Norms, status and groups
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| norms/nɔːmz/ | norms |
| status/ˈsteɪtəs/ | status |
| ascribed status/əˈskraɪbd ˈsteɪtəs/ | ascribed status |
| achieved status/əˈtʃiːvd ˈsteɪtəs/ | achieved status |
| group behaviour/ɡruːp bɪˈheɪvjə/ | The ways people act when they belong to or interact within a group. |
| institution/ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃn/ | An established system of practices and relationships, such as education or family. |
A queue has an expectation to investigate
- In a fictional interview, students say they expect arrival order in a queue. That account is evidence of a reported expectation, even without anyone breaking it.
- Norms 社会规范 concern shared expectations. They may be informal or formally recorded; not all social rules are unwritten.
Which is a suitable first approach for an approved classroom investigation of queue expectations?
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Reported expectations provide evidence. A public breach is not required, and needs separate ethical consideration.
Separate status from a moral judgement
- Status 地位 describes a position. Ascribed status 先赋地位 is assigned without personal achievement; achieved status 自致地位 arises through action or attainment.
- A qualification can illustrate achieved status. The distinction does not mean every opportunity is equal or every achieved position is morally deserved.
Match each status to its kind.
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Ascribed status is assigned without personal achievement; achieved status arises through action or attainment. This does not imply equal opportunity.
Look beyond one person
- Group behaviour 群体行为 can differ with setting and membership. An institution 制度 is an established system of practices and relationships, such as education or family.
- An institution is more than its building. Its norms and roles can persist as individual members change, while the institution itself may also change.
What makes something an institution in this sense?
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The family and the media both qualify, and neither is a building or a law.
Choose evidence without provoking strangers
- Approved interviews, observations or a consented classroom role-play can examine expectations. Reaction to a breach is one method, not the only observable evidence.
- Do not experiment on an unsuspecting public queue. Legality alone does not establish that a procedure is suitable or harmless.
Describe a consented classroom method for investigating expectations about queueing.
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Example: ask volunteers how they expect a fictional queue to work, then discuss a role-play approved by the teacher.
Six interviewees describe an arrival-order norm. Which claim is supported?
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The accounts are evidence of reported expectations in that sample. They do not establish a universal rule.
Bound the conclusion
- If six interviewees report arrival-order expectations, state who was asked and what they said. Do not assume every setting follows that norm.
- Compare stated expectations with approved observations where useful. A norm describes expectations, not a guarantee that everyone follows them.
Compare stated expectations with approved observations where useful. A norm describes expectations, not a guarantee that everyone follows them.
Any norm-breaking demonstration is acceptable because no law is broken.
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Legality alone is insufficient. Approval, consent, risks and the procedure matter.