Social norms are unwritten rules and expectations that determine how individuals should behave within a society. Traditions, etiquette, moral values, and social habits are part of these norms. Social norms play an important role in maintaining social order, increasing harmony among individuals, and preserving shared values. They can change over time and may vary from culture to culture.
Types of Social Norms
Folkloric Norms (Traditional Norms)
These are generally unwritten rules that emerge from a society's cultural heritage and traditions. Expectations like hospitality or performing certain rituals fall into this category. Folkloric norms are passed down from generation to generation, ensuring the continuity of societal identity. However, factors such as modernization and globalization may cause these norms to evolve over time.
Moral Norms
These norms are based on a society's understanding of right and wrong. They appeal to individuals' consciences and are often related to ethical values. Examples of moral norms include principles like honesty or not causing harm to others. Moral norms operate through values that individuals internalize, and when violated, they can lead to emotional reactions such as guilt or shame.
Legal Norms
These are rules officially defined by the state and supported by sanctions. Laws form the most concrete and binding form of social norms. Examples like traffic laws or the obligation to pay taxes are reflections of legal norms in everyday life. When violated, legal norms lead to legal consequences.
Etiquette Norms (Customs and Politeness Rules)
These govern the expected behaviors individuals should display during daily interactions. Rules such as greeting others, waiting in line, or proper behavior at the dinner table fall under this category. Etiquette norms are typically enforced through mild sanctions (e.g., social disapproval) and can vary across cultures.
Fashion and Trend Norms
These reflect aesthetic or behavioral trends popular within a society at a given time. Examples include clothing styles or social media usage habits. These norms are more transient and flexible than others; they may exert pressure on individuals but are usually not mandatory.
Functions of Social Norms
Social norms, as an integral part of the social structure, serve multifaceted functions that allow individuals and communities to coexist. These functions manifest in fundamental areas such as maintaining social order, identity formation, shaping behaviors, ensuring cultural continuity, and facilitating adaptation to change.
Primarily, social norms serve to maintain social order. By placing individuals' actions within a certain framework, they prevent chaotic situations and ensure the safety and continuity of communal life. This regulatory role makes stability possible in the complex web of relationships within society. At the same time, norms play a role in strengthening group identity and belonging; they unite individuals around shared values, beliefs, and practices, reinforcing the community's unity and building a strong sense of solidarity among its members.
Beyond that, social norms guide and regulate behavior; they inform individuals about what is acceptable or appropriate, thereby promoting conformity to societal expectations and minimizing deviations. The transmission of cultural values is also an indispensable aspect of norms. By preserving the historical and cultural heritage of a society, they pass this legacy to new generations, supporting the continuity and richness of cultural identity.
Finally, social norms are notable for their capacity to facilitate change and adaptation. They do not remain fixed but evolve with the changing social conditions, allowing innovations and transformations to be integrated into society. Taken together, these functions reveal that social norms are dynamic balancing elements that both limit individual freedom to some extent and ensure the functionality of communal life. With these multifaceted roles, norms respond to the both static and variable nature of societies.
Cultural Differences and Social Norms
Social norms vary depending on a society's cultural identity, and these differences are reflected in the content, application, and sanctions of norms. For example, in Turkish society, hospitality stands out as an important social norm; offering refreshments to a guest is internalized as a cultural expectation. In contrast, in Japan, maintaining silence and refraining from speaking on the phone in public transportation is a strong norm for maintaining social order. In Western societies that emphasize individualism, respect for personal space and privacy can form the basis of norms; for instance, in the USA, neighbors tend to maintain a more distant relationship, while in Turkish society, neighborhood relationships are closer and more communal. These examples show how norms are shaped by societies' lifestyles, value systems, and social relationships. Despite increasing interactions between norms due to globalization, each society continues to reflect its cultural heritage in its norms.
Cultural differences can lead to conflicts in the interpretation and application of social norms. For example, in Turkey, dancing the "halay" or playing loud music at weddings is a common norm, but this might cause discomfort in a Scandinavian country that values silence, and could be perceived as a cultural mismatch. Similarly, in Turkish society, the expectation to offer a seat to the elderly on buses is a strong norm. However, this may be less emphasized in some Western societies, which can lead to tension between individuals confronted with different norms. Processes such as migration and tourism make these conflicts more evident; for example, a tourist visiting Turkey may find it strange if they are not accustomed to the norm of greeting people on the streets. These situations highlight the flexibility of norms and the importance of mutual understanding. Otherwise, misunderstandings and divisions between groups with different norms can become inevitable.
Despite cultural differences, some norms are universally accepted and stem from common human needs or ethical principles. For instance, helping to save someone's life is universally recognized as a norm, regardless of the specific form it takes in different cultures (offering someone water or calling an ambulance, for example). Similarly, the wrongness of theft is widely accepted at a global level. This norm exists in every society where the concept of property is recognized. Another example is the protection and care for children, which in Turkish society is supported by the understanding that "children are our future," while at the universal level, it is also endorsed within the framework of human rights. These universal norms reflect common aspects of human nature and global ethical standards, even if they are interpreted differently across cultures.
The Evolution of Social Norms Over Time
The change in social norms over time typically arises from the need for societies to adapt to new circumstances. For example, in the past, women's roles in the public sphere were more limited, and this was accepted as a norm. However, since the early 20th century, with the rise of modernization movements, women's participation in education and the workforce has become more widespread, leading to the transformation of these norms.
Social reforms and ideological shifts also influence the evolution of norms. Increased demands for individual rights and freedoms lead to the questioning of previously dominant norms. For instance, in Turkish society, norms regarding smoking have changed with the increase in health awareness, leading to restrictions in public spaces.
The change in norms over time does not always occur through the complete abandonment of old norms, but sometimes through their adaptation to new conditions. For example, while norms related to greetings and well-wishing still exist in Turkish society, their application has shifted to digital platforms, with greetings and holiday messages being commonly exchanged through messaging applications.
Additionally, new norms emerge due to the influence of global issues. For example, the awareness of climate change has led to the widespread adoption of norms related to energy conservation. This transformation demonstrates that norms are not only tools for maintaining social order but also structures that can respond to a changing world. The evolution of social norms over time reflects that societies, while preserving their ties to the past, develop a vision for the future.
