Group norm, its meaning for society

Each individual who is surrounded by other people, while communicating or performing any kind of activity, observes a set of informal rules. Only when they are carried out, it is possible to maintain order and harmony in the society, and this means that the group norm becomes the guarantee of its normal development.

What are group norms?

Paying attention to different cultures and nations, it is impossible not to notice how different their traditions, the manner of communication and the rules of behavior. What is habitual for some people in another country can cause misunderstanding or condemnation. So, for example, wearing a kilt in Scotland is familiar and does not attract attention, but it is unlikely that a man wearing a skirt in Russia can pass unnoticed along the street.

The same pattern can be traced in the same country. As an example, you can consider the various youth subcultures, which are relatively small groupings with unusual values for others.

Thus, it should be emphasized that group norms are a set of rules that are compiled by a team with the aim of regulating relationships and behavior. Most of them are informal, which does not prevent their observance.

The group rule should be adopted by the majority, and it is also aimed at achieving the set goals. The formation of each rule depends on the characteristics of the group: the number, homogeneity and personality characteristics of each member.

Adoption of the norm

We can not also ignore the subjectivity of the standards, which can not guarantee their acceptance by all representatives of the group.

Those people who do not want to obey the rules and do not live up to the expectations of the group can be punished by others. The most frequent refusal to observe them is demonstrated by teenagers, which is justified by a turning point in their development. To stimulate the group's desire to follow the norms, there are two types of sanctions:

1. Positive - manifested in the form of a person's encouragement for complying with the vault. It can be praise, attention, respect for others, elevation of status and prestige.
2. Negative - are used in violation of the rules of society. With them, bans or restrictions of various kinds that lead to charity or ignoring the offender are being established.

As a consequence, a person tries to control the individual behavior as much as possible, adjusting it to the parameters. The maximum punishment for non-observance of norms can be expulsion from the group.

The role of values in the adoption of group norms

The values of the group are formed on the basis of the generally accepted and vary depending on the interests of a particular collective of people. They are the basis for the formation in the group of historically established norms and determine the strategy for the further advancement of society, while the developed rules designate the boundaries of what is permitted and desired along the way.

As a result, group norms and values affect the same indicators of large social groups that regulate the development of the whole society as a whole.

Why are group norms necessary?

Each group rule passes through the test of time and does not change under the influence of the new situation. Those patterns of behavior that are consolidated bring the following privileges to the community.

1. Strengthen the team, ensure its unity and unity of effort.
2. Reduce the number of interpersonal conflicts and discomfort caused by misunderstanding of others.
3. Increase the predictability of the actions of group members and facilitates the prediction of group behavior.
4. Increases the protective capacity of communities and their survival.

Another important thing is that due to the clear formation, the group norm allows an individual to independently evaluate his and other people's actions, compare them and draw conclusions about the correctness of behavior.