"Social Control" falls within social psychology, which is the
branch of knowledge that deals with the psychic interplay between
man and his environment. In Ross' terms, one of these branches,
social ascendency, deals with the domination of society over the
individual. Another, individual ascendency, embraces such topics as
invention, leadership, the role of great men, and deals with the
domination of the individual over society.
Social ascendency is divided into social infl uence-- mob mind,
fashion, convention, custom, public opinion, and the like--and
social control. Th e former is occupied with social domination that
is without intention or purpose. The latter is concerned with
social domination that is intended and that fulfi ls a function in
the life of society. At the start of the twentieth century this
work played an important role in the origination of social
psychology as a distinct field.
Ross sought to determine how far the order we see about us is
due to infl uences that reach men and women without social
intervention. Investigation shows that the personality freely
unfolds under conditions of healthy fellowship and may arrive at
goodness on its own, and that order is explained partly by this
streak in human nature and partly by the infl uence of social
surroundings. Ross' book separates the individual's contribution to
social order from that of society, and, brings to light everything
that is considered in the social contribution of the individual. Th
is classic volume is an important contribution to the history of
ideas.
"Edward Alsworth Ross" (1866-1951) was known as one of the
founders of American sociology and was most famous for his view
that the purpose of sociology is the reform of society. He was also
professor and chair of the department of sociology at the
University of Wisconsin. Some of his work includes "Sin and
Society, Changing America" and "The Social Trend."
"Matthias Gross" is senior research scientist in the Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany. He is the
author of five books and numerous articles on the history of the
social sciences, environmental sociology, and science and
technology studies.
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