General Sociology BS English 1st
Social Norms
Norms are a fundamental concept in the social sciences. They are most commonly defined
as rules or expectations that are socially enforced. Norms may be prescriptive (encouraging
positive behavior; for example, “be honest”) or proscriptive (discouraging negative behavior; for
example, “do not cheat”).
There are three types of social norms that can help inform people about behavior that is
considered acceptable: folkways, mores, taboos, and law. Further, social norms can vary across
time, cultures, places, and even sub-group.
Examples
Shaking hands when greeting someone.
Saying "please" and "thank you"
Apologizing when one makes a mistake.
Standing up when someone enters the room.
Making eye contact during a conversation.
Listening when someone is speaking.
Offering help when someone is struggling.
Respecting personal space.
Folkways
Norms for routine or causal interaction, folkways are behaviors that are learned and shared by a
social group that we often refer to as “customs” in a group that are not morally significant, but
they can be important for social acceptance. Each group can develop different customs, but there
can be customs that are embraced at a larger, societal level.
Examples of Folkways
Covering your Mouth when you cough or Sneeze
Dressing Appropriately at Work
Mores
Perhaps stricter than folkways are more because they can lead to a violation of what we view as
moral and ethical behavior. Mores are norms of morality, or right and wrong, and if you break
one it is often considered offensive to most people of a culture. Sometimes a more violation can
also be illegal, but other times it can just be offensive. If more is not written down in legislation,
it cannot get sanctioned by the criminal justice system. Other times it can be both illegal and
morally wrong.
Examples
Stealing is considered unacceptable under any circumstance.
Nudity in public is not acceptable in most areas.
Shorts should not be worn in a professional work atmosphere.
Taboo
A taboo goes a step further and is a very negative norm that should not get violated because
people will be upset. Additionally, one may get excluded from the group or society. The nature
and the degree of the taboo are in the mores.
Examples These may include incest, cannibalism and killing of parents.
Values
Values are defines as abstract standard of goodness. Values are individual beliefs that
motivate people to act one way or another.
Social values
These are the current values of the social groups in society. These are those cultural values which
have been adopted by society in their daily social life. These values are the present social life and
are the direct aims of the people. The young like them. They accept changes according to the
social requirements. That is why they are popular in young people and criticized by the old ones.
These are direct towards social progress. If these are threatened there is social problem due to
infringement into them.
Examples Technical knowledge, computer literacy, car, houses etc. are our social values.
Cultural values
Cultural values are hereditary and form core of the culture. List of cultural values include
customs, rituals conventions, styles and fashions which are remain in the core culture. The values
hold supreme position among them. These values give a shape to the culture and the society.
These are very difficult to change because they remain in embedded of social institutions and the
social norms. These are the ideals of society. These are remain in the memory of our elders, in
old books, in religious and ethical literature. These are sometimes, referred as the values of the
old people or the values of the past.
Examples Respect for elders, kindness to the young, telling truth, generosity, sacrifice, tolerance
etc. are our cultural values.
