Question

Which sociologist used the term 'social control' for the first time?

• A. Marx
• B. Ross
• C. Comte
• D. MacIver

Hint:

For "who coined the term" questions, create a mental list of key founders and their concepts: Comte (Sociology), Durkheim (Anomie), Weber (Verstehen), and Ross (Social Control).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the sociologist who coined and introduced the term 'social control' into the discipline's lexicon.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The term 'social control' was introduced and popularized by the American sociologist Edward Alsworth Ross (E. A. Ross). He is credited with being the first to systematically develop this concept.
He published a series of articles on the subject in the American Journal of Sociology beginning in 1896, which were later compiled into his seminal book titled "Social Control" in 1901. He used the term to refer to all the social mechanisms and processes by which society regulates individual and group behavior.
Step 3: Final Answer:
E. A. Ross was the first sociologist to use and elaborate on the term 'social control'.