The general reference to a norm is that it is a written or an unwritten rule or guideline which is largely accepted by a large group of people brought together and co-existing because of a common purpose. The plural of the word norm is norms. Norms could be perceived as the outcomes of cultural interactions which include values, traditions and customs representative of a people’s beliefs and way of life. In sociology, social norms refer to a set of informal stipulations that are agreeable to many the members of society and are used to regulate their behavior. They may be norms in an office set up, in a residential estate or a business complex (Kandori) .
The general role of norms is to regulate social behavior, based on social appropriateness. This happens through use of messages that pronounce social norms and promote normative behavior such as preventing drug abuse or promoting civic responsibility in the sense that the people can act as a proper watchdog to their leaders therefore helps in keeping government accountable. In summation, regarding the role of social norms, they help define the scope and the frequency of how often a certain behavior is exhibited and the extent to which society approves of it or not. This simply means that norms can vary based on how frequent a behavior is accepted and happens in society. For instance, at one point in time before 1946, women in some states in the United States of America and world over were not allowed to excise their political right of voting and being elected into office. They were considered the weaker sex and unable to make sound judgement. After the end of the Second Word War, there was an increased advocacy with the rise of the feminist movement. After the signing of the UN Charter, the right to universal suffrage for both sexes was granted to all adults (Tikannen, n.d.) .
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Identifying the norm
The social norm I choose to discuss is the general society agreement that men should not show emotion. This norm generally holds in most patriarchal societies where men are regarded as the stronger sex. Society therefore dictates that the power accorded to men by nature of them being male does not allow them to be weak. Any expression of emotion is deemed as a weakness and a fresh ground for vulnerability. Whether it is happiness, love or pain (Nelson, 2015) . This has been the generally accepted perception for a long time until recently when advocacy for mental health awareness and well-being has become an issue of concern world over. The World Health Organization reports that the number of people committing suicide is at such a high rate of approximately 800000 individuals losing their lives to suicide and majority of them being men. Most of these suicide deaths are as a result of mental health related issues.
Society’s Reaction .
The general perception of other people in society is that men who show emotion are weak. These men and other men react by committing suicide. Men’s suicide rate is at a higher rate because of social norms that stereotype them as weak whenever they are pushed to express themselves emotionally (WHO, n.d.) . The result is that most of them end up bottling a lot of their emotional issues and burdens. This results in stress escalation; anxiety build up and depression. With therapy being frowned upon by the social norm that men who show or express emotion are weak, they are left with no other option but to end their lives. This however is not the case today. More and more men are beginning to show their emotion. Something that generally triggers men of the older generations.
Explanation for the Reaction
While the norm served its purpose back in the day, the social context of society back then made it appear less detrimental. The pressures of life weren’t as aggravated and intense as they are in world today. One reason for this is because, the world and society as they are generally today, are structured in such a manner that there is a free flow of information and human beings are now able to share almost every aspect of their lives via social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. This only means that comparison and feelings of inadequacy are becoming more and more. A lot of men are depressed as they are expected to be perfect and the saviors of their families and society, yet many are not living up to expectation. With a more empowered women, confident in their choices and competing for opportunities hence they are not as easily available to men as they were before. Most were however not prepared to deal with these and still cling on to archaic social norms in order to feel vilified and accepted despite them having serious mental health and emotional problems. Psychologists recommend that it is high time we break this social norm as it is doing men more harm than good (Nelson, 2015) .
References
Kandori, M. (n.d.). Social Norms and Community Enforcement. JSTOR . Retrieved September 26, 2019, from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f98e/69f9cefeb8eb7998ea5fcad3ea211018b39d.pdf
Nelson, D. A. (2015, January 24). Why Don’t Many Men Show Their Emotions? Retrieved September 26, 2019, from Psychology Toady: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Why+Don%E2%80%99t+Many+Men+Show+Their+Emotions%3F
Tikannen, A. (n.d.). Voting in the USA . Retrieved September 26, 2019, from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/story/voting-in-the-usa
WHO. (n.d.). Mental Health . Retrieved September 26, 2019, from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/
