Social Norms Definition

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The objective of this paper is to discuss Social Norms and their impact on Social Action. To start, we will be defining what social action is, which Weber says that “Action is “social” insofar as its subjective meaning takes account of the behaviours of others and is thereby oriented in its course.” (Basic Sociological Terms [BST], p. 103). What this simply means is that not all action taken is social, any act that takes the account of how other individuals will react or behave to the action is defined to be social. An example of social action is when telling a joke in a group of friends, the individual says this joke which accounts for the dynamic of the group, its appropriateness, whether the group is the target audience for said joke, and if the delivery is right. A joke that displays the sport of hockey in an ill manner may not be appropriate to a group of people watching the …show more content…

If one were to get mad at their printer because it was failing to do its job and even went so far as to hit it, it would be overt action by all means, but as this behaviour is taken to an object, it is not social (BST. p. 109). There are four types of social action that Weber mentions, instrumental-rational which is the way one is expected to act around their surroundings and other people, so if an individual is at a gym and gets angry at another person, it is expected of them to not throw the weights to another person and resolve the matter through other means. Value-rational which is something that’s done for its own sake rather than an outside-goal, so giving change to a homeless person despite there being absolutely no return on the investment, it is done for the sake of being good. Affectual which is deals with a particular actor’s emotions and feelings, and finally traditional, which is just action that’s done habitually (BST, p.

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