How does self-surveillance contribute to the family functioning as a social control mechanism?

How does self-surveillance contribute to the family functioning as a social control mechanism?

• A. It eliminates social norms
• B. It leads to the family acting as an agent of social control
• C. It reduces norms within the family
• D. It depends solely on media messages

Answer: (B)

Self-surveillance means people monitor their own behavior and the behavior of others because of internalized norms and expectations. In the family, this constant watching and judging creates a climate where rules are willingly enforced and deviations are corrected through everyday responses—praise, shame, reminders, or sanctions. Because members police themselves and each other, the family becomes an agent of social control: it shapes conduct by shaping what is considered acceptable and by teaching the appropriate ways to behave, often without needing formal enforcement.

For example, a teenager might curb reckless language or dress in a way that fits family expectations, while siblings remind each other to act in line with household rules. The social control happens through intimate, ongoing monitoring rather than explicit laws.

The other options don’t fit because self-surveillance reinforces norms rather than eliminating them, and it doesn’t reduce norms within the family. Media messages can influence behavior, but the primary mechanism here is internalized family norms guiding conduct, not reliance on external media alone.