Welcome to Individuals and Society!
Hello Sociologists! Don't worry if this chapter seems tricky at first. It’s one of the most fundamental ideas in sociology, and we are going to break it down simply.
In this unit, we explore the essential question: How does the world around us shape who we are? We will look at the invisible rules, expectations, and positions that guide almost everything you do—from what you eat to how you talk.
This is the foundation of understanding social control and socialisation. Ready? Let’s dive in!
Section 1: The Sociological View – We Are Made by Society
What is the Link Between Individuals and Society?
Sociologists argue that humans are products of their environment. We are not born knowing how to behave; we learn it. This learning process is called socialisation.
The Concept of Social Construction
The core idea here is social construction. This means that many things we assume are 'natural' or 'just the way things are' are actually created, defined, and agreed upon by people in a society.
- Example: The colours considered appropriate for specific genders (pink for girls, blue for boys) are not biological facts; they are social constructions that have changed over time and vary across cultures.
- Example: Shaking hands as a greeting is learned behaviour (a social construction), not an instinct.
Think of it this way: If you were raised completely alone on a desert island, you wouldn't have rules about wearing clothes, using polite language, or earning money. These are all things that society has built.
What is Society?
A society is simply a large group of people who live together in a specific area, share a common culture, and generally feel they belong together.
Sociology teaches that the Individual (you) is heavily influenced, shaped, and controlled by Society (the group and its rules).
Key Takeaway: We are shaped by socialisation, and many of our behaviours and beliefs are socially constructed, meaning they were created and defined by our society.
Section 2: The Building Blocks – Culture, Values, and Norms
To understand how society shapes us, we need to look at the invisible 'instruction manual' it gives us. This manual is called Culture.
1. Culture: The Entire Way of Life
Culture refers to the entire way of life of a group or society. It includes everything from their language and technology to their beliefs and traditions.
- Did you know? Sociologists often divide culture into two types:
- Material Culture: Physical objects (food, clothes, buildings, smartphones).
- Non-Material Culture: Non-physical creations (beliefs, ideas, language, rules).
2. Values: What We Believe is Important
Values are the general beliefs and feelings a society holds about what is right, good, important, and desirable.
- They are broad principles that guide our behaviour.
- Examples of common values in many societies: Honesty, respect for elders, fairness, hard work, freedom.
Analogy: Values are like the compass settings (e.g., 'Go North towards Honesty').
3. Norms: The Rules for Action
If values are the beliefs, norms are the specific, unwritten rules that dictate how people should behave in particular situations.
Norms flow directly from values. If a society values 'respect for property,' the norms would be 'do not steal' or 'do not graffiti public buildings.'
How to remember the difference:
Values are Vague ideas (what we believe).
Norms are Narrow rules (how we act).
- Example (Value: Punctuality):
- Norm 1: Arrive at school before the bell rings.
- Norm 2: Reply to formal emails within 24 hours.
- Norm 3: When meeting a friend, inform them if you are running more than 10 minutes late.
If most people did not share the same basic norms and values, society would collapse into chaos. They allow us to predict how others will behave.
Key Takeaway: Culture is the whole way of life, built upon core Values (broad beliefs) which dictate specific behavioural Norms (rules).
Section 3: Your Place in Society – Status and Roles
Every individual occupies a place or position within the social structure, and that position comes with a script of expected behaviour.
1. Status: Your Position
Your status is your social position or standing within society. This can relate to your job, family background, age, or education.
There are two main types of status:
A. Ascribed Status
This is the status you are born with or acquire involuntarily. You cannot change it easily.
- Examples: Son/Daughter, teenager, gender, ethnicity.
B. Achieved Status
This is the status you earn or choose through effort, talent, or hard work.
- Examples: Teacher, Olympic athlete, GCSE graduate, manager.
2. Roles: Your Script
A role is the set of norms, duties, and expected behaviours attached to a specific status.
Analogy: If your status is the title of a play (e.g., "The Student"), the role is the script that tells you how to act.
- Status: Teacher
Role expectations: Grading work, maintaining discipline, knowing the subject matter. - Status: Friend
Role expectations: Being supportive, keeping secrets, being reliable.
Sometimes, the expectations of different roles clash. This is called role conflict.
- Example of Role Conflict: You are an employee (Status 1, Role 1 requires working overtime), but also a parent (Status 2, Role 2 requires picking up a sick child).
Key Takeaway: Status is your position (born or achieved), and Roles are the expected behaviours attached to that position.
Section 4: Living by the Rules – Conformity and Social Control
If society provides the rules (norms and values) and the positions (status and roles), how does it make sure people follow them?
1. Conformity and Non-conformity
Conformity is simply behaving in a way that aligns with the norms and expectations of society. Most of the time, you conform without even thinking about it (e.g., waiting in line, driving on the correct side of the road).
Non-conformity (or deviance) is any behaviour that violates society's norms. Deviance can be minor (talking loudly in a library) or major (committing a crime).
2. Social Control: Encouraging Conformity
Social Control refers to all the ways society attempts to ensure that individuals conform to its norms and values. It works by offering rewards (sanctions) for conformity and punishments (negative sanctions) for non-conformity.
Social control is divided into two types:
A. Formal Social Control
This involves written laws, rules, and procedures, usually enforced by official organisations.
- Agents of Formal Control: The police, the courts, the military, the government, school rules/policies.
- Sanctions: Arrest, fines, imprisonment, exclusion from school, academic awards (positive formal sanction).
B. Informal Social Control
This involves unwritten, everyday rules enforced by people we interact with daily (friends, family, colleagues, neighbours).
- Agents of Informal Control: Family, peers, teachers (in an informal capacity), media.
- Sanctions: Praise, smiles, gifts (positive informal sanctions), or disappointment, criticism, ridicule, ostracism (negative informal sanctions).
Students sometimes think social control is only about punishment. Remember: Social control includes REWARDS! Giving you praise for helping a classmate is an act of informal social control, encouraging that positive norm.
Key Takeaway: Social Control ensures conformity through positive and negative sanctions. It is practiced formally (by law and institutions) and informally (by our immediate social circles).
Chapter Summary Review
You have learned that individuals are thoroughly shaped by the social environment. Here are the key terms to memorize:
- Social Construction: Things defined by society, not nature.
- Culture: A society’s whole way of life.
- Values: Broad beliefs about what is good/right.
- Norms: Specific rules derived from values.
- Status: Your position (Ascribed or Achieved).
- Role: The expected behaviour for that position.
- Social Control: Mechanisms (Formal and Informal) used to enforce conformity.
Great work! You now have a solid understanding of how society structures the behaviour of the individual.