A student has a habit of talking on her cell phone during class. One day, the professor stops his lecture and asks her to respect the other students in the class by turning off her phone. In this situation, the professor used __________ to maintain social control.

 Options:

a. Informal negative sanctions b. Informal positive sanctions c. Formal negative sanctions d. Formal positive sanctions

The Correct Answer Is:

a. Informal negative sanctions

Correct Answer Explanation: a. Informal negative sanctions

In this scenario, the professor used informal negative sanctions to maintain social control. Informal negative sanctions refer to unofficial, non-institutionalized consequences or reactions that individuals employ to discourage behavior that deviates from social norms. The professor, by stopping the lecture and addressing the student directly, provided a non-formal consequence to the student’s disruptive behavior. Let’s delve into why this is the correct answer and why the other options are not.

Informal sanctions are those actions taken by individuals or groups in social settings to enforce norms. Negative sanctions involve disapproval or punishment for breaking those norms. In this scenario, the professor’s action of stopping the lecture to address the student’s behavior is an informal way of enforcing the classroom norm of not using cell phones during class.

By singling out the student and requesting that she turns off her phone, the professor is indirectly imposing a negative consequence for her behavior, highlighting that it disrupts the class and doesn’t align with the established norm.

Now, let’s explore why the other options are not the correct choices:

b. Informal Positive Sanctions:

Informal positive sanctions involve actions like praise, approval, or rewards for adhering to social norms. In this particular situation, the professor is not offering any form of praise or recognition for students who are following the rule of not using cell phones during class.

The focus is on addressing the disruptive behavior of the student who is using her phone, which doesn’t align with the concept of informal positive sanctions.

c. Formal Negative Sanctions:

Formal sanctions are actions typically issued by an authoritative body or institution to enforce norms. Negative formal sanctions involve explicit penalties or disciplinary actions for violating established norms.

In the scenario described, the professor’s action of stopping the lecture and addressing the student’s behavior isn’t escalated to a formal level of punishment. There is no official penalty or documented disciplinary action being taken against the student.

The response is immediate and within the context of the classroom environment, which doesn’t align with the nature of formal negative sanctions.

d. Formal Positive Sanctions:

Formal positive sanctions involve rewards, recognition, or official praise from an authoritative body for following norms. In the scenario where the professor addresses the student using her cell phone during class, there is no formal recognition or reward being given to students who are complying with the rule of not using their phones.

The focus is on correcting the disruptive behavior rather than acknowledging or rewarding those who are abiding by the classroom norm. Thus, it doesn’t align with the concept of formal positive sanctions.

In summary, the professor’s action of stopping the lecture to address the student’s behavior primarily aligns with an informal approach to correcting the breach of a social norm within the classroom setting, making informal negative sanctions the most suitable choice among the options provided.

The professor’s intervention by stopping the lecture to address the student’s cell phone use aligns with an informal negative sanction, emphasizing the correction of a breached classroom norm rather than formalized penalties or rewards.

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