How did Plateau communities use social pressure to maintain order?

In traditional Plateau societies, social order was primarily maintained through social pressure and public opinion rather than through the use of force.1

Because individuals were not coerced into following the advice of a chief or the decisions of a council, those who disagreed with the community's consensus had the freedom to move to a different village or band, an option that was exercised with some frequency.1

While social pressure was the primary mechanism for order, some groups did empower chiefs or village councils to formally arbitrate or punish specific transgressions, such as theft or murder. In these instances, settlements often involved the payment of horses to the injured party, and corporal punishment for serious offenses was typically carried out by a designated village official known as a "whipper".1