Yann Kemper

2/28/24

In Chapter 5, Eiten, Zinn, and Smith describe the narrative of social control. Using the example

of the catastrophic 1977 New York City blackout, without any form of social control, society

will descend into anarchy. The authors suggest that all social groups have some form of social

control.

Social control is viewed by them as necessary in any society as it results in conformity, and how

people conform because they want to, because it grants them access to an in group. They provide

an insight into numerous social control agents, including family, education and sport. Several

methods of manipulation via ideological social control are explored, as well as methods of direct

social control.

Ideological social control is a form of manipulation of consciousness preformed by larger powers

such as governments, organized religions and societies at large in order

Ideological social control:

● Family

Family is one of the most important vectors of social control, as children grow up around their

parents and are inherently influenced by their beliefs and viewpoints. Parents are associated with

the teaching of values and appropriate behavior. A sociologist can apply and learn many things

from interacting with a subject’s family, and they are particularly useful for the study of the

interpersonal interactions among the family members.

Social dysfunctions can often be explained by looking at the family dynamics of those involved.

Additionally, family dynamics can be examined by sociologists to provide information that can

be used by mental health professionals and others to help remedy situations.

● Religion

Religion, and specifically organized religious groups are another one of society’s most

significant forms of social control. For centuries, religion has been used as a form of control on

various groups of people. Religions traditionally have rules, restrictions and guidelines on the

faithful. These rules and restrictions are used to ‘keep the faithful in line’.

Religious groups also often fall in line with government and are often socially intertwined with

them, and with their message. They often create defenses for governmental action based on

religion. A sociologist can examine religious groups themselves, and their members in order to

figure out how their actions can influence society on a larger scale. Oftentimes these effects are

viewed as negative, and even inducing social disorder depending on the religion being examined.

● Media

Media, one of society’s most prevalent and widespread forms of social control is commonly seen

in our day to day lives. Movies, television, magazines, music and art all forms of media, and they

all affect society to some degree. Social influences on our society from media are also prevalent

in day to day life. The media reinforces values of conformity and consumerism, while also

encouraging people to purchase more, even at their own expense. Sociologists can examine

media in order to investigate interactions between media and various sectors of the population.
Children, youth, middle-aged and elderly people are all affected by the media and demonstrate

various side effects of exposure to different forms of media.

Direct Social Control:

● Government

Government exists to provide security and safety for its residents and constituents. A core

method of providing this security would be the apprehension and detainment of criminals

and criminal elements in society. The government is also involved in suppression of

social dissent and vectors of social dissent themselves. This can be seen in the large

police responses to often non-violent protests. Sociologists can study governments

throughout time in order to understand the effects that they levy against their populations.

● Science and Medicine

Science and Medicine have long been used forms of social control, especially in the field

of psychology and interpersonal therapy. The inherent goal of psychology and therapy is

to convince you that there is something with you, and to help ‘fix’ whatever that may be.

This ‘fix’ would be a realignment of an ‘abnormal person’ onto the established and

shared tenets of society, instead of looking at the societal issues that (often) result in such

abnormality.

● Welfare

Welfare was devised as a method of assisting the less fortunate with public assistance

programs. Welfare exists to shut down and defuse social unrest, making it a form of

direct social control over societal ‘undesirables’ such as the unemployed and poor.

Welfare, an arm of the government, is used to control unrest in societies and can be
examined by sociologists from a lens of how societies and communities react to welfare,

and welfare recipients.