Bellringer 10/3/16 Social Norms: Give a description of “Ideal” American Culture. Now, describe what real American culture is actually like.

Key Terms Sanction Social control Norms Formal norms Informal norms Mores folkways

Society and Rules Societies strive to put values into action, thus hopefully reaching their ideal culture, thru rewards, sanctions and punishments. For example, if you hold the door open for someone else, they are expected to say “Thank you!”. To sanction something is to give your approval for it. This support happens in many ways. Such support is known as a social control or a way to encourage wanted behavior, and a way to discourage unwanted behavior. These controls can be official and legal, or subtle or cultural. A boy for instance who shoves an old woman aside on a bus, what might happen? People will defend her, even stand up to the kid and tell him off. If a salesman doesn’t follow the rules, he’ll likely be laid off. If they disobey codified (legal) rules, they may end up in jail.

Norms Norms are used to define how people should act in public, with others. These are things that a society has deemed are good, right, and ok. Formal Norms are legalized and written. Laws are examples of formal norms, but so are employee manuals, “no running” signs at pools, etc. Informal norms are the unwritten ones, that are causal behaviors. These are sometimes taught to us by our parents, teachers, etc., but are also learned thru observation. Norms Handout VID Norms can also be defined further into 2 categories: Mores, which reflect moral views and principles. Example: don’t discuss some topics with children present Folkways, same thing, without the moral background Example: You wear a formal shirt and tie to a formal dinner, not a T- shirt Example: You say “Hello”; in one region, “Hey” is sufficient; in another, you should stop and chat, or you are being rude.

HW: Finish reading Ch. 3.2 (posted online) Finish Breaching Experiment HW if unfinished.

During Presentations: Get out a clean sheet of college-ruled paper. Write down a summary of the different groups’ experiments. What norm were they breaking? What was people’s reactions? Pick one that you think was most creative, and well-done. 1 point for well-done, 1 point for most creative. You cannot vote for your own. Turn in your group notes at the end of class.