Social Norms In Our Culture

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Social Norms Norms are unwritten rules that define what behavior is accepted in certain situations in a society or group. We follow social norms on an everyday basis, but we are not fully aware of it. Norms are important. They dictate what actions are welcomed and what actions are ridiculed. Examples of norms in our culture are shaking hands when you meet a person, making eye contact when you speak with people, and even talking at a normal volume. Some norms can be more complex than that, such as not pushing extra buttons on the elevator or coming to class with your book, paper, and pencils. Social norms regulate what behavior is customary. This helps people behave in a way that others consider acceptable and sanctioned. Norms are not completely universal; they vary from culture to culture. In different societies, different things are considered acceptable. For example, in Japan, tipping is not considered customary, but in America we tip regularly. Another way that norms differ across cultures, is that in India they do not slaughter cows or eat them, they consider them holy. Here in the United States, we eat beef all the time. Norms serve to keep our behavior in check. If a person was to break a social norm, they might be looked at as socially awkward or different. Social norms are important to the way we interact with others in our society. During my experiment, I broke a norm that pertains to talking. When you are talking, you normally talk at a volume that is not …show more content…
The way people react to the breaking of social norms is almost just as important. Depending on a person’s relationship with you, they will have differing responses to odd behavior. A person who knows you closely may tell you to stop acting weird, while a stranger may feel it isn’t their business. Social norms help us distinguish between what is is accepted and what is ridiculed in our society. They are arguably one on of the most valuable aspects of social
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