por What are authority figures?
The authority figures They are those who exercise power over other people, whether in the private sphere, such as parents, grandparents, etc., or public, such as teachers, school principals, police officers, mayors, and other public officials in charge of administering and enforcing the law.
Society expects authority figures to maintain a commitment to impartiality that goes beyond personal, or in some cases political, interests. Authority figures are expected to comply with the precepts established by society and thus set an example and punish wrongful conduct.
Authority figures are not only focused on large societies, we can also find them in most social groups, such as a family, or environments such as schools or universities.
The social norms that are learned in childhood through the figure of family authority, often determine the character of the person.
These social norms are polished at school, where the behavior of individuals in interactions with people outside the family environment is perfected.
Major authority figures in society
Government
The government fulfills the function of maximum authority in the sovereign territory. It is in charge of the country’s legal system. In addition, it is in charge of controlling and managing national institutions, making sure that they follow the established precepts.
In democratic states there is a constitution. In it are the basic precepts by which all its inhabitants must abide. The government has to ensure that all duties are fulfilled, without any exception for its citizens.
The government, in its tasks as an authority figure, must also take care that the rights of all citizens are covered, or ensure that they are covered in the future.
The government establishes a series of legal norms, what is called the legal system, that all citizens must comply with. It is made up of regulations and treaties, and they are the supreme norm of the country.
Being an authority figure, she is obligated to punish non-compliance with these rules. Because a State has millions of citizens, the government delegates the task of punishment to judges and prosecutors who determine the type of punishment required, depending on each offence.
In a court of law, the judge is the most influential authority figure. He has the jurisdictional power to punish the faults of citizens through the law and legal regulations.
The police officers
The police force is one of the government’s tools to ensure compliance with the regulations by citizens. It is responsible for maintaining the public order of a country and, consequently, the safety of its citizens.
His main function as an authority figure is to dissuade and investigate crimes, whether against third parties or those that disturb public order.
If a crime occurs, they have the power to arrest people suspected of having committed the crime and inform the competent authorities who will establish the punishment, depending on the crime committed.
To ensure your position as an authority figure, the police may be tasked with punishing minor violations of the law. Minor offenses that citizens may commit against the law are reported through subpoenas.
These citations are usually resolved through the payment of a small bond. The major causes of citations by the police force are for vehicular traffic.
Disruptions of the order of citizens, when they are driving a vehicle, are punished by the police without the need for a judge to establish the punishment.
If the citizen thinks that the punishment for the transgression is excessive, they can always turn to a higher authority figure such as the judges, to establish which of the two parties is right.
teachers or teachers
In addition to teaching specific subjects, teachers or teachers are also an authority figure in charge of transmitting values, techniques and knowledge applicable to everyday life to students.
The pedagogical function helps the student’s learning, so that he acquires the necessary knowledge to participate in society, in the best possible way.
Teachers must commit to the social environment, training their students so that they acquire values, and that they are governed by an ethical code.
The teacher has the responsibility and commitment to train future generations with qualities that allow them to be citizens, who are clear about their duties and rights.
It has to manage to train humanist citizens, with a critical and responsible attitude towards the environment that surrounds them.
Fathers and mothers
Fathers and mothers are the first authority figure an individual encounters. Not only are they in charge of covering basic needs, but they also have the duty to train individuals for their contact with society.
It is very important in the life of an individual to learn what are the limits that are allowed. This begins with the limits that parents impose on their children.
These limits always have to be reasonable and must be adhered to. In the society in which we live, where time is an increasingly scarce resource, we must be consistent with the limitations we impose on our children.
If we impose a rule at home, parents should teach their children that the rules are to be followed, and that they cannot be broken even on special occasions.
The rules must be followed and individuals must get used to complying with those imposed by authority figures.
References
ESTEVEZ LOPEZ, E. et al. (2007). Family communication styles, attitude towards institutional authority and adolescent violent behavior at school. Psychothema.
ALVAREZ GALLEGO, M. (2010). Parental educational practices: family authority, impact on children’s aggressive behavior. Virtual Magazine Catholic University of the North.