A process by which a group regulates itself according to its beliefs, principles, and values to stop or prevent negative deviance is known as?

1. A

   Social control

2. B

   Social change

3. C

   Social evil

4. D

   Social stratification

Appeared in: JSSH Staff Nurse - 2019

Explanation

• Social control is the term sociologists use to describe the methods a society employs to ensure its members conform to its expected standards of behavior.
• The primary purpose of social control is to maintain social order, stability, and continuity by regulating individual actions and preventing behavior that deviates from established norms.
• As defined by sociologists like E.A. Ross and Parsons, it is a system of devices and processes that counteract deviant behavior and bring members into conformity with accepted standards.
• This process operates through both formal mechanisms (like laws and regulations) and informal mechanisms (like customs and peer pressure).

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: Social change refers to the alteration of social structures, institutions, and behaviors over time. It is about societal transformation, not the enforcement of existing norms.
• Option C: A social evil is a phenomenon or practice, like dowry or child labor, that is considered harmful to society. It is a form of deviance itself, not the process used to control deviance.
• Option D: Social stratification describes the division of society into different layers or strata based on factors like wealth, class, or caste. It is about social hierarchy and inequality, not the regulation of behavior.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definition of Social Control as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• Nurses are subject to formal social control through professional codes of ethics, state nursing practice acts, and hospital policies, which ensure patient safety and standardized care.
• Informal social control within the healthcare setting includes peer review, team dynamics, and workplace culture, which influence a nurse's daily practice and professional conduct.
• Understanding social control helps nurses recognize the pressures that shape patient behaviors and health choices, which can be influenced by family (informal) or legal mandates (formal).

How to Approach the Question

• First, analyze the question stem to identify the key concepts. The question asks for a 'process' that 'regulates' a group to 'prevent negative deviance'.
• Break down the definition: The core ideas are regulation, conformity to group values, and prevention of undesirable behavior.
• Evaluate each option against this definition.
• Option A, 'Social control', directly matches the definition of societal regulation of behavior.
• Options B, C, and D represent different sociological concepts: 'Social change' (transformation), 'Social evil' (a harmful issue), and 'Social stratification' (hierarchy). These do not fit the definition provided.
• Therefore, conclude that 'Social control' is the correct term for the process described.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Definition of Social Control
• Stem keywords: process, group regulates itself, beliefs, principles, values, prevent negative deviance
• Lead-in keywords: is known as
• Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QwmnTSQh3yaQee0viwPpMe

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Applied Sociology for Nurses TK Indrani pp. 211-213, 210-212, 214-216