Summary: (3.2): Mechanisms Of Social Control, Social Order And Conformity

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• 1 (3.2): Mechanisms of Social Control, Social Order and Conformity

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• What does Deirdre McKay focus on in her 2016 study about Filipino caregivers in London?

  Deirdre McKay (2016) focuses on the experience of Filipino caregivers in London, some of whom are living and working illegally in their host country. She considers what migrant workers must do to navigate their way in a global marketplace. She draws on interviews and participant observations, her own long-term fieldwork in communities in the Philippines, and digital ethnography.

• What is a "spectacular youth subculture" and how is it perceived?

  • Spectacular youth subculture: Highly visible groups of young people with 'shocking' looks in hairstyles, dress codes, and behavior.
  • Often interpreted by older generations and media as 'threatening' the moral order or stability of society.
  • Symbolisation: Journalists report these groups to highlight particular features, making them targets.
  • Demonisation: Treating some groups as 'social problems' or threats.

• What role do peer groups play as an agency of informal social control?

  Peer groups and friendship networks are effective informal agents of social control. Subcultures within these groups may exert significant pressure on members to conform to subcultural values, often leading to deviant behavior. Adolescents may identify with spectacular youth subcultures, whose behavior is seen as 'threatening' by society. They challenge societal norms through distinctive dress and behavior.

• How do Filipino migrants create stability in their precarious living situations according to McKay?

  Filipino migrants create stability in precarious living situations using social networks to maintain obligations to family and ancestors, involvement in community and religious traditions. They construct networks through social media, faith groups, and community centres. These networks generate an elaborate 'archipelago of care' through which migrants create their sense of self.

• What are the main points in the summary about socialisation and social control?

  • The process of socialisation is effective but needs reinforcement by formal and informal social control.
  • Formal agencies like police, courts, and prisons are state-organized.
  • State agencies use coercion or force, but prefer 'consensual' control.
  • Informal agencies like family use 'softer' controls.
  • Some agencies use a combination of hard and soft strategies.

• What did the 2013 study by Sylvia Y.C.L. Kwok, Wenyu Chai, and Xuesong find about Chinese children and physical punishment?

  The 2013 study by Sylvia Y.C.L. Kwok, Wenyu Chai, and Xuesong found that about 72% of Chinese children said their parents had beaten them. The study concluded that evidence suggests physical and emotional punishment to solve parent-child problems can lead to child abuse. Over 40 countries have made parental smacking, beating, and spanking of children illegal.

• How does the media function as an agency of informal social control?

  The media acts as a principal agency of social control by reinforcing boundaries between 'normal' and 'deviant' behavior. Journalists highlight specific social problems, often labeling individuals as 'deviant' or 'wrong.' These representations are ideological, influencing public perception. For example, individuals may be labeled as 'fat-shamed' by the media, affecting societal views on body image.

• What role does religion play as an agency of social control?

  Religion acts as a formal agency of social control. Those who believe in God, attending church, temple, or mosque, and conform to religious norms, may find their behaviour is controlled by fear of divine punishment. Religion can be an 'artificial' ritual to have faith or abide by religious mores. It intertwines with law and state, acting as an agency of socialisation.

• What is the Marxist criticism of control by consent?

  Marxists criticize control by consent as an ideological device to convince society that controls are fair and necessary. They claim social controls are aimed at controlling the poor and the proletariat, seen by the wealthy as a dangerous class. This criticism suggests that social control is not just about justice but maintaining power dynamics.

• What are the cognitive and emotional effects of smacking according to the meta-analysis by Ron Emson (2012)?

  Cognitive difficulties and increased aggression are side-effects of smacking, as shown in a meta-analysis by Ron Emson (2012) on more than 160,000 children. The study highlights the long-lasting impact into adulthood, affecting children's mental health, life skills, and development. Smacking is linked to negative effects such as anxiety and depression, and difficulties in forming trustful relationships.