his father.

(iii) The Fourth Stage :

The stage of Adolescence: The fourth stage starts with the period of
adolescence due to psychological and psychological changes that takes place
within the individual stage assumes importance. During this stage boys and
girls try to become free from parental control. At same time they cannot
completely escape from their dependence on their father and mother. Hence
they may experience a kind of strain or conflict in themselves. They want to be
free in doing various activities. But the parents continue to control many of them
from their activities. This is particularly true of sexual activities. In the modern
society the parents intend to give more freedom to the boys and girls to do
some of these activities independently. The parents try to lessen the open
expression of this emotional attachment towards the adolescent children.

Process of socialization and factors

As we know that socialization is the process of learning group norms, habits

and ideals. The social order is maintained largely by socialization. Unless the
individuals behave in accordance with the norms of the group. The groups
cannot survive, rather it will disintegrate. But how does the process of
socialization begin to work? The social circumstances preceding his birth lay
down in a great extent the kind of life he is to lead. The parent’s courtship and
material selection, the customs concerning pregnancy and birth and the whole
system of cultural practices surrounding the family are important for the child’s
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growth. The techniques of good parental care affect his chances of being born
and of being healthy.

But direct socialization begins only after birth. The newly born child as an
organism has certain things which limit or help socialization. These things
which he has many be categorised into reflexes, instincts, urges, capacity.
Reflexes put the several limitations upon socialization. Reflexes are the
automatic and rigid responses of the organism to a given stimulus. They are
unlearnt and even unmodified. They set limits on what he organism can do.

Some Psychologists have sought to explain human behaviour in terms of

instinct. Adam Smith in his” treatise sympathetic basis of human activities “has
accepted sympathy as the basis of all human behaviour. Troffer believes all
human behaviour to be based on herd instinct. Freud, founder of the school of
psychology analysis, claims the sex instinct to be the sources of all human
endeavours .Mc. Dougall is a strong advocate of the theory of instincts. A
behaviour is said to be i instinctive if that “originates in an urge or appetite,
involves some sort of perception of the external world, is peculiarity fixed and
mechanical, is dependent on inheridited structure and therefore characteristics
of the species and is at the same time highly adaptive or functional. ‘Urge
provides firmer ground for analysis of human behaviour. If human needs are not
satisfied, it leads to tension until it encounters a stimulus capable of relieving
the tension. The range is thus a dynamic force behind behaviour; it provides a
starting point for the process of socialization.

Every one is born with defined capacities. Though there may be some
limits to what a man can do, this limitation can be overcome and is being over
one by the development of civilization. Man’s capacity to learn may be
increased by the development of new techniques of instruction and intentions.
So we can say every man tries to adjust himself to the conditions of his social
environment. This process of adjustment is itself socialization. Individuals learn
to conform to he norms of the group. Socialization also a process of
transforming the human animal into human being. In other word, we can
say converting the biological being into a social being. It is a continuous
process.

Timing is important in socialization. Physical maturity by itself cannot

produce perfect human adults without socialization. Socialization and
maturation may proceed together in the early years of the life cycle. Our

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attempts to teach the child will have varying effects depending upon the point
reached in the maturation of the child. For example, we cannot expect the child
to be quit before he is capable of sustained inhibition.

Factors of the process of Socialization:-

Socialization as said, totally a learning process starting from conception to

death, however, direct socialization stars with birth only and the child learning
throughout the whole life.

There are four factors of the process of socialization:-

(i) Imitation:-

Imitation is copying of actions of an individual by another. Mead defines it

as “self conscious assumption of another’s act or roles”. Thus when the child
attempts to walk impressively like his father swinging a stick and wearing a
glass, he is imitating. Imitation may be conscious or unconscious, spontaneous
or deliberate. In imitation the person imitating performs exactly the same
activity as the one being performed before him. Imitation is the main factors in
the process of socialization of the child. Through if he learns many social
behaviour patterns. The child as compared o adult possesses the greatest
capacity for imitation.

(ii) Suggestion:-

According to Mc. Dougall, suggestion is the process of communication

resulting in the acceptance with conviction of the communicate in the absence
of logically adequate grounds for its acceptance”. Suggestion influences not
only behaviour with others but also one’s own n private and individual
behaviour .In trade, industry, politics, education and every other field people
acquainted with psychological facts make use of suggestion to have their idea
and notion accepted by other people and to make the latter behave according to
their wishes.

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 The suggestibility of the child is greater that than of the adult because in
childhood he is devoid of maturity and reason. The suggestibility of individual’s
decreases with an increase in his maturity and mental level. There are several
external and internal conditions which enhance suggestibility. Thus
temperament, intellectual ability, ignorance, inhibition, dissociation, emotional
excitement and fatigue are some of the internal conditions for suggestibility.
Among the external condition mention may be mad of group situation, prestige
of the suggested and public opinion.

(iii) Identification:-

In his early age, the child cannot make any distinction between his organism
and environment. Most of his actions are random. They are natural reactions are
random. They are natural reactions of which he is not conscious. He grows in
age; he comes to know of the nature of things which satisfy his needs. Such
things become the object of his identification. Thus the toys with which he
plays, the picture book which he enjoys or looking and the mother who feeds
him become the object of his identification.

(iv) Language :-

Language is the medium of social interaction. It is the medium of cultural

transmission. At first the child utters some random syllabus which has no
meanings, but gradually he comes to learn his mother tongue, though every
animal has its own language. The human language is the most developed one
for the social interactions. It plays a great role in the process of human
socialization.

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ROLE OF LAW

Law is an important agency of social control. In fact, law and culture are
intimately related. It is the culture that makes people conscious of the morality
and the values .Laws are based on these values and the law court and the judges
execute them. Through the execution of these laws, they encourage people to
act in a moral manner .The function that are performed by law in the field of
social control may be studied under the following headings-

1. Brings about social stability-

The law is as we have already seen is the result of the customs and traditions
and also independent legislation. The customs and traditions, after becoming
law get codified and enjoy constitutionally recognized. This happens when the
society has developed naturally its structure has become complicated. Law has
the sanction of the Estate behind it and so any one who violates as subjected to
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punishment .Because of the fear of the punishment; people do not got any
encouragement. This leads to preservations of the socio-cultural values. This
law gets modified and changed when there is a need for it. Because of the
development in society, this is again intended keeping the society intact and
stable.

2. Enhance social upliftment-

tendencies of In many We are observing that there are

disorganizations and deviations. The main object of law is t bring study and
create deviation for upliftment. India has typical example of this role of law.
Through law social evils like sati, child marriage prohibition, widows from
marriage etc. were curbed and Indian society progressed on correct lines.

3. Exercises Omni directional control-

Law is not concerned with as aspect of life only. It controls various directions
.This has one very big advantage because of this central, a co-relation is
establishment between various phases of the society and so disorganization is
not allowed to affect various aspects of the society. It also has one another
advantage. Tendencies of disorganization that affects of Omni direction control
of the law.

4. Brings about socialization-

Through law, the individual citizens are trained in the art of observing social
laws which are very necessary for social control. In fact law is the most
important and final stage of compulsory. Socialization forces a person to
become social honor and respect the right of theirs. Many of the persons are not
so developed that they may follow the processes of socialization without the
force of law. Law through the fear of the punishment trains people in
socialization and controls their deviational and disorganizing tendencies. Law
is, therefore, an important and very highly developed and obligatory process of
socialization which is very much responsible for social control.

5. Protects and observes the fundamental basic Right-

Because of the development of society various such developments that are

responsible for infringement of the rigs and individuals take place.
Development of capitalism is a very glaring example of it. Once the capitalism

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is weaker section. IT is the law only that helps them and saves the fundamental
rights of the weaker sections and others.

6. Forms of the basic of governmental administration-

It is on the basis of law that the government carriers out its administration.
People living in different area even in particular country have different
tendencies and customs and traditions through laws only. It is possible to make
them live in a particular manner and act according to the direction of the
government. In fact law is the basis of the government working.

7. The fear of punishment in the minds of the citizens-

Infringement of very laws carries with it is punishment. Because of the fear

of punishment individual follow the laws and thereby help not establishment
a higher social order. In this manner the law exercises good deal of social
control.
8. Controls the aggressiveness-

In every society, some are weak persons while others are quite strong. Those
who are strong, sometimes try to exploit the weaker. It is through a law only
that it is possible to control the aggressiveness of the strong persons. This
control of aggressiveness saves the society from disorganization in this manner
also laws plays a vital role in social control.

9. Lays down behavioural norms-

Law also lays down norms, according o which members of the society
should behave. It is also lays down the things that a person should follow and
the things he should not follow. Under developed societies, these things are
controlled and determined by the customs and tradition but in developed and
complicated societies they are controlled and laid down by law. Law therefore,
exercises a good deal of control upon the behaviour of the people.

10. Uses forces-

The law through the use of force, makes people conscious of their obligation
towards the society. It also lays down the ways and patterns of public
behaviour. It is good for public behaviour that controls the society.

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11. Preserve valuable for the society-

Law preserves that is valuable for the society and it is this valuable that is
responsible for the organization, development and enrichment of the society. By
persevering what is valuable for the society. The law controls not only the
behaviour of the individual but also helps the society to remain intact, stable and
organized. This aspect of law is very useful in the controls of society.

and traditions and sometimes it is enacted independently by the legislature,

in order to meet the needs of the society. It is inevitability for individual citizens
and in this manner plays.

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 Social control

Social control is a device which is regulating the mode of operations of all

aspect of social life or we can say that is an active way that regulates individuals
/group behavior in social system. Social control refers to social mechanism that
regulate individual and group behavior, leading to conformity and compliance
to the rules of a given society or social group. Many mechanisms used to
prevent the establishment of chaos or anomie. Some theories, such as Emile
Durkheim, refer to this form of control as regulation. Society makes use of
various means of social control depending upon the time and social situation for
the realization of its purposes. It is left to the discretion of the group to decide
what means must be used at what time and inn what social situation. In some
primitive communities superstitions beliefs are enough to exercised control. In a
rural society means of such as folkways magic, mores, custom, traditions,
beliefs are enough to act as social control on individual’s behaviour. But in the
modern urban society, radio, television, newspapers, schools and colleges,
police force etc. may be used for enforcing conformity. In fact, societies have
developed consciously or unconsciously various devices for the purpose of
controlling the behaviour of their members. Formal and Informal control
represents two kinds of devices.

Meaning:

Social control means, control of individual behaviour by society, and that

control of social institutions should be in the interest and welfare of the whole
society. Some warnings and directions of prohibited activities are an example of
social control.

1. Social control is an influence:-

Influence may be exerted through various means of control like public opinion,
force, public appeal, social protest, and religious organist ions.

2. This influence should be implemented by society:-

There are so many groups who exercise this influence, like family, trade union,
church, state, school, neighbourhood, clubs, religious groups etc.

3. The influence should be exercised for promoting the welfare and

interest of the entire group:-

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 Every society must have harmony and unity .Without it, no society actually
could remain in existence. To maintain the society effectively; it needs some
rules and regulations. In other words, behaviour Patterns for members are
essential to obey and follow these rules and regulations. .Society needs its
implementation. There are various ways to implement such things. So we can
say special type of behaviour is expected from members of society. Such
expected or controlled behaviour is called social control.

Social control means control of individual behaviour by society and that

control of social institutions should in the interest and welfare of the whole
society. Some warning and directions of prohibited activities are an example of
control. If we summaries the meaning of social control, it indicates:-

 Regulating the range of action.

 Controlling the unwanted behaviour
 Controls individual’s freedom
 Delimits the mode of operation
 Promotes individual’s sense of moral obligation to obey the rules
 Sum of methods which influence human to maintain order
 Way in which entire social order coheres and maintain itself
 The use of sanction, which can be either positive (reward) or negative
(punishment).

Definitions:

When we use this word, the idea which generally comes in mind is of police,
court, law, prison of force and harassment. But in Sociological term it is used in
broader sense.

(i) B.A. Lundberg: ''Those social behaviours which influence

individuals or groups towards conformity to established or desired norms.''

(ii) Fairchild : ''Social control in the sum total of the process whereby
society, or any sub group within society, secures conformity to expectation on the
part of its constituent units, individuals and groups.

(iii) E.A. Loss: ''System of devices whereby society brings its

members into conformity with the accepted standard of behaviour.''

(iv) Manheim: ''Social control is the sum of those methods by which a

society tries to influence human behaviour to maintain a given order.''
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 (v) J.S. Crueek : ''Social control is a collective term used to refer to
those processes planned or unplanned, by which individuals are taught,
persuaded or compelled to confirm to the usages and life values of group.''

(vi) Ogbum and Nimkoff: ''The patterns of presume which a society

exerts to maintain order and established roles.

Features:

(i) Promotes conformity, solidarity and conformity of a particular group.

(ii) Enables the welfare of society by regulating behaviour of individuals.

(iii) It is a universal phenomenon.

(iv) Sum of rules and regulation and are exercised over individual to maintain
law and order.

(v) Entire social system coheres and maintains itself.

(vi) Process by which order is established and maintained.

(vii) Conditions and regulates interaction among individuals in a society.

(ix) Universal in nature.

(x)Promoting welfare of groups

(xi)Regulates human behaviour

(xii)Delimits human interactions

(xiii)Internalization of norms and values

(xiv)Specific to the groups

Formal and informal social control-

1. Formal social control-

The state makes use of law, legislation, military force, police force,
administrative devices, etc. for the purpose of social control. Similarly, different
political, religious, economic, cultural and other associations and institutions
also institute formal control over the behaviour of the members. Formal control
is deliberately created. Various rules are laid down to make it specific. The
necessity of following is formal control or rules s clearly stated by associations
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and institutions. Violators of formal control are given punishment depending
upon the nature and type of violation. The organization that makes use of formal
control may even create a body of officials vested with power to enforce control
as we find it in the case of state which has established the police, military force
etc. In brief, an association, ether it is a state or a bank, or an army, or a factory
or anything has its own norms through which it controls the behaviour of the
members. All these come under formal control. Formal control has become a
necessity in the modern complex societies in which interaction is mostly
impersonal in nature.

2. Informal social control-

Informal control includes gossip, slander, resentment, public opinion,

sympathy, and sense of justice, folkways, mores, customs, morality and such
other agents. These are not purposefully created. Nothing could be said with
certain regarding their origin. They arise on their own way and in course of time
gain currency and popularity .They become deep rooted with people in their
practices. No specific punishment would be given to the violators of informal
control. Still they are more effective than the formal control. They do not
require any extra staff to enforce them as it is so in the case of formal control.
They do not have the physical force to enforce conformity to them. Hence,
people may not observe them or go against them without being physically
punished for the same. Faith in religion, moral convictions, public opinion,
artistic standard and the general state of enlightens are found to be more
important in informal control. Informal control is more effective in primary
social group such as family, marriage, neighbourhood, tribe, rural communities,
and religious institutions where interaction takes place on a personal basic,
whether the group or the society becomes larger and more complex, and the
informal devices of control become less effective. Simple gossip and slander
and censure can correct an earring retaliate but not an urban citizen. The
anonymity of city life which has added to the confidence of the individual that
he could commit an offence without being noticed or caught by others who are
mostly engaged in their own business, contributes to the non effectiveness of
informal control. Hence informal methods have given place to the formal ones
such as law, education, coercion and codes, though less effective informal
control also functions along with formal control in urban areas in regulating
people’s activities.

Purpose of social control

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 The purpose of social control as the very term indicates is to exercise control
over people in ineffective manner. Why the control is needed? According to
K.Young, it is necessary to bring about conformity, solidarity and continuity of
a particular group or society.

The three purposes of social control mentioned by Kimbal Young are as

follows:

1. Conformity
2. Solidarity
3. Continuity

1. Social conformity:

Social control brings about social conformity in terms of step towards

social cohesion. This is the main purpose of social control. Since the modern
complex society is multi group society differential norms will have to co-exist.
As a result, behavioral patterns of different groups differ significantly. But these
differences should not be allowed to exceed the limits of tolerance. People must
be made to feel the need for security. For the sake of security they are obliged to
accept conformity. Social control thus provides for social conformity.

2. Social solidarity:

Social control also brings about solidarity in the group. The second main
purpose of social control is to create in the mind of people the fulfilling of
identity and of solidarity. For the proper and smooth functioning of society the
different organization and institutions of the social system must be properly
integrated. Otherwise, in this competitive world the weaker section may be
completely exploited by the stronger group or equally powerful group may
clash among them and spoil to the organization in society. Some groups may
even develop anti societal attitudes and pose permanent danger to the
organization of the society. It becomes necessary for the society to establish a
reasonable balance between different groups and institutions. This would repose
confidence among people. Society does this through various means of social
control.

3. Maintain social continuity:

Social control assures the continuity of social group or society. Societies

not only struggle for stability and solidarity but also for their own survival or

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continuity. Continuity is the bed rock on which the future of the society
depends. Society maintains its continuity by controlling effectively its people
and their groups. Due to this continuity in the means of social control become in
course of time a part of culture. Thus, various mean of social control function
endlessly to maintain the continuity of the society.

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