5.5c Surveillance and Conformity

Michel Foucault (1975) explained how social control can occur through surveillance or implied observation using the idea of a panopticon as a metaphor. A panopticon is a type of architectural design intended to control its occupants. Specifically, a panopticon design was envisioned for prisons. They would be designed as a circle, allowing a single guard to see all inmates without any of them knowing whether the guard is observing them at any given time (see Photo 5.12). Because the inmates would not know when the guard was watching, they would discipline themselves.

Photo 5.12

A Prison Designed as a Panopticon

Today, most people are surveilled at least some of the time. Police use red-light cameras to discourage people from driving through red lights. Many people own camera doorbells, and use smartphones and other smart devices that can see and track movements. Many cities, businesses, and homes have surveillance cameras installed. For example, New York City has at least 15,000 surveillance cameras that police can use (Fussell, 2021). Foucault proposed that people conform rather than deviate because they believe they are being watched.

Photo 5.13

The Ubiquity of Security Cameras Means People are Always Under Surveillance