From wikipedia: Informal social control denominates customs, traditions, norms and other social values inherited by the individual. It is exercised by a society without explicitly stating these rules and is expressed through custom, norms, and mores using informal sanctions such as criticism, disapproval, guilt and shaming. In extreme cases this may even include social discrimination and exclusion. This implied social control usually has more control over individual minds because they become ingrained in their personality. Traditional society uses mostly informal social control embedded in its customary culture relying on the socialization of its members to establish social order. More rigidly-structured societies may place increased reliance on formal mechanisms. Formal social control is expressed through law as statutes, rules, and regulations against deviant behavior. It is conducted by government and organizations using law enforcement mechanisms and other formal sanctions such as fines and imprisonment. In democratic societies the goals and mechanisms of formal social control are determined through legislation by elected representatives and thus enjoy a measure of support from the population and voluntary compliance. perhaps an example of informal social control would be people standing up on buses for pregnant women or the elderly, whereas formal would be things like not murdering others.