Chapter 6 Norms PDF

Chapter 6 Norms 6.2 What are social norms? Injunctive norm (also prescriptive norm or oughtness norm) = normative statement specifying what a person should do or not do. Social norm (aka informal norm) = informal, normative statement specifying what a person should do or not do (within a group)....

Chapter 6 Norms 6.2 What are social norms? Injunctive norm (also prescriptive norm or oughtness norm) = normative statement specifying what a person should do or not do. Social norm (aka informal norm) = informal, normative statement specifying what a person should do or not do (within a group). 6.3 Social control theory Social control theory = people adhere to social norms because deviations from social norms can be answered by social sanctions. - It assumes human agency and it explains why people obey social norms and why it makes sense to do that at all. Social sanction = punishment for behavior diverging from social norms; external sanctions imposed by other people of the group in which the social norm applies. External sanction = sanctions imposed by third parties. Third party = other members of the same group to which certain norms apply. When people adhere to social norms, they can count on the approval and appreciation of others in their group—they can count on social approval or “behavioral confirmation.” Social approval = rewards and appreciation by other group members for following social norms. - Social sanctions and social approval are not always effective. They are not effective if behaviors are not observed by the group members, that is, by third parties who can impose sanctions. Monitoring = the behavior of an individual within a group is visible to third parties. - The degree of monitoring behavior is critical in understanding why people follow social norms in the group: the more strongly people are monitored in their group, the more strongly they follow the social norms of that group. People’s subjective expectations matter, rather than objective sanctions and monitoring within the group, because that’s what is determining their behavior. =>Two core parameters in the social control theory: (1) Perceived sanctions and expected approval (2) Expected monitoring - Social control theory makes norm compliance contingent = the likelihood that people adhere to the social norms of their group depends on the severity of expected sanctions and monitoring. 6.4 Internalized norms Internalized norm (aka moral norm) = norm that has become part of people's intrinsic set of things one should do or prefer to do. Internalized norms can also become part of one’s personal preferences and values. Values = things that people want and appreciate. Internal sanction = feeling of shame, guilt and bad conscience resulting from deviation from internalized norms. - People are therefore not always aware of their own moral norms and values; this could be the case, but often it is not so. Moral norms and values are often so deeply ingrained that people take their own perspectives for granted and thereby this affects their behavior automatically and unconsciously. This means that people rarely deliberately reflect on their own moral norms and values, and act according to them without thinking Habitus = behavioral dispositions based on cognitions, moral norms, values and cultural scripts. 6.5 Legal norms Legal norm (aka law) = formal, normative statement specifying what a person should do or not do. Formal sanction = punishment for behavior diverging from legal norms. Formal control: The higher people’s expected legal sanctions in case of legal disobedience, the more likely they are to conform to legal norms. 6.6 Why do norms emerge? Norms may emerge to solve two kinds of collective problems: (1) cooperation problems (2) coordination problems Cooperation problem Cooperation problem (also social dilemma) = certain condition in which rational self-interest behavior results in collective problems. Dominant strategy = strategy that is favorable to choose irrespective of what other people do. Free-ride = type of behavior in which one prefers personal gains above the interest of the group. Public good = good that serves collective benefits, such as national safety and environmental protection. Coordination problem Coordination problem = certain condition in which people want to do the same thing, but are uncertain about the behavior of each other. Descriptive norm = statement specifying what a person is expected to do. Decree = top-down change in descriptive norm. 6.7 Cultural maladaptation and norm change Unpopular norm = norm which is not serving collective benefits. Cultural maladaptation = norms and opinions which do not fit their social environment well. Main reasons for cultural maladaptation: (1) cultural inertia (2) pluralistic ignorance Cultural inertia Cultural inertia = time-lag between changing social conditions and adapting new norms and opinions. Pluralistic ignorance Pluralistic ignorance = situation in which the majority of people privately reject a certain norm, but incorrectly believe that others privately support the norm. Bystander effect = phenomenon in which people are less likely to help other people in a critical situation when passive bystanders are present. Spiral of silence = people’s tendency to remain silent and not express their private preference when they believe that their private preferences deviate from the majority’s preferences. 6.8 The dynamics of group distinction Trickle-down theory: 1. There are multiple groups in society and these groups differ in their descriptive norms (habits, conventions, customs). 2. Groups are hierarchically ordered: they differ in their subjective “social standing” and “prestige.” 3. Descriptive norms are symbolic expressions of group identity. 4. Higher status groups invent new descriptive norms to symbolically differentiate their group from lower-status groups. 5. Lower-status groups imitate these new descriptive norms to symbolically associate themselves with high-status groups. 6. The more strongly lower-status groups have adopted the high status descriptive norms, the less attractive these descriptive norms are to high-status groups, resulting in new inventions (return to step 4) According to the trickle-down theory some descriptive norms are dynamic and in constant flux.