The formation and functioning of small social groups is invariably accompanied by the emergence of a number of laws, customs and traditions. Their main goal is the regulation of public life, preservation of a given order and concern for maintaining the well-being of all members of the community.
Sociology of personality, its subject and object
Such a phenomenon as social control takes place in all types of society. For the first time this term was used by the French sociologist Gabriel Tarde He, calling it one of the most important means of correcting criminal behavior. Later social control He began to be considered by him as one of the determining factors of socialization.
Among the tools of social control are called formal and informal incentives and sanctions. The sociology of personality, which is a section of social psychology, considers issues and problems related to how people interact within certain groups, as well as how the formation of an individual personality occurs. This science, under the term “sanctions”, also means incentives, that is, it is a consequence of an act, regardless of whether it has a positive or negative coloring.
What are formal and informal positive sanctions?
Formal control of public order is entrusted to official structures (human rights and judicial), while informal control is carried out by members of the family, collective, church community, as well as relatives and friends. While the former is based on state laws, the latter is based on public opinion. Informal control is expressed through customs and traditions, as well as through the media (public approval or censure).
If earlier this type of control was the only one, today it is relevant only for small groups. Thanks to industrialization and globalization, modern groups count a huge number of people (up to several million), so informal control is unsuccessful.
Sanctions: definition and types
The sociology of personality refers to sanctions as punishment or remuneration used in social groups in relation to individual individuals. This is a reaction to an individual moving beyond the boundaries of generally accepted norms, that is, a consequence of actions that differ from expected ones. Considering types of social control, There are formal positive and negative, as well as informal positive and negative sanctions.
Feature of positive sanctions (incentives)
Formal sanctions (with a plus sign) are various types of public approval by official organizations. For example, the issuance of letters, prizes, titles, titles, state awards and appointment to high posts. Such incentives necessarily provide for the individual to whom they apply to meet certain criteria.
In contrast, there are no clear requirements in order to earn informal positive sanctions. Examples of such incentives: smiles, handshakes, compliments, praise, applause, public thanks.
Punishments or Negative Sanctions
Formal punishments are measures that are set out in legal laws, government regulations, administrative instructions and orders. An individual who violates applicable laws may be subjected to imprisonment, arrest, dismissal from work, a fine, official punishment, reprimand, death penalty and other sanctions.The difference between such penalties and those provided for by informal control (informal negative sanctions) is that their application requires a specific regulation governing the individual’s behavior. It contains criteria related to the norm, a list of actions (or inaction), which are considered as violations, as well as a measure of punishment for the act (or lack thereof).
Types of punishments that are not fixed at the official level become informal negative sanctions. This can be ridicule, contempt, verbal reprimands, unfriendly reviews, comments and others.
Classification of sanctions by time of application
All existing types of sanctions They are divided into repressive and preventive. The first apply after the individual has already committed an action. The amount of such punishment or encouragement depends on public beliefs that determine the harmfulness or usefulness of the act. The second (preventive) sanctions are designed to prevent specific actions. That is, their goal is to persuade the individual to the behavior that is considered normal. For example, informal positive sanctions in the school system of education are designed to develop the habit of “doing right” in children.
The result of such a policy is conformism: a kind of “disguise” of the individual’s true motives and desires under camouflage of grafted values.
The role of positive sanctions in the formation of personality
Many experts conclude that informal positive sanctions allow for more humane and effective control over individual behavior. 
By applying various incentive measures and reinforcing socially acceptable actions, one can cultivate a system of beliefs and values that will prevent the manifestation of deviant behavior. Psychologists recommend using informal positive sanctions as often as possible in the process of raising children.
