Cultural norms

Cultural norms are a set of certain rules, prescriptions, standards, traditions accepted in the society. It is known that in the society the interests of the majority are placed above any personal desires. Norms set standards for how a person should live, what principles to have, how to build communications. An individual who does not accept the basic precepts of society can not successfully socialize.

Cultural norms help a person in building communications, give a certain vector of development. Do they limit the manifestation of individuality? This is a rather ambiguous question. Standards of culture - this is not a set of strictly regulated rules. Each person processes public standards for himself, weaving them into the overall structure of his worldview.

Cultural norms are something without which it is impossible to imagine the harmonious functioning of society. They exist in all groups, from primitive tribes to civilized states. At the same time, the norms of culture can be strikingly different. Each country has its own set of rules, to which people should orient themselves. However, there are also common standards, such as the ban on murder, theft and so on.

Cultural norms perform certain important functions. First, they form human relations. That is, norms are specific commitments to other people. For example, in any civilized society it is forbidden to kill, steal, perform actions that will cause harm to another person.

The norms of culture are certain expectations from other people. That is, pedestrians must cross the road according to established rules, professionals in their activities should be guided by certain principles. If the prescribed regulations are abolished, chaos and devastation will occur in the world.

Norms define a pattern of ideal behavior that every person should strive for. They regulate deviant behavior through punishments . The more ancient civilization, the more complex and diverse its rules.

Norms can be classified according to the strictness of the principles of their implementation. For example, for violation of certain prescriptions of society may be imprisonment and even the death penalty. Similar rules are fixed in the criminal code. Some violations of the prescribed rules may be followed by a softer punishment, for example, an unfriendly grin, the non-acceptance of a person in the company.

The norms can also be classified according to a different criterion - the scope of application. For example, in every small group of people (family, colleagues, sports teams) there are some rules that unite individuals and serve as a regulator of their behavior. Such norms are called group habits. There are rules and regulations adopted in society as a whole or in large groups (for example, in states). Such norms are called general rules.

Many rules and principles passed down from generation to generation ensure the preservation of the ethnos. For example, this is patriotism, respect for the elderly, women and children, family values.

It is known that there are different cultural epochs. There are many of them, because each state had its own rules, adequate for a specific period of time. Cultural norms arose almost immediately after the emergence of intelligent people. Requirements for behavior and certain prescriptions existed even in a primitive society. Over time, they became more complex, their structure became more diverse, but the general laws remained inviolable. Norms are largely responsible for the preservation of mankind and the prevention of chaos.