What Are Societal Norms?
Societal Norms are usually unwritten rules that draws what actions are appropriate and acceptable. They are all around us, acting as a glue that holds society closer together. From afar, Societal Norms grasps a wide range of expectations, starting from the simplest of everyday behavior to our conscience of cultural and moral values. These Societal Norms exist because they circulate throughout society as we learn and reinforce them from family, those around you, and social media. In this blog post, we will go over 5 of these Societal Norms and explore how these are usually the appropriate behavior.
1. Saying “Please” and “Thank you”
Saying your “please” and “thank you” are societal norms that are likely first learned from family. This is a norm because it exhibits politeness between people. These are commonly used when asking for something and expressing gratitude to someone. For example, when on a bus, saying “please” when asking for a bus transfer ticket, and “thank you” when leaving the bus, makes the bus driver feel more recognized, leaving yourself more grateful. These are polite gestures that make others more comfortable and appreciated.
2. Blessing Others When they Sneeze
When someone sneezes, societal norms have made “bless you” a common response to that. In my opinion, that societal norms gives us something to say when someone sneezes. However, more importanly, that saying is also another way of being polite. It allows for other people to be validated, avoiding an awkward moment.
3. Being On Time
As a modern society, being on time is a way to respect others’ time. Usually, running late can ignite stress in an individual, but that is normal in the society level because it is a norm. The concept of being on time is usually introduced from school and reinforced in the workplace.
4. Taking Shoes Off Before Entering Someone’s House
With this norm, it is a way to be mindful of someone else’s house. It shows an understanding that someone is taking care of the house and taking off your shoes, especially dirty ones, shows respect to that.
5. Treating Others With Kindness And Respect
Lastly, the Golden Rule, a moral code, is part of the societal norms. The rule reminds us to “treat others the way your want to be treated”. In that sense, would you rather be treated with kindness or inferiority? Understand that while you do have an answer for that, everyone else has to answer that everyday question and act upon it. This last norm is one of the many morals in Societal Norms, deviating away from the simpler ones. In everyday life, our behavior is likely mimicked by others, and is therefore an important moral, underlying a respectful and kind society.
The Role Of Societal Norms
Societal Norms can range from the simplest of all to the ones that are tied to cultural and moral values. Of course, these norms operate very frequently in our day to day lives as they are essentially unspoken rules that maintain harmony in society. While some basic ones are mentioned today, there are certainly at least ten, if not hundreds, of societal norms that we go through every day. They are our main formula to show respect to one another.