Social Norms: Characteristics of Social Norms and Two Types of Norms
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Who is expected by whom to do what or refrain from doing?
What or in what circumstances is a social norm, according to HM Johnson.
- Guide, control and predict human behaviours
- Confirms to community expectations of behaviours - degree of conformity
- It is the pattern setting limits on individual behaviours and expecting more of that behaviours
- In short norms are the blueprints for behaviours
- Example can be the young children must obey the elderly people
Norms
- Coined by Sheriff, M. in the “Psychology of Social Norms” , 1936 . . “the common standards of ideas”
- Norms are the guides to conduct
- It is expected to exist
- Set of behaviours expectations
- Cultural image of HOW people should act
- Also known as standards of group behaviours
- Expected ways of acting and feeling
- It is the foundation of social structure
Definition by Young and Mac
- Norms refer to the group shared expectations
- The rules that guide behaviours in everyday situations and are derived from value
- A norm is a ruler standard that governs our conduct in the social situation in which we participate
Characteristics of Social Norms
- They are universal
- Related to factual order
- Incorporate value judgements
- Relative to situations and groups
- Not always obeyed by all
- Vary with sanctions
- Internalized by people
There Are Two Types of Norms
Personal or private norms: norms are purely individual in nature and reside within individuals only. They influence the behaviours of the individuals for example resolutions on New Year՚s Day or sticking to a timetable
Social Norms
- Social or operative social norms are backed by sanctions
- Violation of which invites penalties
- Those who do not conform are reported
- Punishment and rewards
MCQs
1. A norm is a
- Specific guide to action
- Culture of society
- Guideline for socialization
- Guideline for social interaction
Ans. a
2. Norms are enforced by
- Positive sanction
- Negative sanction
- Order
- Positive and negative sanction
Ans. d
3. Every culture contains a large number of guidelines which direct conduct in a particular situation. Such guidelines are known as
- Norms
- Culture
- Folkways
- Mores
Ans. a
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✍ Manishika