Social Norms – Biases, Effects, History, and Examples

What exactly are social norms? They have collectively held beliefs about what kind of behavior is appropriate in a given situation. They range from specific customs to more general rules that govern behavior and influence our understanding of other people. For example, the Western custom of shaking hands with somebody when you meet them for the first time.  In fact, social norms are the unwritten rules of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors considered acceptable in a particular social group or culture. Norms provide us with an expected idea of how to behave. Most importantly, how to function to provide order and predictability…