Norm Violations

1266 Words6 Pages
Any sort of typical pattern in our social behavior that is expected by society serves as a normality. Norms are the proper guides to our acceptable performance. According to Dana Williams, “Norms are transmitted through a process of socialization, by which every member of society is subtly trained to appreciate and follow these norms.” A counterexample for a norm would be putting your cat on a leash. It is not illegal, but it is not socially acceptable. Norm violations are held at a certain degree of different forms. Although you can violate the rules illegally. For more instances of norm violations there is the following, we stand facing the elevator doors, not with our backs to them. We walk on two legs instead of crawl even though we have that option. We do not talk to people in the public restrooms while they are in the stall next to us. . By violating any kind of norms, we make people feel uncomfortable and think the worst in us. This is mainly because people do not want to observe something out of the ordinary. Williams also declares, “Non-normative behavior is subtly or unsubtly punished in order to reign in that behavior to normative standards. For example, external sanctions can range from receiving dirty looks and verbal criticism to physical confrontation, attack, and arrest.” Our more traditional…show more content…
Passing by our dark windows every hour or so. The man is carrying two hefty bags full of all sorts of things. He is probably in his sixties, wearing pajamas and slippers at 2 o’clock in the afternoon on a Tuesday. The man proceeds to pull his pants down, squat in the middle of the parking lot, take his right hand and wipe his naked butt, smell his hand and continue to get back up and start walking again. This stunt was horrific to me, but most cases, we never know the full story. What if it was a dare, what if he has a mental issue, and what if he just did not care people saw

More about Norm Violations

Open Document