Violating Cultural Norms: American Culture

Name Professor Subject Date Violating cultural norms Norms are expectations and rules acceptable to a culture which are used to guide the conduct of its members in any given circumstance. Norms mainly vary across different cultures around the world whereby what is seen as culturally acceptable in one society may be culturally unacceptable in another. Sociologists identify four kinds of norms which include mores, laws folkways, and taboos. Folkways are behavioral values that are socially acceptable, but not morally important, and mores are morality norms. Taboos are actions that are culturally forbidden, and some taboos tend to be enacted into laws. Laws are a recognized body of guidelines passed by the state and supported by the authority of the country. Members of culture have to conform to its norms so that the culture can exist and function well. The norms of personal space and public behavior are very interesting to read and know the reactions that they bring forth on both the violator of the norm and the people who experience it. In the American culture there are some unspoken but expected rules that should be followed just like in any other culture, (Higgs, and Suzanne). When these norms are violated, then they can result in anger, awkwardness and even violence in some extreme situations. There is a way that everyone in the society has to behave, and this behavior is not taught anywhere, but people grow up with it, and therefore it is the usual way in the culture. Invading a stranger’s personal space for example through showing intimate gesture like hugging, the individual will be confused and wonder what is happening. Walking on the wrong side of a sidewalk also makes the public to be confused and have many questions. In most cases of violation of cultural norms, the people around always try to look at others around them for information,(Higgs, and Suzanne). The need for information comes since they try to understand the situation and also, they want to know if other people also think that the situation is out of place. Some norms are enjoyable to violate as they show how the general public reacts to some situations that are out of what is normal. Cultural norms are firmly embedded into members of the society, however much open-minded they think they are. Invading the personal space of an individual and doing what is opposite of what the public is used to both bring out feelings of confusion and anger at times. Therefore, individuals that violate social norms run the risk of being targeted nega...