Norms
Norms are the social rules that govern people’s actions toward one another. Norms can be subdivided further into two major categories: Folkways and Mores. Folkways are the routine conventions of everyday life.
Mores are norms that are seen as central to the functioning of a society and to its social life. Values and norms are the central components of a culture.
Values are abstract ideals about what a society believes to be good, right, and desirable. Norms are social rules and guidelines that prescribe appropriate behavior in particular situations.
Values and norms are influenced by political and economic philosophy, social structure, religion, language, and education. Rules and expectations by which a society guides the behavior of its members. Social norms refer to the group- shared standards of behavior.
Norms represent “standardized generalization” concerning expected modes of behavior. A norm is a pattern setting limits on individual behavior. Norms are ‘blueprints ‘for behavior.
According to H.M. Johnson “ A norm is an abstract pattern held in the mind, that sets certain limits for behavior”.
Characteristics of social Norms
- Social norms are universal.
- Norms are related to the factual order.
- Norms incorporate value judgments.
- Norms are relative to situations and groups.
- Norms are normally internalized by the people.
Value
Values may be defined as measures of goodness or desirability. Values provide the general guidelines for the behavior of the people. Values are group conceptions of the relative desirability of things.
According to H.M. Johnson, “ Values are general standards and may be regarded as higher order norms”
Functions of Values
- Values provide goals or ends for the members to aim for.
- Values provide for stabilities and uniformities in group interaction.
- Values bring legitimacy to the rules that govern specific activities.
- Values help to bring about some kind of adjustment between different sets of rules.
Types of Values
- General Values: (Values such as democracy, freedom, respect for the fundamental rights and dignity of labor, etc.)
- Specific Values: (Values are often stated in specific terms. For example, we may value physical health.)
Status
Social status refers to a position one hold in a society or social group. It is the honor or prestige attached to one’s position in society. Social status refers to the position occupied by a person, family, or kinship group in social system relatives to others.
Ralph Linton says that “ Status is the place in a particular system, which a certain individual occupies at a particular time”.
Nature of Status
- External symbols to identify the status.
- Every status has its own rights, duties and obligations.
- Social statuses are governed by norms.
- One individual may have several statues.
- Statuses exercise an influence upon the careers of individuals.
- Statuses differ with their degree of importance.
- Statues add to social order and social stability.
- Social status has a hierarchal distribution also.
Types of social status
- Ascribed statues are those over which the individual has absolutely no choice. They are derived from membership in involuntary groups such as sex group, age group, racial group, caste group etc.
- Achieved status, Position that an individual occupies through his/her own efforts, abilities, and achievements such as class status, occupational status, educational status, etc.
Role
A role is made up of the behaviors’ associated with a given status. A role is the dynamic or the behavioral aspect of status. A role is what an individual does in the status he occupies.
Mitchell writes that “ A social role is the expected behavior associated with a social position”.
Nature of Role
- Every individual member of social group or society is bound to play social roles.
- Some social roles are shared by a great many people.
- Some social roles are enacted only by one or by comparatively a few individuals at a particular time in a particular place.
- Some social roles may be assumed voluntarily.
- The assumption of certain roles is largely involuntary.
Examples of status and Role
Status Role
- Manager - Management
- Labor - Working
- Investor - Investment
- Teacher - Teaching
- Student - Study