Social Norms and Control Theory
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Questions and Answers

What is the bystander effect?

  • The phenomenon where individuals feel compelled to help in emergencies.
  • The tendency for people to offer assistance when alone.
  • The phenomenon where people are less likely to help when passive bystanders are present. (correct)
  • An increase in altruistic behavior during critical situations.

    • Which statement best describes the spiral of silence?

  • People tend to remain silent if their preferences deviate from the perceived majority. (correct)
  • Individuals constantly seek to change the majority's opinion.
  • People express their preferences openly, regardless of the majority opinion.
  • Individuals are more vocal about their opinions when they know they are in the majority.

    • According to the trickle-down theory, how do lower-status groups respond to new descriptive norms?

  • They reject new descriptive norms to maintain their identity.
  • They ignore the descriptive norms established by higher-status groups.
  • They imitate new descriptive norms to associate with higher-status groups. (correct)
  • They create their own distinctive norms that differ from higher-status groups.

    • Which statement is true regarding the dynamics of group distinction?

    <p>Descriptive norms are symbolic expressions of group identity and are dynamic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs when lower-status groups adopt the descriptive norms of higher-status groups?

    <p>The attractiveness of those descriptive norms decreases for higher-status groups.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes an injunctive norm from a social norm?

    <p>Injunctive norms specify what people should or should not do, while social norms are informal restraining guidelines.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component is critical for understanding compliance with social norms according to social control theory?

    <p>The degree of monitoring behavior within the group.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are perceived sanctions and expected approval considered in social control theory?

    <p>Core parameters affecting norm compliance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do internalized norms differ from social norms?

    <p>Internalized norms have become part of an individual's values, while social norms are group-specific.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes a social sanction?

    <p>An informal reprimand from group members for rule violation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why might social approval be ineffective in encouraging adherence to group norms?

    <p>If individuals do not observe behaviors in their group, approval cannot be given.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does expected monitoring play in social control theory?

    <p>It influences how strongly individuals adhere to social norms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes an internalized norm?

    <p>It becomes part of an individual's belief system and preferences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does internal sanction primarily result from?

    <p>Deviation from internalized norms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do moral norms and values typically affect behavior?

    <p>Automatically and unconsciously</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the dominant strategy in a cooperation problem?

    <p>A universally favorable choice regardless of others' actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes a coordination problem?

    <p>Uncertainty about others' behaviors while wanting to act similarly</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is cultural inertia?

    <p>Delay in adapting norms to changing social conditions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of pluralistic ignorance?

    <p>The majority privately rejecting a norm while believing it's widely accepted</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines a legal norm?

    <p>A formal statement about permissible actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a reason for cultural maladaptation?

    <p>Emotional attachment to norms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    What are Social Norms?

    • Social norms are informal rules that guide behavior within a group.
    • Injunctive norms specify what people should or should not do.

    Social Control Theory

    • Social control theory explains why people adhere to social norms. People are deterred from deviating because of potential social sanctions.
    • Social sanctions are punishments for violating social norms. They are imposed by other members of the group (third parties).
    • Monitoring is key. People are more likely to conform to social norms when their behavior is closely observed by others.
    • Social approval is a reward for conforming to social norms and it can be just as powerful as social sanctions.

    Internalized Norms

    • Internalized norms are deeply ingrained moral values that become part of a person's personal preferences.
    • Internal sanctions, like guilt and shame, result from violating internalized norms.
    • Internalized norms often become part of an individual's habitus, which are behavioral dispositions based on their beliefs, values, and cultural scripts.
    • Legal norms are formalized rules that specify what people should and should not do.
    • Formal sanctions are punishments for violating legal norms.
    • The likelihood of conforming to legal norms increases with the severity of expected legal sanctions.

    Why Do Norms Emerge?

    • Norms emerge to solve collective problems like:
      • Cooperation problems, where individual self-interest can lead to negative consequences for the group
      • Coordination problems, where individuals want to do the same thing but are uncertain about how others will act.
    • Descriptive norms specify what people are typically expected to do.

    Cultural Maladaptation and Norm Change

    • Unpopular norms do not effectively address collective problems.
    • Cultural maladaptation occurs when norms and beliefs no longer fit the social environment.
    • Two key factors contributing to cultural maladaptation:
      • Cultural inertia, which is the time lag between changing social conditions and the adoption of new norms
      • Pluralistic ignorance, where a majority privately reject a norm but incorrectly believe others support it. Examples include the bystander effect, where people are less likely to help in a crisis when other bystanders are present and the spiral of silence, where people are less likely to express their views if they believe they are in the minority.

    The Dynamics of Group Distinction

    • Trickle-down theory explains how norms evolve within hierarchical social groups.
    • Higher status groups establish new descriptive norms to differentiate themselves.
    • Lower status groups imitate these norms as a way to associate themselves with higher status groups.
    • This cycle perpetuates the creation of new norms within society.

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    Description

    Explore the concepts of social norms and the mechanisms of social control theory. Learn about injunctive norms, social sanctions, and the role of monitoring and internalized norms in guiding behavior. This quiz will test your understanding of how social groups influence individual actions.

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