Social and Cultural Norms

discuss consequences

if people believe they'll suffer if they fail to follow the norm, discussion could prove these consequences false eg: eating a certain food raising awareness within the group of likely consequences can change a norm

what are the strategies to change norms? (5)

-discuss consequences -inform -highlight inconsistencies in beliefs -present a different core belief to replace the old one -change commonly shared beliefs

how can social and cultural norms be transmitted? (4)

-explicitly: written or declared norms that must be followed (dress code on an invitation, going church) -implied: unwritten and not declared but hinted (comment made with hidden meaning, glare) -observed: required behaviour or attitude is obvious due to others doing it (drinking alcohol at a party) -expectation: families, employers, schools and social groups place expectations on people to agree with norms in order to ft in and be successful

a social norm is?(3)

1) a behaviour that is a regular part of society 2) is based on a socially shared belief of how one ought to behave 3) a trigger for the enforcement of behaviour. a person will suffer social consequences if it is not adhered to

what are the 3 factors of the social cognitive theory that all interact with each other?

1. behaviour: in this case health behaviours 2. personal factors: thoughts, beliefs, cognitive competencies, skills and strategies 3. environmental factors: social setting, location, culture, peers and family.

which of the following is an example of an intervention to influence social norms about alcohol?

a media campaign highlighting the impact of drunkenness on the community

what is the social cognitive theory?

a theoretical model that helps to explain the link between the social and cultural environment and behaviour

definition of a cultural norm?

are behaviour patterns of specific groups due to their cultural upbringing. relate to geographical location, country of origin, ethnic affiliation and religious practices

how are social norms constructed?

by like minded people congregating together. the presence of similar views, preferences and opinions leads people to spend time together and the norm is formed. presence of agreement formed the social norm. newcomers would have to share these views or they'll be considered weird

inform

change the belief of people by giving them new info about the healthiness of a behaviour eg: drink driving a new social norm is formed

a behaviour pattern of specific groups due to their cultural upbringing would be described as?

cultural norm

arranged marriage would be an example of what?

cultural norm

where do social and cultural norms exist?

embedded within a rich network of beliefs about the origins of the behaviour, religious justifications and the effect on health. changing norms will be difficult due to beliefs present

the Social Cognitive Theory depicts the interaction of which 3 factors?

environment, behaviour and personal factors

the presence of a dress code on an event invitation is an example of which method of social norm transmission?

explicit

cultural norms are usually determined by what?

family expectations

how are cultural norms constructed?

formed similarly to social norms but less choice by the person, usually determined by family expectation. the family's traditions and regular way of behaving is based on where they lived, language spoken, customs of culture, laws in the country of origin and religious beliefs.

what does the interaction between the environment and behaviour involve?

involves a person's behaviour determining aspects of their environment and in turn their behaviour being modified by that environment.

the media is a powerful tool to transmit and promote social norms because:

it is influential in subtle ways

change commonly shared beliefs

many norms are based on commonly shared beliefs. to change these norms everyone in the group needs to change their belief together and almost at the same time group discussion and persuasive argument

why do people follow a norm?

norm expectations (how they expect others to behave) expectation of consequences (what they believe will happen if they don't follow the norm)

how does the media influence social and cultural norms?

norms are usually promoted by behaviour of the mainstream or majority of the population. norms can be promoted by the media. TV shows will show fashions, behaviour and lifestyle that will reflect social and cultural norms of the time period. this reflection perpetuates the norm and makes it stick in society. celebrity and role model behaviour will promote norms and influence the expectations on behaviours of others advertisers make you feel not normal unless you buy it

how does social and cultural norms influence health behaviour?

norms influence many health behaviours including eating habits, drug use, body image and self esteem, help seeking behaviours, support networking. what is expected of a person by either their social group or cultural group will influence decision making and lifestyle choices

definition of a social norm?

refers to the phenomenon that a lot of people's behaviour is influenced by their perception of how other members of their social group behave. unwritten rules by which a social group behaves

what does the social cognitive theory show?

shows that social and cultural norms can influence the expectations a person places on themselves and on the expectations of others toward health behaviour and also the effect of these expectations on behaviour

unwritten, unstated rules that prescribe appropriate social behaviours are defined as?

social norm

what is it called when much of people's behaviour is influenced by their perception of how other members of their society behave?

social norm

how do social norms 'constrain' how we live?

social norms constrain the way we live due to the pressure of us constantly trying to fit in a certain society and imitate the way others around us act. We can not do the activities that we enjoy for fear of judgement by others. Therefore social norms to some extent limit our choice and freedom.

present a different core belief to replace the existing one

some beliefs are central and others are peripheral to the person and the group. if you tackle peripheral beliefs first and change beliefs that are less important to the person then the central beliefs can be changed, results in change of norms eg: sex before marriage

what does the interaction between the person and environment involve?

the influence of a person's beliefs and intellect on others and the way knowledge and belief are developed and modified by social influences and structures within the environment

what does the interaction between personal factors and behaviour involve?

the influences of a person's thoughts, beliefs or skills on their actions

which one of the following statements about social norms is correct?

the media can endorse and reinforce positive social norms

describe 2 ways the media in Australia attempts to change popular thinking about alcohol consumption

the media in Australia attempts to change popular thinking about alcohol consumption through many mediums. These include health campaigns highlighting the dangers of excessive alcohol use and drink driving. This can be achieved through advertisements on TV.

describe 2 ways the media in Australia has reinforced popular ideas related to alcohol consumption.

the media in Australia reinforces popular ideas related to alcohol consumption in many ways. These include movies and TV shows depicting characters binge drinking alcohol and partying. Also through news articles reporting Australia day celebrations and high levels of drinking associated with Australian culture.

explain the impact these changed ideas regarding alcohol would have on social norms in Australia

these changed ideas regarding alcohol would have an impact on social norms in Australia. These impacts include a higher awareness about the consequences of over consumption of alcohol, lower rates of drink driving and alternative celebration norms developing.

why is it important to change beliefs, values and attitudes of the population or group?

to change norms

highlight inconsistencies in beliefs

when inconsistent beliefs are detected, the mind tries to determine which can be most easily rejected in order to reduce the inconsistency, when inconsistency in belief is highlighted, the person will want to change one of the beliefs to restore coherency and reduce cognitive dissonance eg: parent and healthy children: choice

why does social norms have a big impact on a person under times of uncertainty?

when unsure people don't look inside themselves for answers, all they'll see there is confusion. so they look outside to others, for evidence of how to act

do people's perception of norms influence their behaviour?

yes, social norms will have a strong impact on people under conditions of uncertainty