Explain how education acts as a form of social control.
OCR
A Level
2020
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Introduction
This essay will explore how education acts as a form of social control, drawing on sociological theories and research. It will examine the means by which schools, through both formal and informal mechanisms, influence students' behaviour and values, ultimately shaping their conformity to societal norms.
The essay will explore the interplay between formal and informal social control within educational settings, highlighting the role of the hidden curriculum, peer group pressure, and teacher expectations in shaping students' behaviour.
Formal and Informal Social Control
Formal Social Control
Formal social control within education is exercised through explicit rules, regulations, and sanctions. This includes:
- School rules: These are designed to maintain order and ensure the safety and well-being of all students. Examples include uniform regulations, attendance requirements, and behaviour codes.
- Teacher sanctions: These are used to enforce rules and discourage undesirable behaviours. They can range from verbal reprimands to detentions, suspensions, and expulsions.
Informal Social Control
Informal social control operates through less explicit means, often through the influence of peers and social expectations. This includes:
- Peer group pressure: In the classroom and playground, peer groups can exert significant influence on individual behaviour, encouraging conformity and discouraging deviance. This can be seen through the source provided, which describes the pressure to conform and the negative sanctions faced by those who do not.
- The hidden curriculum: This refers to the implicit values and norms that are taught within schools, often without conscious awareness. It can be seen in aspects like the emphasis on punctuality, obedience, and competition, which prepare students for the demands of the capitalist workplace.
- Teacher expectations: The expectations that teachers hold for students can have a significant impact on their performance and behaviour. This concept is known as the "Pygmalion effect," where teacher expectations can create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Examples of Social Control in Education
Gender
Skelton & Francis (peer groups in primary school playgrounds) and Becky Francis (boys' poor behaviour is tolerated more) offer insights into how gendered expectations shape behaviour in schools. Boys are often given more leeway in terms of misbehaviour, while girls are expected to be more compliant and passive.
Masculinity
Archer and Yamashita's research on hyper-heterosexuality highlights how masculinity is performed through social control mechanisms in education. Boys may engage in displays of machismo and aggression to establish dominance and conform to societal expectations of masculinity.
Class
Willis' study of "lads" explores how working-class boys resist the demands of school and engage in anti-school subcultures. They reject the values of education and embrace alternative forms of masculinity. Mac an Ghaill's research further examines the experiences of working-class boys and their struggles for recognition and status within educational settings.
Ethnicity
Mac an Ghaill and Fuller and Sewell have explored the experiences of ethnic minorities in education. Their research highlights the impact of racism, prejudice, and institutional barriers on educational outcomes. These experiences can shape the ways in which ethnic minority students navigate social control mechanisms in school.
Theoretical Perspectives on Social Control
Functionalism
Functionalism views education as a vital institution for maintaining social order. Parsons argues that education acts as a bridge between the family and the workplace, socializing students into the norms and values of society. By promoting meritocratic principles and competition, education prepares individuals for their roles in a stratified society.
Marxism
Marxism views education as a tool for maintaining capitalist ideology. Bowles and Gintis argue that the hidden curriculum socialises students into accepting their place in the social hierarchy. It instills values such as obedience, discipline, and conformity, which are necessary for a compliant workforce.
Interactionism
Interactionism focuses on the micro-level interactions between individuals in educational settings. This perspective highlights the power of labelling and the self-fulfilling prophecy. Teachers' expectations and perceptions of students can influence their behaviour and outcomes, reinforcing social control mechanisms.
Conclusion
Education acts as a complex form of social control, employing both formal and informal mechanisms to shape students' behaviour and values. The source provided illustrates the powerful influence of peer pressure and the negative consequences of non-conformity. By examining the interplay of theoretical perspectives, sociological research, and real-world examples, we gain a deeper understanding of how education functions as a vital institution in the reproduction of societal norms and power structures.
Furthermore, this essay highlights the need for critical engagement with the social control mechanisms operating within education. It is essential to recognise the potential for inequality and discrimination while advocating for more equitable and inclusive educational systems that empower individuals and challenge dominant social structures.
How Education Acts as a Form of Social Control
Education is widely viewed as a crucial mechanism for social mobility, offering individuals the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in life. However, sociologists also recognize its role in social control, shaping individuals to conform to societal norms and expectations. This essay will explore how education acts as a form of social control, drawing upon a range of sociological perspectives and studies.
The Formal and Hidden Curriculum
One way education exerts social control is through the formal curriculum, the explicit and official content taught in schools. Subjects like history and citizenship often reinforce dominant narratives and values, promoting patriotism and obedience to authority. For example, teaching a history curriculum focused on national heroes and victories can foster a sense of national unity and acceptance of existing power structures.
Equally important is the hidden curriculum, the unspoken norms, values, and behaviors learned indirectly in school. This includes things like punctuality, obedience to authority figures, and conformity to classroom rules. These seemingly mundane aspects of school life socialize children into accepting hierarchy and following instructions, preparing them for the world of work and their roles within a capitalist society, as argued by Marxist sociologists like Bowles and Gintis (1976).
Agents of Social Control: Teachers and Peers
Teachers play a significant role as agents of social control. They enforce classroom rules, reward desired behaviors, and discipline those who deviate. This reinforces the formal curriculum and ensures students conform to expected norms. However, Becky Francis (1999) highlights how this enforcement can be uneven, with boys' disruptive behavior often tolerated more readily than girls', potentially reinforcing gendered expectations around behavior.
The peer group also acts as a powerful agent of social control. As highlighted in the source, children face intense pressure to conform to peer group norms and avoid negative sanctions like name-calling or exclusion. This can lead to self-regulation and the internalization of social expectations. Skelton and Francis (2003) in their study of primary school playgrounds observed how peer groups used gendered insults and exclusion to police behavior and reinforce traditional gender roles.
Social Control Through Rules and Sanctions
Education relies heavily on rules and sanctions to maintain order and control. From classroom rules to playground regulations, children are constantly reminded of acceptable behavior and the consequences of transgression. The example in the source of a student being punished for throwing a paper airplane demonstrates how even minor deviations from expected behavior are met with sanctions, reinforcing the school's authority and the importance of conformity.
Furthermore, participation in structured activities like team sports teaches students about hierarchy, leadership, and following rules. This can be seen as beneficial, instilling teamwork and discipline. However, it can also be argued, from a Marxist perspective, that this prepares working-class children for a life of following orders within a hierarchical system that benefits the ruling class.
Theoretical Perspectives: Functionalism and Marxism
Functionalist sociologists like Parsons (1961) view education as a vital institution for social cohesion. They argue that schools act as a bridge between the family and wider society, teaching children the shared values and skills needed for social harmony and a functioning society. From this perspective, social control within education is seen as necessary and beneficial.
In contrast, Marxist sociologists criticize education as a tool for reproducing class inequality. They argue that the hidden curriculum promotes obedience and acceptance of authority, creating a compliant workforce willing to accept their place in a capitalist system. For example, Willis (1977) in his study of "lads" showed how working-class boys resisted the school's values, but in doing so, often reproduced the very inequalities that limited their opportunities.
Conclusion
Education undoubtedly plays a crucial role in shaping individuals and transmitting knowledge. However, it also serves as a powerful force of social control. Through the formal and hidden curriculum, the influence of teachers and peers, and the use of rules and sanctions, schools mold individuals to conform to societal expectations. While this can be seen as promoting social order and cohesion from a functionalist perspective, Marxist sociologists argue that it reinforces existing power structures and perpetuates social inequality. By understanding the various ways in which education acts as a form of social control, we can better analyze its impact on individuals and society as a whole.
Free Mark Scheme Extracts
Ideas for Discussion
The following ideas may be discussed:
- Link with informal social control
- Hidden and formal curriculum
- Social control through following “rules” (e.g., in the playground, following the rules of games)
- Agents of social control – Peer group in the classroom / playground and teachers
- Peer group pressure and imitation (fitting in)
- Learning about hierarchy, leaders, and followers
- Positive/negative sanctions and social control.
- Theoretical references to social control function, e.g., functionalism, Marxism.
Relevant Studies and Theories
Relevant studies and theories include:
- Gender - Skelton & Francis (peer groups in primary school playgrounds); Becky Francis (boys' poor behaviour is tolerated more)
- Masculinity - Archer and Yamashita – hyper heterosexuality
- Class - Willis – Anti-school 'lads'; Mac an Ghaill
- Ethnicity - Mac an Ghaill; Fuller, Sewell
- Functionalism – Parsons (bridge between family and work)
- Marxism - hidden curriculum and socialisation in capitalist ideology (e.g., Bowles and Gintis)
- Interactionism
Source Discussion
The source may be discussed in the following way:
- Peer group pressure to conform / unpopularity of not conforming
- Negative sanctions (name calling) if not conforming
- Negative sanctions for misbehaving (pupil with paper aeroplane)