social norm

Examples of social norm in the following topics:

• Altruism: Helping

  • According to the social-exchange theory, when the risks or costs of a relationship outweigh the benefits, the relationship is abandoned or ended.
  • Developmental psychologists suggest that both personal disposition (temperament) and social context contribute to individual differences in empathic concern.
  • Reciprocal actions are important to social psychology as they can help explain the maintenance of social norms.
  • Helping the homeless can be an example of empathic altruism or social responsibility—the helper doesn't get anything in return.
  • Distinguish among the social-exchange theory, the reciprocity norm, and the empathy-altruism hypothesis of altruism

• Conformity

  • Conformity is the most common and pervasive form of social influence.
  • Normative influence occurs when an individual conforms in order to gain social acceptance and avoid social rejection.
  • Both men and women will conform to current norms in order to be accepted by society and avoid social rejection.
  • Societal norms establish gender differences that affect the ways in which men and women conform to social influence.
  • Sherif suggested this was a reflection of how social norms develop in larger society.

• Influences of Culture and Gender in Psychotherapy

  • Cultural and gender norms significantly shape how mental illness as well as therapy and various other treatment methods are perceived.
  • Those who favor multicultural therapy models focus on cultural specificity—that therapy should be adapted to specific cultures due to differing cultural norms, expectations, and identities.
  • This sociocultural perspective integrates the impact of cultural and social norms, starting at the beginning of treatment.
  • The ways in which men and women are socialized in Western countries determines how they will express themselves, how they will experience and express their emotions, and what is considered normal or abnormal.
  • Due to gender socialization, men and women may express depression differently, which is an important consideration when planning a course of therapy.

• Compliance

  • In social psychology, "compliance" refers to an individual's acquiescence in response to a request from a peer.
  • Compliance affects everyday behavior, especially in social interactions.
  • Social psychologists view compliance as a means of social influence used to reach goals or attain social or personal gains.
  • In studying compliance, social psychologists aim to examine overt and subtle social influences and their relationship to compliance.
  • This is based on the social norm that people will return a favor when one is granted to them.

• Cultural Influences on Sexual Motivation

  • The sociocultural context of society, which includes all social and cultural factors from politics and religion to the mass media, not only creates social norms, but also places major influence on the conformity to these norms.
  • These norms dictate what is considered to be acceptable behavior.
  • Different cultures vary in regard to these norms, including how they understand and perceive sexuality; how they influence the artistic expression of sexual beauty ; how they understand gender norms related to sexuality; and how they interpret and/or judge particular sexual behaviors, such as homosexuality .
  • Social movements in the latter half of the 20th century such as the sexual revolution, the rise of feminism, and the advancement of LGBTQ rights have helped to bring about massive changes in social perception of sexuality.
  • Sex education covers a range of topics, including the physical, mental, and social aspects of sexual behavior.

• Human Sexuality and Culture

  • Human sexuality can be understood as part of the social life of humans, governed by implied rules of behavior and the status quo.
  • The sociocultural context of society—which includes all social and cultural factors, from politics and religion to the mass media—not only creates social norms, but also places major importance on conformity to these norms.
  • Norms dictate what is considered to be acceptable behavior; what is considered normal or acceptable in terms of sexual behavior is based on the norms, mores, and values of the particular society.
  • Social movements in the latter half of the 20th century, such as the sexual revolution, the rise of feminism, and the advancement of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights have helped to bring about massive changes in social perceptions of sexuality.
  • Sex education covers a range of topics, including the physical, mental, and social aspects of sexual behavior.

• Gender and Sociology

  • Scholars generally regard gender as a social construct, meaning that it does not exist naturally but is instead a concept that is created by cultural and societal norms.
  • Gender roles are based on norms, or standards, created by society.
  • The socialization process in which children learn these gender roles begins at birth.
  • Each agent reinforces gender roles by creating and maintaining normative expectations for gender-specific behavior.
  • This threat of punishment for stepping outside of gender norms is especially true for those who do not identify as male or female.

• Introduction to Social Psychology and Social Perception

  • Social psychology is the scientific study of how individuals perceive, influence, and relate to others through social interactions.
  • By "imagined or implied presence," Allport suggests that the effects of social influence are felt even when there are no other people directly present; in other words, cultural norms affect us even when we are alone.
  • Social psychology includes the subfields of cognitive social psychology and social neuroscience.
  • This includes areas like social perception, social interaction, and social influence (including trust, power, and persuasion).
  • It involves questions about the nature of social behavior: for example, does social behavior ultimately stem from the individual, or is it largely a product of socialization, interaction, and greater social structures?

• Cultural and Societal Influences on Adolescent Development

  • Adolescence is a crucial period in social development, as adolescents can be easily swayed by their close relationships.
  • Peer groups offer members of the group the opportunity to develop social skills such as empathy, sharing, and leadership.
  • Culture is learned and socially shared, and it affects all aspects of an individual's life.
  • Differences between families in the distribution of financial responsibilities or provision of allowance may reflect various socioeconomic backgrounds, which are further influenced by cultural norms and values.
  • Culture is learned and socially shared, and it affects all aspects of an individual's life.

• Bandura's and Rotter's Social-Cognitive Theories of Personality

  • Bandura's and Rotter's social-cognitive theories of personality emphasize cognitive processes, such as thinking and judging.
  • Social cognition is basically social thought, or how the mind processes social information; social-cognitive theory describes how individuals think and react in social situations.
  • How the mind works in a social setting is extremely complicated—emotions, social desirability factors, and unconscious thoughts can all interact and affect social cognition in many ways.
  • Albert Bandura is a behavioral psychologist credited with creating social learning theory.
  • Males tend to be more internal than females when it comes to personal successes—a factor likely due to cultural norms that emphasize aggressive behavior in males and submissive behavior in females.