Norms and How They Affect Societies in the Modern World - Term Paper Example

Sociology Introduction This paper will start with the definition of norms and how they affect societies in the modern world. The issue of norm violation shall also be discussed at lengthy and analyze its impact on diverse societies. I shall narrate and explain the scenario of sitting down with three strangers at a four seat table in a cafeteria without talking. The paper will conclude by looking at the benefits of norms in the society and how one can utilize them to control their own behavior. Definition of norms Norms refers to the rules of behavior which are part of the ideology of a group. They reflect the principles of the group and spell out those actions which are proper, and those that are inappropriate. They also specify the rewards for observing them as well as punishment for conformity purposes (Chrisman 127). Therefore, norms form the foundation of collective expectations that people of a given community have from one another, and play a vital role in social control and order. Norm violation A person’s behavior or thinking capacity can be classified as abnormal if at all it violates the set of laws about the expectations in a given social group. Other people might feel threatened or even uncomfortable with their behavior. It is explicitly clear that social behavior varies from one culture to another. For instance, it is a common phenomenon for people to stand closer to strangers in Southern Europe than in the United Kingdom. The extent to which a norm can be violated, the value attached to it and the importance of the norm varies from one community to another. Whether the violation is abnormal, criminal, eccentric or rude depends with the affected individuals. Social norms can be termed as inevitable and unstable. Behavior that would be considered abnormal may with time become acceptable in a community. For instance, driving under alcohol influence could be considered acceptable but at the present time it can be viewed as socially unacceptable. On the other hand, homosexuality can be considered unacceptable, but it is acceptable in many countries today. Social norms come up as a result of social values, and they serve the purpose of differentiating human behavior from that of other animals. Human beings have the ability to elaborate communication that is symbolic and structure their behavior in terms of preferences referred to as values. For that reason, norms are the means which values can be articulated in behavior (Lewis 83). Sitting down with three strangers at a four seat table in a cafeteria without talking While shopping in London city on one afternoon, it started drizzling. Everyone was happy because it had taken long before it rained. No customer attempted to get out of the shopping mall since the intensity of the rain continued to increase from time to time. Fortunately, I met a close friend and we started charting as it continued raining. After a short while, it stopped raining, and she continued with the shopping as I left the mall. The moment I left the shopping mall, it again started raining heavily. I ran towards a cafeteria to protect my self from the heavy rain. When I arrived at the cafeteria, there was no empty sit. After a short while, I spotted a free seat next to three strange women who were taking coffee as they talk to one another. They seemed to be in a serious discussion, and this even made me afraid to approach the seat. I thought about it and decided to sit on the chair since it continued to rain and I had nowhere to sit. I was with the three strangers on the round table for approximately one hour before it stopped raining. The three women continued with their discussion, but they looked unhappy with my action. I interfered with their discussion since they were not talking freely as they had done earlier. Consequently, I could see them whispering to one another just to ensure that I am not getting what they were talking. I felt guilty, but my conscience allowed me to continue sitting next to them. The women were strange to me since they were people I had never met in my entire stay in London. The women turned their seats in the opposite direction away from the table, and this made me realize that my behavior was unacceptable. The three women were elderly in fact, from my guess they should have been in their mid 50s. I thought about my action and realized that I had acted against their expectations. I remembered a time when my mother advised me never to move closer to people I could not recognize. This does not only make someone feel guilty but also infringes on the freedom of expression of those people. My behavior was a violation since the women had acted in a manner likely to suggest that I had interfered with their discussion. By the fact, I felt guilty could clearly indicate that my behavior was not acceptable not only to those women but the society at large. When it stopped raining the women started walking out. One of the women pointed at me and emphasized that I should learn proper comportment. I looked at them as they went out, but from their faces, I could see that they were extremely disappointed. I remained seated as I thought through my actions for many hours. I asked my self how I could have responded if I was one of those women and this question remained in mind. The word “norms” covers a wide range of behavior. Sociologists have defined social norms as regulations developed with an aim of specifying how people ought to, may, and should not behave under various circumstances. According to sociologists, people should behave in a manner that is acceptable in the entire society (Brown 151). Behaving in a contrary manner makes people look at the person as an outcast. Conclusion Norms exist in the society with an aim of controlling behavior amongst individuals. Going against the norms is a violation and should be rebuked at all levels. However, it is necessary to note that what can be considered as a norm varies from one community to another. This paper has discussed what norms are and how they can be violated. The paper has discussed an example of a norm violation, and its impact both on the offended and the offender as highlighted. Work Cited: Brown, Jessica. The Knowledge Norm for Assertion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print. Chrisman, Matthew. The Aim of Belief and the Goal of Truth. California: Ridgeview Publishing Co, 2010. Print. Lewis, Beck. Conscious and Unconscious motives. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1966. Print. Read More