unwritten rules for how members of a social group are expected to behave
someone is seen as abnormal if their thinking or behaviour is different to these social norms
eg. if someone was seen walking around london naked, they would be seen as abnormal
however in an african tribe it may be seen as perfectly normal and part of their culture
AO3 cultural relativism
social norms vary throughout different cultures, what is considered normal in one culture can be seen as abnormal in a different culture, eg. clothing and dress
AO3 social norms change over time
in past homosexuality was seen as abnormal and considered mental disorder in dsm, today it is acceptable in most countries
AO3 social norms change over time
50 years in Russia anyone who disagreed with state ran risk of being put in a mental institute
AO3 social norms change over time
defining abnormality in terms of deviation from social norms, there is a real danger of creating definitions based on prevailing social morals and attitudes
