Sociology - Norms and Values

The following is the first of my assignments for sociology:

“Explain the sociological concepts of norms and values”

Sociology is the systematic study of human behaviour in groups. It examines how people interact in different social structures such as teams, families, at work and in online communities. It is a branch of, and is often synonymous with, social science. It has a broad reach, encompassing all aspects of human social interaction, allowing it to cover a wide range of topics including religion, sexuality, gender, culture, education and deviance.

Two fundamental concepts within sociology are those of norms and values. They help to describe the framework of perceptions and ideas which influence an individual's or group's behaviour.
Norms are the behavioural expectation that a group will follow. An action dictated by socially approved rules, a norm will differ from group to group. The rough-housing between members of a football team is unlikely to be acceptable in an office environment.

Norms can be divided into descriptive and injunctive varieties. A descriptive norm is an individual's perception of the usual action in a particular set of circumstances, such as joining the back of a queue. An injunctive norm is the perception of what is acceptable or unacceptable within a society, as determined by the values of a particular culture. While in one culture haggling for prices is expected and encouraged, in another it can be seen as offensive.

Values are the ideas which define what is good, right or fair. They are held by individuals and groups and are a product of the culture they find themselves within. A person's values may be tied to their religious or political beliefs, influenced by their family, heritage and upbringing, or by their social environment. Specific to an individual, they differ from person to person. An example of which could be the level of altruism or selfishness they show to others.

A group's values are determined by the values of it's members. They define what is important to the group and can be demonstrated in those individuals a group chooses to praise or condemn. The brave fire fighter, the compassionate hospice nurse, the evil drug dealer or soulless murderer all show traits and behaviours regarded by the society as inherently good or evil.

Not all members of the society will share these values. Some may find themselves forming a smaller group with others who share their differing values, thus forming a subculture. They can find a basis in any shared social characteristic, from taste in music to ethnicity and can involve particular styles of dress or language which distinguish them from the primary culture. For example, naturists do not share society's values in regards to social nudity and are clearly differentiated by their alternative choice of dress code.

Norms and values are closely linked, with norms outlining acceptable behaviour in a situation while values determine what should be considered good or bad.