CULT1017 Understanding Society Assignment 2- Essay

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CULT1017 Understanding Society Assignment 2: Essay What are social norms? How do they shape behaviour? Give examples from everyday life. Harmony Cusack 20763464

CULT1017 Understanding Society Assignment 2: Essay Social norms are not one set of rules created by on specific group, instead, social norms can be created and passed down through smaller groups. Norms have the ability to spread through “institutions and social networks and can help motivate conservation behaviours” (Niemiec, Champine,Vaske & Mertens, 2020). Social norms are constructed from actions and mechanisms we say, what we think and what we witness others do as well as seeking the approval from others in what we do. Therefore, social norms have the capacity to link between behaviour, beliefs of the individual and collective as well as expectations. Social norms exist when an individual practicing a behaviour in the hopes that other people who are like them praise their behaviour. Social norms shape behaviour, as individuals want to feel accepted and a part of their community rather than marginalised or viewed differently due to their actions and words. Gender norms outline societies expectations on which females and males should interact to another individual or society according to their gender. Gender norms stem from the aspects of the media and culture, which can have a wide-ranging impact on the individual’s wellbeing, social life, and contribution as a citizen in society. Gender socialisation creates a rulebook, on the ways gender norms influence society. Gender socialisation outlines how an individual should act and dress according to their gender. The media is a large tool used to instil the idea of gender norms and stereotyping, “Culture is reproduced through - the media” (Mccormack, Anderson, Jamie& David,2018). For example, Big W uses a female in their advertisement a toy that is a baby. The advertisement displays a young girl cradling a baby with the colours pastel pink in the background. On the other page, stands a young boy playing with a toolkit, with “manly” colours such as blue and orange used in the background. The

CULT1017 Understanding Society Assignment 2: Essay idea that a females should only play with toys that exhibit skills such as nurture and care creates a behaviour that males cannot play with these toys otherwise, they will be seen as “not manly” by society. Traditionally, women have been seen to be less-dominate and submissive compared the male who is dominant and the sole provider for the family. This creates a barrier of difference between men and women. Individuals hold beliefs from what is socially expected from them due to their sex as this is what society has assigned them. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) employment for women at the age of thirty has doubled since 1966, having only 32.2% of women in 1966 working compared to 72.6% of women working now. This provides evidence that sexist work beliefs are changing, but creates the question, why haven’t gender norms changed in regard to toys and fashion? This shapes contemporary and future behaviour of society as “men and women comply with these expectations, they adhere to those expectations and beliefs” (Cislaghi, 2019). Therefore, this contributes to constructing and instilling the negative idea of gender norms in society. Cultural norms are another aspect of social norms that influences and shapes behaviour of society and the individual. Cultural norms guide behaviour which is shared between of a group of people within the same social group, “Culture is therefore maintained through social norms” (McCormack, Anderson, Jamie& David,2018). They are standards which an individual lives by as well as “on what to think and believe, how to behave, and how to interact with others” (Crossman,2019). There are four types of cultural norms, these include folkways and laws. A folkway is an interaction with another individual that is informal but guides human behaviour. An example of this can be Shaking hands with an individual when meeting or using mannerisms such as “please”. Folkways influence and shape human

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CULT1017 Understanding Society Assignment 2: Essay behaviour as it pressures individuals to interact with members of society in a particular way, “The life of society consists in making folkways” (Sumner,1907) . If this is not followed, it can create the idea that a person is rude. Another example in modern day society, is covering your mouth when sneezing and coughing. This has become a larger folkway in many societies since the beginning of COVID-19. Covering your mouth while sneezing or coughing is respectful in keeping an individual’s germs to themselves in order preventing others from getting sick. This influences human behaviour as no individual wants to be judged as careless by society. On the other hand, laws are established rules that can have consequences is not followed. These are enforced by government officials such as police offers. Examples of laws include criminal laws which aid in the protection of the individual from issues such as theft. A group of individuals have been granted power to enforce laws, to care and protect for society at large. The law influences human behaviour as the consequences of breaking the law can heavily deter an individual as consequences consist of having to pay a fine or serving a sentence. Further consequences of this can include not securing employment due to having a record, or society members being weary of an offending individual in hopes of securing their safety. To experience wellbeing, people cherish values and do not feel any threat to them (Mills,2000). Individuals shape their behaviour to feel fulfilled and happy. People try to avoid disappointment and unhappiness through following what is socially acceptable and becoming a part of a larger group providing purpose. Taboos are non-enforced rules but instead are society made and highly unacceptable for an individual to be involved in. For example, a desecration of a symbol that is religious is highly unacceptable and disrespectful to many

CULT1017 Understanding Society Assignment 2: Essay cultures. Consequences of taboo can consist of an individual having to leave a certain social group due to disgust of their actions. There are three types of taboos which include food, culture, and religion. Cultural taboos are inappropriate actions of conversations that can offend a specific group. Examples in modern day society can include eye contact. For many cultures it is a sign of respect to maintain eye contact with another individual who you are in conversation with. For other cultures such as some Aboriginal-Australian cultures, eye contact is disrespectful as it is a sign of defiance. This influences human behaviour, as respect is highly sought for in many cultures and religions and to not respect is to be shameful. Religious taboos are actions, words or behaviours that is forbidden by a religion. Food taboos are foods that are prohibited to consume by a particular group. There are several reasons as to why this may be, it can be due to hazardous health foods or foods that “facilitate environmental conservation or safeguard limited resources” (McNamara & Wood, 2019). Regarding some Muslim cultures, it is not clean to eat pork. If an individual had been seen eating the unclean animal, they would be kicked from the religion, feeling shame and guilt. Due to taboos changing from each culture and place, it can become hard for immigrants and travellers to learn, especially if the taboo is not taught explicitly. Taboos and beliefs vary greatly from each religion and culture, having very different consequences if disobeyed. Mores revolve around the idea of honesty, and respect for authority. Violating mores can have highly negative social consequences. This influences human behaviour as an individual would deter from breaking a more due to feeling disapproval from a group or person, “people to orient themselves in accordance with cherished values” (Mills,2000). An example of someone breaking a more could include, having sexual intimacy with a partner before marriage. In some religions and cultures this is forbidden and goes against morals and values.

CULT1017 Understanding Society Assignment 2: Essay If an individual were to do this, they may be excluded from a setting or group as the behaviour does not align with the more. In conclusion, an individual is not the outcome of norms and rules created by society but instead the individual is the norms and own belief which collaborate into shaping the behaviour of the individual. Norms create a sense of consistency within society and the individuals who live in it, therefore leading to respect of one another. Norms create ways of understanding between right and wrong as well as the good and the bad. Individuals want to feel fulfilled, appreciated and respected by society. In respecting aspects of culture and adhering to folkways, laws, mores and Taboos, an individual can be a courteous and aware citizen within their own society as well as other people’s societies.

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CULT1017 Understanding Society Assignment 2: Essay Reference list Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021). Changing Female Employment Over Time . [online] www.abs.gov.au. Available at: https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/changing-female- employment-over-time [Accessed 18 Oct. 2023]. C. Wright Mills (2000). The Sociological Imagination . New York: Grove Press. Cislaghi, B. and Heise, L. (2020). Gender norms and social norms: differences, similarities and why they matter in prevention science. Sociology of Health & Illness , [online] 42(2), pp.407–422. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.13008. Crossman, A. (2019). What Are the Differences Between Folkways, Mores, Taboos, and Laws? [online] ThoughtCo. Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/folkways-mores- taboos-and-laws-3026267#:~:text=Folkways%20mark%20the%20distinction%20between [Accessed 18 Oct. 2023]. Mccormack, M., Anderson, E., Jamie, K. and David, M. (2018). Discovering sociology . London: Palgrave, pp.158–189. McNamara, K. and Wood, E. (2019). Food taboos, health beliefs, and gender: understanding household food choice and nutrition in rural Tajikistan. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition , 38(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-019-0170-8. Niemiec, R.M., Champine, V., Vaske, J.J. and Mertens, A. (2020). Does the Impact of Norms Vary by Type of Norm and Type of Conservation Behavior? A Meta-Analysis. Society & Natural Resources , 33(8), pp.1024–1040. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2020.1729912. Sumner, W.G. (1907). Folkways, a Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores and Morals. The American Journal of Psychology , 18(3), p.376. doi:https://doi.org/10.2307/1412602.

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