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Social Norms: What Is Social Norm?

Social norms are unwritten rules created by society to guide appropriate behavior. Norms can vary based on age, gender, culture, and context, and help define what is considered abnormal. However, norms are not fixed and often change over time as contexts change. They also depend on who sets them, as different groups can have different expectations for behavior. While breaking norms may seem abnormal, it is not always negative, as civil rights movements have challenged past norms to create positive change.

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Jelo Jaug
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415 views2 pages

Social Norms: What Is Social Norm?

Social norms are unwritten rules created by society to guide appropriate behavior. Norms can vary based on age, gender, culture, and context, and help define what is considered abnormal. However, norms are not fixed and often change over time as contexts change. They also depend on who sets them, as different groups can have different expectations for behavior. While breaking norms may seem abnormal, it is not always negative, as civil rights movements have challenged past norms to create positive change.

Uploaded by

Jelo Jaug
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Limitations of Social Norms: Explains why social norms are not static, their evolution over time, and issues pertaining to who sets them.
  • Social Norms: Explores the definition of social norms and how they classify behaviors as normal or abnormal.
  • Variations of Social Norms: Discusses different types of social norms such as age-based and cultural-based variations with examples.

SOCIAL NORMS

What is Social Norm?


Social norms can be used to define what is abnormal.
A norm is an unwritten rule which is created by society to guide behavior in
society.
The most common means of behavior in a society.
Norms will vary from society to society and depend on who you are with.
If you do not fit into a social norm, you are abnormal.

Variations of Social Norms


Age Based norms can depend on our age.
Example:
It is acceptable to perhaps throw a tantrum as a 2 year old, but not as
a 30 year old.
Gender Based norms depend on gender.
Example:
It is a social norm for girls to wear skirts, but men dont.
Culture Based some cultures are more tolerant to behaviors than others.
Example:
In France it can be acceptable to drink a glass of wine at dinner as a
child, but not in the UK.

Limitations of Social Norms


They change over time it is hard to judge a behavior as a social norm if it
can change.
Example:
Homosexuality was seen as mental disease in the US a while ago but is
not anymore.
Norms depend on context peoples behavior is dependent on a situation.
Example:
At a party it is normal to wear a bright party hat but it isnt to wear
one at a funeral.
Social norms depend on who sets them the group that sets the norm
will influence the behavior.
Example:
Different cultures will have different norms.
Breaking social norms is not always bad you can break social norm and
have a positive impact.
Example:
The Civil Rights movement.

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