Deviation from Social Norms

• Deviation from social norms depends on three things

  • Time
  • Context
  • Culture
• ERA

  • Into early 20th Century - criminals were executed in Britain
  • Equally, women were expected to do the housework while the man earned money
• CONTEXT

  • Wearing sandals in winter is deviant, but not in summer
  • Wearing sunglasses at night is deviant, but not in the day
• CULTURE

  • In one culture, it might be normal to marry as young as possible
  • In some countries, especially in Asia, the elderly are treated with huge amounts of respect. In others, that is not the case
• In the Middle East, the thumbs up gesture is incredibly offensive
• Keeps society under control. Social norms subconsciously keep us in order - things like queuing and manners keep things functioning, and without them, we wouldn't have as much of an orderly society.