Why should anyone care about norm violations? You care, whether you know it or not, because you don’t want to associate with violators of the status quo. “Norms are expectations of ‘right’ behavior” (Henslin, 2011, p. 49). Our society is structured, we have values molded into our social structure that might be totally different in another culture. "These values are the standards by which people define what is good and bad, beautiful and ugly” (Henslin, 2011, p. 51). The incentives to follow these norms are usually positive sanctions, while not following norms results in negative sanctions. Sanctions can be simple universal gestures, a few spoken words, or even a document. Think of sanctions as positive and negative reinforcement you’ve been
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51). Mores’ and folkway break the violation of social norms into severe and less severe categories. Not holding the door open for the person behind you, shaking with your left hand instead of your right hand, not wearing a tie to a formal dinner, are usually neutral and arbitrary violations with no negative sanctions. Folkway violations usually merit no reprisal. Mores are violations that are much more severe. Examples include rape, murder, kidnapping, espionage, or being a peeping tom. Mores have negative sanctions with real consequences like time in prison. We are supposed to conform to what our social structure has detailed for us. Some in society may have desires to do something our culture greatly disapproves of; however, it’s our people and the need for their positive sanctions that keep us in line with social norms. We have roles to fill, and how well we fit the expectations of those roles is the degree to which we typically are accepted or feel accepted. Norms are boundaries that define what is acceptable, and culture is the determining factor to how far those boundaries …show more content…
We got there around 4:00pm and the scene was lively. The waiting area was outside, so we joined the group waiting to be seated, and watched people come and go. While waiting for our table buzzer to go off, a 6’4 body builder walked up to the entrance and holds the door open for her 5’8 skinny boyfriend. She could rival an average gym going man with her muscle size. My head turned, my girlfriend heads turned, everyone’s head turned when she and her physically polar opposite walked through the door in a suddenly much quieter atmosphere. There was nothing subtle or hidden about any one’s gestures. We were intrigued, and baffled. After they had walked inside, an elderly man in the waiting area exclaimed “She’s an Amazon!” It’s normally expected that men are supposed to be the physically superior, that strength and size is a trait that girls should value in a man. Not vice versa. These are old norms, and is the reason their relationship seems backwards. Not only was she the physically dominant one but she held the door for her weaker boyfriend. My girlfriend said “She’s large and in charge”, jokingly of course. I didn’t want to make eye contact with her, god forbid she saw my blushing expressions. It wasn’t what anyone there had come to accept as a working relationship. When they came back outside with their table buzzer, I noticed that it was
51). Mores’ and folkway break the violation of social norms into severe and less severe categories. Not holding the door open for the person behind you, shaking with your left hand instead of your right hand, not wearing a tie to a formal dinner, are usually neutral and arbitrary violations with no negative sanctions. Folkway violations usually merit no reprisal. Mores are violations that are much more severe. Examples include rape, murder, kidnapping, espionage, or being a peeping tom. Mores have negative sanctions with real consequences like time in prison. We are supposed to conform to what our social structure has detailed for us. Some in society may have desires to do something our culture greatly disapproves of; however, it’s our people and the need for their positive sanctions that keep us in line with social norms. We have roles to fill, and how well we fit the expectations of those roles is the degree to which we typically are accepted or feel accepted. Norms are boundaries that define what is acceptable, and culture is the determining factor to how far those boundaries …show more content…
We got there around 4:00pm and the scene was lively. The waiting area was outside, so we joined the group waiting to be seated, and watched people come and go. While waiting for our table buzzer to go off, a 6’4 body builder walked up to the entrance and holds the door open for her 5’8 skinny boyfriend. She could rival an average gym going man with her muscle size. My head turned, my girlfriend heads turned, everyone’s head turned when she and her physically polar opposite walked through the door in a suddenly much quieter atmosphere. There was nothing subtle or hidden about any one’s gestures. We were intrigued, and baffled. After they had walked inside, an elderly man in the waiting area exclaimed “She’s an Amazon!” It’s normally expected that men are supposed to be the physically superior, that strength and size is a trait that girls should value in a man. Not vice versa. These are old norms, and is the reason their relationship seems backwards. Not only was she the physically dominant one but she held the door for her weaker boyfriend. My girlfriend said “She’s large and in charge”, jokingly of course. I didn’t want to make eye contact with her, god forbid she saw my blushing expressions. It wasn’t what anyone there had come to accept as a working relationship. When they came back outside with their table buzzer, I noticed that it was