Norms and Values Flashcards
what are norms?
correct way of behaving, in line with cultural expectations –> deviant behaviour goes against norms
- norms can change over time e.g. how people’s clothes change
examples of norms?
norms are behaviours
eg. Britain strangers shake hands when they meet in some Asian cultures bowing is the norm
other norms –> wear the uniform, sit down, go to back of line, do homework
what are formal and informal norms?
formal norms - are written down e.g. official rules
informal norms - are unwritten codes of conduct e.g. going to back of line
what are mores and folkways?
mores - are behaviours that are morally significant in a culture –> linked to shame
folkways - are traditional ways of doing things e.g. fork + knife when eating
what are values?
correct way of thinking in line with cultural expectations
examples of values?
e.g. British often value fairness + tolerance –> americans often value success + patriotism
other values: educational achievement, obedience, respect
- people who reject cultural values are also seen as deviant, values are beliefs –> norms are based in values
where do norms and values come from? (materialist + non-materialist)
materialist - looks to geography, climate, economics –> physical surroundings
non-materialist - look to powerful ideas, leaders, visionaries –> that norms + values come from human mind
In real life A02 - multiculturalism?
multiculturalism society is home to several distinct cultures
homogenous society - is the opposite (is all the same)
in the UK, minority cultures have been here for centuries –> others arrived more recently due to immigration
multiculturalism –> is the belief that it is good for a society to be multicultural
A02 continuation –> view of Leitkultuur, Melting pot + Salad bowl?
Leitkultuur - is the view that one of the cultures should be the ‘leading culture’. leading culture is dominant, other cultures must conform to its norms/values and ‘fit in’
Melting Pot - view that cultures blend together, wrapping + sharing norms/values
Salad Bowl - some minority cultures might need special protection or support
- since 2002 immigrants to the UK have had to sit test called ‘life in the UK’ it has questions, that even people that have lived their entire life in Britain didn’t know the answer to
key study - Harold Garfinkel (1976) interactionist sociologist
studied how people interact in small groups or one-to-one
studies in ethnomethodology (1967) created ‘breach experiments’ which was a behaviour carried out deliberately in public that breaches the norms of a particular society
eg. got people to take part in games such as tic tac toe + have an actor who would deliberately play the game wrong eg. putting the X and O outside the box
–> he observed reactions of amazement, anger, confusion
–> shows how important norms are for people’s ability to interact + fit in
