People are expected to abide by certain social standards including regulations on how to behave and interact. Such thing is called social norms; dictating what is acceptable or not. Norms are based on society’s values. According to Ferris and Stein, “They articulate the essence of everything that a cultural group cherishes in its society.” Norms can differ based on your context. Sociologists define three different types of norms including folkways, mores, and taboos.
Folkways are customs or conventions of daily life, distinguishing between proper and rude behavior. They are often discussed in contrast to mores, norms of morality, because they differ in the degree they are enforced. Folkways are mildly enforced while as mores are strictly held believes dictating right or wrong. Taboos are absolutely forbidden for religious or social reasons. They are so deeply established that even thinking of committing it evokes repugnance. That being said, “Norms are specific to a culture, time period, and situation” (Ferris and Stein).
One group might consider something folkways while another considers it mores. An example of this would be public nudity. In america it is unacceptable and could get you in jail. While in other cultures it is not viewed upon as wrong. Sanctions are a way of enforcing norms and are a form of external control. They can be positive or negative reactions to a norm followed or disobeyed. Sanctions help set up social control, which is society enforcing norms by law or by social pressure.
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There are two different methods of social control, one being formal and the other informal. Formal are the more visible methods of social control whereas informal might be less visible. Pressuring someone to abide by social norms would be an example of an informal method of social control. Formal means of social control are exercised through agencies and institutions such as the government.
When dining at a restaurant or simply studying in the library, you are most likely sitting separately from strangers at a distance you both feel comfortable sustaining. Sitting at least one seat away from a stranger is an informal norm, meaning they are implicit and unspoken. The distance from a stranger differs from a relative or friend. There are many factors to consider when thinking about personal space including gender and everyone’s personal boundaries. Personal space might be larger between two men than two women, Larger between a women and men whom are strangers, and vary depending on how well you know a person.
