Norms of Behavior

Norms of Behavior

Values, Norms andInstitutions

For your comprehension in this chapter is necessary to make the distinction between these notions.

Why? Because values are based on the norms; norms determine your behaviour in a group or in society and the institutions are the implementation of these norms.

Behind these notions you have the human being.

It is important to insist on three approaches in the social sciences: social psychology, sociology and psychology.

1.The human being is a social being, he lives in the society and has social needs (contacts, exchanges, interactions and confrontations).

2. The human being at the individual and collective level is the interactive being. Her interest is based in interactions and inter-personal relationships.

3. The psychology studies the individual...“People are Different”!, very strong assumption ; is the title of the nice book of John ( Microeconomics ).

The norms and the values orientate our acts and beliefs.

The Norms

In Latin the norm mean “rule”and she establish the behavioural standard and is the particularly reference at the social group. The norm expresses the judgments (appreciation or evaluation) of the acts or behaviour of individuals inside the group or society. The judgments qualify the acts: normal, deviant and conformist.

These are abstract categories and express the ideal of one kind of social conscience. The values are born in the norms. The social norms determine the behavioural conformity of the demands of the society. The norms are,whether written or unwritten, necessary.

The types of rules

The natural laws are descriptive or explicative, necessary, through or fault.

The rules are prescriptive and it is possible to violate the norms: a good example is the rules of games in economics.

The norms are very simply the rules whichorientate and master the behaviour. There are two kind of norms: (1) normsclearly formulated - the laws codified by juridical order and sanctioned by public power; (2) the implicit norms or unwritten norms (the custom, behavioural).

The social norms are the typical rules of the society and the culture where the people live. The norms are a product of the society.

Reinforcement of the norms.

This meansthe repeated practice of norms around us and for us. The purpose of this practice is the assimilation and integration of the norms by the individuals.

Institutions

The definition: the totality of norms applied in a social system which define the legitimate thoughts or illegitimate thoughts inside the same system.The institutions like the norms are various: socials, political, economical, morals and cultural.

Conformism of institutions: is one conscious or unconscious agreement of the norms; it is the way to respect the norm in our social behaviour.