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The Specialization of Informal Social Control: Fighting in the National Hockey League from 1960-2012

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  • Sirianni, Antonio

Abstract

The presence and value of systems of informal social control have been well-studied by sociologists and criminologists. While systems of informal control are by their very nature more decentralized and unorganized, can systems of informal social control come to resemble centralized systems of formal control? This article offers a highly detailed empirical analysis of a particular form of informal social control in a highly observable setting over time: fist-fighting in the National Hockey League. Fighting is commonly understood to be both an instrument of retaliatory “self-help” exercised by all players, but also the semi-exclusive domain of “enforcers” or “goons” who are employed by teams to physically retaliate on behalf of their opponents and deter violent play in others. A 52-year record of nearly 30,000 fist fights between players is analyzed alongside other player statistics. An analysis of the player distribution, network structure, and in-game contexts of these fights demonstrates a gradual shift from a system of self-help to a system of specialized enforcement. This shift is connected to larger changes in the size of the league and the talent pool, processes of specialization at the level of the team, and the emergence of an unofficial “enforcer” role that motivates participation in fights for certain players.

Suggested Citation

  • Sirianni, Antonio, 2019. "The Specialization of Informal Social Control: Fighting in the National Hockey League from 1960-2012," SocArXiv j9qpd, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:j9qpd
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/j9qpd
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