Social Norms:
Social norms are a group of behaviors or attitudes of majority of people in any society or community. These are unspoken rules which are acceptable to anyone. They represent culture, habits, training, education and beliefs of a particular group. They comprise of what we do, how we do and why we do.
Examples:
Shaking hand on greeting, saying, “Thank You” and “Sorry”, stand up on the arrival of some elder people, don’t talk with the mouth full of food, keeping hands on your mouth while coughing and sneezing, speaking in low voice etc.
Types of social norms:
TYPES |
DEFINITION | Â Â Â Â EXAMPLES |
| FOLKWAYS | Folkways are the norms that emerge out of repetition of routine or habits. They are mainly customary and polite. | Tucking your shirt, wearing neat clothes, saying “Thank You” and “Sorry”, not spitting on sidewalks, etc. |
| MORES | Mores are the moral norms. They are usually linked with religious rules. | Speaking truth only, be honest in all dealings, to attend a funeral, accept invitations, etc. |
| TABOOS | These are the negative norms which people find offensive if you are being caught by them. | Homosexuality, fornication, robbery, etc. |
| LAWS | Laws are the norms that decide what is legal and illegal. Government has decided these rules. You should be punished or get in a great trouble if you break them. | Obeying the traffic rules, follow the constitution rules, not doing murder, etc. |
| CULTURAL NORMS | These are those norms, customs and traditions that travel from generations to generations. | Festivals, beliefs, obeying your parents, waiting in lines, etc. |
| GENDER SPECIFIC NORMS | The rules that are only for a particular gender and only certain gender can adopt them. | Females can have long hairs while males cannot, men should be leaders and do hard tasks, etc. |
Importance of social norms:
Social norms are very important framework. They control the behaviors of individuals in a society. Moreover, they help us in building self-control and maintain a systematic and harmonious environment in a community. They give us blueprints for all kinds of situations. They play a vital role in the construction and formation of human character.
