MCAT® ExamPsychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of BehaviorEasy
A sociologist is studying a small, isolated community where residents exhibit strong conformity to traditional gender roles: men are expected to be the primary breadwinners and decision-makers, while women are expected to manage the household and raise children. Any deviation from these roles is met with social disapproval and ostracism. This phenomenon best exemplifies which of the following sociological concepts?
- ACultural relativism
- BSocial norms
- CCultural diffusion
- DEthnocentrism
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Social norms
Social norms are unwritten rules of behavior that are considered acceptable in a group or society. They dictate how individuals should act in specific situations, and deviation often leads to social sanctions.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Cultural relativism is the principle of understanding a culture on its own terms without judging it against one's own culture.
- C. Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another.
- D. Ethnocentrism is judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one's own culture.
Social Norms
The unwritten rules of behavior that are considered acceptable in a group or society, often dictating how individuals should act in particular situations.
- Can be prescriptive (what one should do) or proscriptive (what one should not do)
- Enforced through social sanctions (positive or negative)
- Vary across cultures and time
Memory trick: Norms are the 'normal' rules people follow.