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What are Social Norms?

Pattern of behavior in a particular group, community, or culture, accepted as normal and to which an individual is accepted to conform

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SOCIAL NORMS: ORIGINS

Social norms have been around for forever. Dating back to ancient Greece, there has always been a certain behavior/belief perceived as ideal at any point in time in history. Therefore, there is no definite time social norms came to be.

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SOCIAL NORMS: CAUSES

Since social norms is a constantly changing part of society, there are MANY different factors behind the causes of social norms.

For example:

Self consciousness. If someone were to feel as if they would be ridiculed for doing something out of the ordinary, they would likely conform to the social norm to prevent it from happening.

Where you are raised. Certain places hold certain values that they try to live by. In these particular places those same values are often the social norms.

How you were raised. Growing up one of your biggest influences on opinion and personality are your parents. Parents definitely have some of the biggest push toward your norms in society.

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SOCIAL NORMS: IDEALS TO CONSIDER

When talking about social norms you have to recognize that many different places have very different norms.

Some places have different norms due to religion.

Other places have different norms because of tradition and culture in that specific area.

Certain areas will also have a different set of morals that they live by, and that can change the social norms drastically!

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Social Norms: Recent News

In recent news articles:

There has been a study in Australia stating that if you, “Defy social norms Get More Dates Than Those Who Follow The Crowd”.

“If prejudice is a norm, then ending prejudice has to involve etiquette as well”. Prejudice is alive and well in America and it’s not going to end until we make ending it a social norm.

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Social Norms: Huckleberry Finn

“It would get all around that Huck Finn helped a nigger to get his freedom; and if I was ever to see anybody from that town again I'd be ready to get down and lick his boots for shame.”

This quote shows how in the time when Huck Finn took place, that freedom wasn’t accepted yet and how slavery was still a social norm.

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Social Norms: Strengths/ Weaknesses

Strengths

Can help find abnormalities
Fluid, so it is able to change with society

Weaknesses

Creates cultural relativism

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Social Norms: Advantages/ Disadvantages

Advantages

Creates a united society

Disadvantages

Creates a judgmental society

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Social Norms: Will They Help or Hinder Society?

Social norms will help society; they provide us with an expected idea of how to behave in a particular social group or culture.

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Social Norms: Huckleberry Finn

“Well, you get all the enjoyment you can out of it now, for mind I tell you if I catch you meddling with him again—” “Meddling with who?” Tom says, dropping his smile and looking surprised. “With who? Why, the runaway nigger, of course. Who’d you reckon?”

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What’s at stake?

The way body image is seen
Gay marriage

-In the U.S. gay marriage is on the rise to being legal.

-In China it isn’t legal, but they have come a long way in the past 15 years.

Gun control
Gender inequality

-In India women are automatically put into secondary status.

Stakeholders?

society
magazine editors/publishers
government

Future of Social Norms: What’s at stake? Who are the Stakeholders?

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IMPACTS

The impact of body shaming can cause:

low self esteem, depression, self harm, and lower physical and psychological health.

Gender Inequality in India:

Women are fed last, which leads to malnutrition.
They are given the least amount of schooling.

Gun control in Florida:

From the Case of Trayvon Martin, many feel unsafe and this causes many to want to repeal the use of guns as defense.

Gay marriage USA/China:

In the USA and China, many people refuse to come out because they can be neglected by the family.

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SOLUTIONS/ALTERNATIVES

Gender Inequality:

Although women are on the rise to being equals as men, women should be given the same amount of respect a man gets.
Women should stop being seen as housekeepers, and as an equal to the man in the household. Not treated as secondary status.
Women should be paid the same amount as men, not classifying women to what they can and cannot do.

Body Image:

Celebrities such as: Kelly Clarkson, Adele, and Demi Lovato are examples of women who stand up to body shaming, and promoting healthy lifestyles.
They are all proud of the curvy figure they have, and encourage others to do the same.

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SOLUTIONS/ALTERNATIVES CONTINUED

Gun Control

People who are licensed and able to handle a gun as self defense, could be checked in on more often to assure a good mental health and a clear background check.

Gay marriage in China/USA

In China, gay marriage isn’t legal,

but to further the movement China can

spread more awareness, which might warm

up the society to accepting LGBT couples.

The US is already on the rise to legalize

gay marriage, but to continue this

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Huckleberry Finn quote

“It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterward, neither. I didn’t do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn’t done that one if I’d ‘a’ knowed it would make him feel that way. ” (Twain, 1885, page 205).

Connection: Social Norms

In this time it was against social norms to apologize to someone of color or seen on a lower level to you, such as Jim to Huck.

In this scene, Huck tricked Jim into thinking he was dreaming about everything that just happened with the whooping sounds and the fog incident.

Huck felt bad about worrying Jim so much, so he apologized and didn’t feel bad about it afterwards.