NCJ Number
68052
Journal
ANNALES DE VAUCRESSON Dated: SPECIAL NUMBER (JULY 1977) Pages: 175-188
Date Published
1977
Length
14 pages
Annotation
FAMILY AND SOCIETY ARE PRESENTED AS ISOMORPHIC SYSTEMS IN WHICH THE SAME SOCIAL CONTROL MECHANISMS ARE ACTIVE.
Abstract
OBSERVATIONS AND TREATEMENT OF A FRENCH MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY FOR OVER 16 YEARS SHOW THAT FAMILIES POSSESS DEFENSE MECHANISMS AGAINST MENACING OUTSIDE INFLUENCES. BY DESIGNATING A SCAPEGOAT (IN THIS CASE, THE DELINQUENT SON), THE FAMILY PRESERVED AN APPARENT COHESION WHICH COVERED AN UNDERLYING DYSFUNCTION. A STUDY OF THE SON'S PENAL RECORD INDICATES THAT MOST OFFENSES CONINCIDED WITH FAMILY CRISES AND THAT NEITHER FAMILY NOR INSTITUTIONS WERE ABLE TO CONTROL THE DELINQUENT UNTIL THE LATENT FAMILY CONFLICT HAD BEEN RESOLVED. ON A SOCIAL LEVEL, THE SAME DEFENSE MECHANISMS EXIST; LATENT SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CONFLICT TENDS TO PRODUCE A SOCIETY OF RIGID LEGAL NORMS WHICH TREATS ITS MARGINAL GROUPS AS SCAPEGOATS, AND THROUGH LABELING ENCOURAGES DEVIANCE. WHILE EXAGGERATED STANDARDS OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN THE FAMILY PRODUCE CONFORMIST, NARROW-MINDED, AND UNCREATIVE PERSONALITIES, A LACK OF CONTROL LEADS TO REBELLION AND DEVIANCE. SIMILARLY, A SOCIETY WHOSE SOCIAL CONTROL MECHANISMS ARE TOO SEVERE ENGENDERS LARGELY CONFORMIST INDIVIDUALS AT THE COST OF CREATIVITY AND THE OPPOSITION OF A NONCONFORMIST MINORITY. A FAMILY CAN ACHIEVE THE PROPER BALANCE OF RIGIDITY AND FLEXIBILITY BY RESOLVING UNDERLYING INTERNAL CONFLICT. IN THE PRESENT SOCIETY, A SIMILAR RESULT COULD BE ACHIEVED BY RELAXING RIGID LEGAL NORMS DESIGNED TO SERVE LIMITED AND NARROW-MINDED INTEREST GROUPS. SEVERAL DIAGRAMS AND 26 REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. -- IN FRENCH.