Final answer:
Formal surveillance involves official monitoring and sanctions by authorities, such as expulsion or arrest, while informal surveillance is based on everyday social interactions and includes non-official responses like disapproval or praise for social behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distinction between formal and informal surveillance rests on how rules and norms are enforced within a society. Formal surveillance refers to the official, systematic monitoring and enforcement of rules, often by established authorities and institutions. This can manifest through various official actions, such as a student being expelled for violating a school's code of conduct or a criminal being arrested and imprisoned. Formal negative sanctions like these serve to officially recognize and enforce norm violations.
In contrast, informal surveillance arises from the day-to-day social interactions we engage in, without the backing of any official authority. When people observe and react to others' behavior within a social context, they exert informal sanctions. These can be both positive and negative. For example, disapproving looks for wearing flip-flops to an opera or verbal reprimands for swearing loudly in church are examples of informal negative sanctions, whereas a smile or pat on the back for helping an elderly person is an informal positive sanction.
Both formal and informal surveillance methods contribute to maintaining social order, but they operate at different levels and carry differing degrees of consequences and social influence. While formal sanctions are backed by laws and regulations, informal sanctions are guided by societal expectations and norms.