We often assume that people make decisions by rationally calculating the costs and benefits and choosing the option that provides the greatest reward. However, sociologists point out the power that social norms have over the behavior of individuals. Social norms are collective representations of acceptable group conduct as well as individual perceptions of particular group conduct. They can be viewed as cultural products (including values, customs, and traditions) which represent individuals’ basic knowledge of what others do and think that they should do.
For this paper you will need to pick a social norm that you will violate in front of a group of unsuspecting people. DO NOT do anything offensive, dangerous or illegal. A classic example of a breaching experiment is to go on an elevator and face the back of the wall instead of the door (the norm is to face the door, or to watch the numbers that tell you what floor you are on). Please be creative and have fun with it but let me reiterate: DO NOT do anything offensive or illegal!!! In addition: DO NOT do anything related to COVID-19, especially in regard to breaking public health regulations.
Once you have finished, write a 2-3 page double spaced paper explaining what you did, how people reacted, how their reactions made you feel and what that tells you about the power that social expectations have over the choices we make. Make sure to connect your insights to the class lectures on socialization, social norms, and culture.
We often assume that people make decisions by rationally calculating the costs a
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