1. Social Negotiation in Action
Sanctions
Social Negotiation in Action

2. Negotiation and Sanction
Sanctions rewards or punishments for actions
Rewards are positive sanctions
Punishments are negative sanctions
As we interact we receive feedback from those who we interact with
Negative sanctions discourage behavior
Positive sanctions encourage behavior

3. Positive and Negative Sanctions
Negative sanctions make us feel excluded.
Positive Sanctions make us feel good

4. Negotiation
Whether we call it reinforcement or negotiation the process of reacting to the behavior of others either positively or negatively has effects
The outcome of each interaction
Reinforces existing behavior
Renegotiates existing behavior
Rejects behavior, thus discouraging it
Results in changes which reflect new circumstances, beliefs or understandings

5. Conserving Culture
Both positive and negative sanctions preserve existing behavior
Through rewards and punishments
Cultural norms, values and ideas are preserved when we are receive positive or negative feedback for our actions

6. Expected response
The most common sanction is one that hardly feels like a sanction at all…
We get the expected response for our behavior.
This is a positive sanction
No one says “Hey! Great Job!!!” to us when we get up in the morning and get dressed. It is simply expected and we expect no special response…
The lack of negative sanction is a positive sanction
We might get negative sanctions if we don’t wake up for school or work

7. Changing norms and values
Change occurs through the negotiation process in which the expected reward or punishment might be altered by mutual agreement.
Michel Foucault wrote that social change could be achieved by persisting in behaviors even though we get negative sanctions until others accepted the behavior.
In other words he advised people to make change by ignoring negative sanctions

8. Social Control Norms and Sanctions Provide social control
Exist within social institutions
Are learned behavior
Are part of socialization
Can be changed
Conserve existing culture
Are found in all cultures
Are essential to social order

9. Levels of Control
Just as norms can be formal and informal, sanctions can be formal and informal.
Formal norms… written, usually rational
Formal sanctions… written, usually rational
Example: Run a stop sign; get a ticket
Informal norms… traditional, agreed on can be rational or non rational (perhaps irrational as well)
Informal sanctions… traditional, agreed on can be rational, non-rational and even irrational
Cheat on your partner; people gossip about you

10. Things to know Sanctions are both negative and positive
We may be less aware of the positive sanctions, because they are more expected
Absence of a positive sanction is a negative sanction, no matter how mild
While we may not think about actions that will bring us positive sanctions (these feel normal) we do consider negative sanctions and try to avoid them
Negative sanctions are uncomfortable to experience