Although unexpected, I have to say that I enjoyed our class discussion on Tuesday about social norms very much. According to Wikipedia, “social norms” are the explicit or implicit behavioral expectations and cues within a social or group; the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.1 It is through social norms that we, the society, determine if someone’s actions are suitable or not. Unfortunately, through social norms, people are also judged when others feel that their behavior are not “normal” or similar to everyone else in the society.
In most cultures, when men are seen dressed with business attires including suits, they are often perceived as a someone with higher stature, someone who is knowledgeable and someone who has a stable profession. In a way, a person who is dressed with suits are often seen as the archetype of a business person, hence “business attire”. When Professor Jackson presented himself as an example of someone wearing formal business clothes and what his attire say about him, the argument of whether his attire determine if he’s a professor or not was brought up. We were questioned whether the way he dresses up gives him authority to the class or not. While I believe that the business clothes Professor Jackson wears, does help make a statement in determining him as the professor, it is his personal credibility and actions that will determine his authority in class. Because of social norms, if a visitor were to walk into the room and see Professor Jackson dressed up with formal business attire, they will initially walk up to him to ask him a question. However, if the person were to know that Günperi, for example, was the professor, the visitor will go up to ask her the question instead.
Since social norms are often used by society to judge and create opinions about a person, the whole time we were discussing about the subject, I kept wondering how and who is it that determines what someone wears is appropriate or not. Looking back into the example that Linnea brought up about the professors in California and the officials in Hawaii that Professor Jacskson was talking about, I keep thinking that the way people dress does not determine their credibility. It is because of social norms though, that society makes initial thoughts and first impressions about people. Nevertheless, who is it that determines which social norm is proper or not? Is it the “top official” that comes up with the idea and allow it to trickle down to the public? What about the media that uses their expertise in brainwashing their followers? In the end, what I do know is that society as a whole comes into accepting new concepts in the endless list of social norms and making outlandish ones like “The Meat Dress” normal.
Garry, you make a great point on ever changing social norms and their legitimacy. It seems social norms are created by a singular source then fine-tuned to fit the tastes of society.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that you didn't completely agree on the dress of someone reflecting that person's role and standing. This however, is evident in the way dress is perceived in society. There is a special understanding attached to the way people dress. A suit implies something about the person wearing it and particular judgment is formed by the observer. This judgment is different should the person be wearing some thing else like a a hoodie and shorts. There is also an "appropriate" dress for certain positions and tasks. It is appropriate for a professor to wear a suit as opposed to a track suit. These norms are what characterize our society. In American society it is also a "norm" to question society and be individualistic. That explains the lens through which we see norms and our ability to constantly change. In other societies, norms are more defined and less subject to change.