Question 6

What is informal social control?

Answer

These are unwritten ways of control in a society that are regularized by informal agents like gossip, traditions, beliefs, values, and other undocumented rules. There is no proper origin of such controls and gets accepted with practice over time. They are an important part of our life and more effective than formal control. In rural societies, due to close-knit traditions, people give more importance to family and their control which is internalized, and ideas of shame and honor are given importance. In urban societies, formal and informal control helps maintain social order.