Try this experiment to get some hands-on experience with social norms. By participating in this experiment, you will understand what social norms are and how they affect us.
Extra Credit Points Possible: 7 points
Breaking a Social Norm
(1) Break a social norm of dress/attire. (Caution: do not wear anything illegal, dangerous, or extremely disruptive.) Try dressing in female clothes if you are male. Wear formal attire to a casual get together. Wear a winter jacket in the summer. Wear sandals in the snow. Wear stripes with polka dots. Wear an unstylish or outdated outfit.
(2) Next, interact with others and observe their responses while wearing your norm-breaking outfit.
Reflect:Did you experience sanctions? Were there subtle punishments for breaking social norms? How does conforming to and violating social norms fit into the lifelong process of socialization?
Evaluate:
Write a short one paragraph (150 words) summary of your experiences and interpretations.