A common function for all types of social norms. Social norms: types, functions, role in human life

We can name at least three functions of social norms.

1. Regulatory. These norms establish the rules of behavior in society and regulate social interaction. By regulating the life of society, they ensure the stability of its functioning, the maintenance of social processes in the required state, and the orderliness of social relations. In a word, social norms support a certain systematicity of society, the conditions for its existence as a single organism.

2. Evaluative. Social norms act in social practice as criteria for attitudes towards certain actions, the basis for assessing the socially significant behavior of specific subjects (moral - immoral, legal - illegal).

3. Broadcasting. We can say that social norms concentrate the achievements of mankind in the organization of social life, the culture of relations created by generations, and the experience (including negative ones) of the social structure. In the form of social norms, this experience and culture are not only preserved, but also “broadcast” into the future, passed on to subsequent generations (through education, upbringing, enlightenment, etc.).

Functions of social norms

integration of individuals into groups, and groups into society;

regulation of the general course of socialization;

controlling deviant behavior;

formation of models, standards of behavior.

Achieving this through social norms occurs as follows:

Social norms are the duties of one person towards another or other people.

Social norms are the expectations of a small group, a large group, and society as a whole. From every person who follows social norms, others expect certain behavior. Consequently, social norms determine the formation of a system of social interaction, which includes motives, goals, orientation of the subjects of action, action, expectation, evaluation and means.

Social norms perform their own functions depending on the quality in which they manifest themselves:

as standards of behavior (rules, requirements, responsibilities);

as expectations of behavior (stereotypes, reactions of other people).

Social norms are universal. A social norm, fixing any rule of behavior, affects not a specific individual, but all people in similar situations. Social norms are characterized by:

uncertainty of the addressee (to someone who is in a specific capacity, in specific conditions provided for by social norms);

universality of application (in acts of social relations, production, exchange, interaction of individuals);

repeated repetition (a criterion of the historical process, indicating a pattern of development).

A social norm fixes an act of activity that has become established in practice in life. Consequently, committed actions become an unspoken rule. The social norm determines the formation of the purposeful activity of each individual, which is determined by objective factors. These factors give social norms what is called “objective authority.”

Social norms also presuppose the relative freedom of human behavior, which every person feels when he acts in accordance with social rules, although he could neglect them. At the same time, when a person violates the rules of behavior, he must be prepared to undergo a certain kind of sanctions, by applying which society ensures that individuals respect social rules.

With the help of social norms, society strives to ensure the implementation of certain social functions. The exercise of these functions is of public interest. This public interest is not necessarily, in the full sense of the word, the interest of the prevailing part of society. However, it is social in the sense that, with the help of social norms, it ensures coordination and coordination of the actions of individuals so that, first of all, the process of social production, ensuring the existence of society at a given stage of its development, unfolds successfully.

Norms are developed in all spheres of public life. Some norms are legally enshrined and exist as laws, while most norms are not of a legal nature; however, their non-compliance, complicating interaction, entails the application of social sanctions. Social norms fulfill a number of important social functions:

Socialization - norms are a means of introducing people to a certain social and cultural experience.

Transmission of culture - its transfer from generation to generation.

Social control - norms regulate the behavior of individuals.

Social integration - social and intra-group cohesion is maintained through norms.

Sacralization - norms sanctify various social relations and objects, both real and fictional. Norms are not visible until they are violated. Violation of social norms can be a sign of anemia in a society.

In the most general terms, social regulation is understood as a process immanent to society and determining social order. Social norms represent those basic forms and means by which the behavior and social relations of individuals and their groups are regulated. They express in concentrated form the objective need of any society to streamline the actions and relationships of its members. Social norms undoubtedly act as a powerful factor in the conscious and purposeful influence of a social community on the image, method and forms of people’s life.

A specific social order is established as a result of the action of many different factors. Among them are the following.

1. So-called “spontaneous” regulators as a direct manifestation of the natural laws of nature and society. Factors of spontaneous regulation are natural in nature and can be expressed in the form of specific events of a general social scale, economic phenomena, phenomena of mass behavior, etc. These are, for example, an increase in people's life expectancy, mass seasonal diseases, demographic processes, population migration, inflationary expectations and etc. In their quest for order, society and the state strive to take control of these factors, but this is not always possible. Sometimes their influence is not reflected at all by public consciousness or is reflected inadequately.

2. Social norms as regulators associated with the will and consciousness of people.

3. Acts of individual regulation, acting in the form of targeted, targeted influence of subjects on each other.

These factors can play both a stabilizing and destabilizing role in society. True, in legal literature it is generally accepted that stabilization and ordering of social relations are ensured by the action of social norms and acts of individual regulation, and the action of spontaneous regulators acts as a factor of destabilizing influence. However, if we take the criterion of sustainable functioning of society as the basis for assessment, then all regulatory factors can have both positive and negative influence. At the same time, the functional characteristics of stabilization and ordering of social relations should be attributed primarily to social norms.

The range of approaches to the problem of social regulation in the humanitarian literature is quite wide. One can highlight the most ancient religious and esoteric ideas, class concepts more familiar in Soviet legal thought, cybernetic and synergetic approaches not previously used in most domestic sources, etc.

For example, religious ideas about social regulation range from statements that everything in human behavior is predetermined by God's will (fate, fate or the will of ancestors, etc.), to the recognition that man, although created by the divine principle, is nevertheless endowed with free will and chooses his own paths, bears responsibility for his actions and actions (A. Augustine).

The essence class approach is that social regulation is based on class interests. The will of the ruling class is dominant. Within the framework of this approach, the corresponding ideas are formed: everything that is useful and beneficial for the construction of a communist society is justified. This utilitarian approach was actively promoted in the 1920s. “founding fathers” of the world’s first socialist state (V.I. Lenin, L.D. Trotsky, I.V. Stalin, etc.). Such a position, of course, was at odds with the understanding of the value of law, morality, customs and traditions as social regulators that consolidated thousands of years of universal human experience.

Within cybernetic approach social regulation is defined as the impact on social relations and social processes of a system that gives the object of regulation specified characteristics or parameters. The cybernetic approach becomes very useful for understanding the regulatory role of law. For example, a specific legal rule establishing legal liability for violation of labor discipline in production is intended to give stability, a certain character, a certain state to the system of labor relations. If it turns out that the corresponding order of the head of the enterprise or the established internal labor regulations do not achieve the goal and violations of labor discipline continue, then there is a need to either strengthen legal liability, or find out whether in this situation it is even possible to strengthen labor discipline by legal measures or whether other measures should be considered reasons (for example, low wages, poor transport, etc.).

In recent years, it has been developing very actively synergistic vision problems of social regulation. First of all, within its framework we are talking about a self-organizing system, within which all its elements are in a state determined by this system. Synergistic methods of regulation most often include the so-called low impact, transferring the system to the required state. A.B. Vengerov gives the following example: “In the educational process, it is enough for a lecturer-professor to inform students that it is he – the lecturer – who will take exams for the entire course in order to sharply increase the attendance of his lectures.”

The study of social regulation leads to the need to understand why one type of social relations is regulated by law, and another by morality, why, under the influence of law, one type of social relations is regulated by law, and another by decree, decree, instruction. On the other hand, no less relevant is the problem of normative pluralism. Famous modern lawyer I.Yu. Kozlikhin rightly noted that “normative systems existing in society can be both complementary and competitive in nature. But, as a rule, if society is not in a state of anomie and chaos, one of them is the leading one, which ensures social solidarity, i.e. performs an integrative function. This can be not only a legal normative system, but also a traditional, moral, religious, ideological, etc.” .

In general, to understand the nature of the norms, foundations and rules of social regulation operating in society, it is necessary to distinguish between two meanings of the term "norm". Firstly, a norm is a natural state of some object (process, relationship, system, etc.), constituted by its nature - a natural norm. Secondly, a norm is a guiding principle, a rule of behavior associated with the consciousness and will of people, arising in the process of cultural development and social organization of society - a social norm.

The norms that actually operate in people’s lives cannot be unambiguously classified as natural or social. Thus, natural norms can be translated into a system of technical rules (rules for working with technical or natural objects), become the basis for social regulation (for example, establishing the period for recognition of paternity after the death of a spouse), and social norms can form the character of the object, its qualitative state. Thus, depending on the relationship between natural normativity and social normativity, we can distinguish at least four groups of normative regulators operating in society.

1. Natural norms, existing in the form of formulated knowledge about the normal, natural state of an object, determined by its nature. Such norms are formed, for example, by science.

2. Rules for working with technical and natural objects developed on the basis of knowledge of natural norms. Such rules are usually called technical norms.

3. Rules of behavior based on natural norms or emerging in connection with their action. This includes most social norms.

4. Rules of conduct, the content of which is determined not so much by natural normativity as by the goals and objectives facing society, or the needs of its specific sphere. These are some legal procedural norms, rituals, etc.

Historical development and changes in various forms of social life were inevitably accompanied by significant changes in the system of social regulation. Some types of social norms died out and other types of social norms emerged, the relationships, relationships and forms of interaction of social norms (moral, religious, legal, political, etc.) changed. Since its appearance, it has begun to play an important role in the system of social regulation. right. For all its relative independence, law, like other types of social norms, carries out its regulatory and protective functions in a single complex and in close interaction with other social regulators.

When discussing the role of law in the system of social regulatory regulation, the norms of the third and fourth groups are important; in the literature, they are usually classified as social norms. They not only exist and act in society, but regulate social relations, people’s behavior, and normalize the life of society.

Social norms have the following characteristics.

1. Sociality. The above means that social norms establish the rules of behavior in society, that is, they determine what the behavior of subjects can or should be from the point of view of the interests of society. They regulate social spheres, which include: a) people, b) social relations, c) people’s behavior.

2. Objectivity. Society as a complex social organism objectively needs regulation. Social norms develop historically, naturally, under the pressure of social necessity. Their emergence, of course, is associated with the volitional and conscious activity of people. However, some social norms are created in the process of targeted activity, others arise in repeatedly repeated acts of behavior, are not separated from the behavior itself and act as its samples and stereotypes, others are formed in the form of principles that are fixed in the public consciousness, etc. In other words, the analyzed norms relate differently to the will and consciousness of people, but they always arise in connection with them. Therefore, the value should be taken into account subjective factor in the formation of social norms. They cannot arise without passing through, without being refracted through public consciousness: the need for certain social norms must be recognized by society.

3. Normativity. Social norms are of a general nature and act as standard regulators of behavior. Their addressees are identified not by name, but by indicating their typical characteristics (age, sanity, etc.). Normativity is also manifested in the repeated action of social norms: a social norm comes into effect whenever a typical situation arises, provided for as a condition for its entry into the regulatory process. Social norms are always defined in content, but as a general model of behavior.

4. There are social norms measure of individual freedom, setting the limits of his behavioral activity. Ways to satisfy interests and needs.

5. Cultural conditioning. These norms correspond to the type of culture and the nature of the social organization of society. According to M. Weber, it is culture that allows people to give meaning to the world, to create a basis for judging the interaction of people. Culture is expressed, first of all, in the content of social norms. From this point of view, it is not difficult to notice differences in social norms in societies belonging to different cultural traditions, such as European and Asian.

6. Commitment. Social norms as normative expressions of social necessity are always, to one degree or another, mandatory and have a prescriptive character.

7. Systematicity inherent in both individual norms and their array on a societal scale. Society should strive to form such a system of social regulation, to establish interaction between different types of social norms.

Thus, social norms are general rules related to the will and consciousness of people regulating the form of their social interaction, arising in the process of historical development and functioning of society, corresponding to the type of culture and the nature of its organization.

From the above definition it is clear that in the legal literature social norms are mainly considered as regulators of social relations. But more generally, their role is not limited to this function. Based on the above, we can name at least three functions of social norms:

- regulatory. These norms establish the rules of behavior in society and regulate social interaction. By regulating the life of society, they ensure the stability of its functioning, the maintenance of social processes in the required state, and the orderliness of social relations. In a word, social norms support a certain systematicity of society, the conditions for its existence as a single organism;

- evaluative. Social norms act in social practice as criteria for attitudes towards certain actions, the basis for assessing the socially significant behavior of specific subjects (moral - immoral, legal - illegal);

- broadcast. We can say that social norms concentrate the achievements of mankind in the organization of social life, the culture of relations created by generations, and the experience (including negative ones) of the social structure. In the form of social norms, this experience and culture are not only preserved, but also “broadcast” into the future, passed on to subsequent generations (through education, upbringing, enlightenment, etc.).

The analyzed norms have different contents, depending on the nature of the relations they regulate. Moreover, different social norms may emerge in different ways and on different basis. Some norms, being initially directly included in activity, are not isolated from behavior and are its element. Patterns of such behavior established in practice, receiving public awareness and evaluation, can be transformed into formulated rules, or can be preserved in the form of habits and stereotypes. Other norms are formed on the basis of ideas about the foundations and principles of social organization that dominate in the public consciousness. Still others are formed as the most appropriate, optimal rules for a given society (for example, procedural norms). In this regard, the classification of social norms is important for both theory and practice.

Social norms can be classified according to various criteria, but the most common is their systematization based on the scope of action and mechanism (regulatory features).

By sphere of action, norms are distinguished between economic, political, religious, environmental, etc. The boundaries between them are drawn depending on the sphere of social life in which they operate, on the nature of social relations, i.e., the subject of regulation.

According to the mechanism (regulatory features), it is customary to distinguish morality, law, customs and corporate norms. When talking about the mechanism, the regulatory specifics of norms, the following main comparison criteria are used:

The process of forming norms;

Forms of fixation (existence);

The nature of the regulatory impact;

Methods and methods of provision.

With this approach, the specificity of the norms appears quite clearly. This is achieved by the systematic use of criteria: some norms may not differ clearly enough according to one or two criteria, but are always clearly distinguished by the sum of all four characteristics.

©2015-2019 site
All rights belong to their authors. This site does not claim authorship, but provides free use.
Page creation date: 2016-02-12

Social norms- general rules and patterns of behavior that have developed in society as a result of long-term practical activities of people, during which optimal standards and models of correct behavior were developed.

Each society has its own specific system of norms, values, standards, etc. Moreover, norms regulate not only the behavior and responsibilities of members of this society, but also determine and set the goals of existence - both of individual people and of the entire society. The system of norms depends on the level of socio-economic, political, spiritual development of a given society, as well as on industrial and social relations. Social norms are inevitably formed as a consequence of communication and cooperation of people; they are an inherent and fundamental component of any form of human socialization. There is not a single society or group of people without a system of norms that determine their behavior.

Social norms perform a variety of functions: orientational, regulatory, sanctioning, informational, correctional, educational, etc. Norms contain certain methods of action, according to which individuals direct, organize and evaluate their activities and regulate their behavior. Social norms focus on the formation of goals of human behavior, but also contain requirements regarding the means of achieving them.

With regard to social norms, different understandings are possible, which entails different directions for their study:

Social norms - as a means of social regulation of the behavior of individuals and groups; - social norms - as a set of requirements and expectations that a social community places on its members

The first of these understandings has a functional connotation. In other words, norms are viewed instrumentally and dynamically. It is assumed that they are known or, at a minimum, accessible for detection and recording. On the other hand, what is of interest is not this or that specific norm, but what is the mechanism of their action in general, what are the patterns of their emergence, existence, and replacement by other norms? How is it possible to practically use the studied patterns?

The second understanding is rather phenomenological in nature. At the same time, questions of a substantive nature in relation to specific norms, questions of their qualitative differences and similarities are of interest.

Social norms perform many functions and cover all aspects of our lives. Thanks to norms, society gets rid of the need to regulate the same acts of individual behavior. Naturally, regulation occurs in accordance with the dominant system of values, needs, interests, and ideology. Thus, social norms turn out to be a goal-setting tool. Just as naturally, they become a tool for forecasting, social control and correction of deviant behavior in the social environment, as well as stimulating a person’s creative and social activity.

It should be noted that the study of social norms is associated with certain difficulties due to the fact that neither epistemology, nor psychology, nor medicine, nor sociology separately can give an answer to the question of the genesis and mechanisms of the emergence of norms. The norm is objectively the point of intersection of many social processes, therefore its study has interdisciplinary significance.

Distinguish three ways in which social norms emerge and function:

• spontaneous (natural);
• systematically conscious (purposeful) and
• mixed.

Moreover, with each of these mechanisms, any types of social norms can arise, and in each case, their own peculiarities of the genesis of norms are revealed, inherent in a specific mechanism.

The origin of norms can be caused by natural processes. One can observe the self-development of social norms, usually functioning in the form of customs, traditions, rituals, etc. The creation and transformation of social norms as a result of purposeful, orderly activity is an artificial process. Their emergence is a product of human consciousness, experience, and culture. But although this process is artificial, it does not lose objectivity, because it has objectively established conditions as its prerequisites.

The role of a social norm in the social process is that it is a means of consolidating people’s practical experience and knowledge, and then translating them into social practice at a higher, more effective level.

Clarification of the essence of a norm as an integral system will become more complete when we highlight, from the variety of features of different types of norms in general, the basic properties of a norm that make up its structure, characterizing its dialectical nature. Such basic The properties of a social norm are:

• objectivity of reality reflection;
• unambiguity (consistency);
• historicity (continuity);
• compulsory reproduction;
• relative stability (stability);
• dynamism (variability);
• formal certainty (external completeness);
• degree of prevalence, focus on the future;
• optimality; .
• the possibility of its measurement;
• organizing, regulating ability;
• prevention;
• correctional and educational ability.

Social norms are vital to society:

• maintain order and balance in society;
• suppress biological instincts hidden in a person and “civilize” a person;
• help a person to join the life of society and socialize.

Functions:

- Regulatory. These norms establish the rules of behavior in society and regulate social interaction. By regulating the life of society, they ensure the stability of its functioning, the maintenance of social processes in the required state, and the orderliness of social relations. In a word, social norms support a certain systematicity of society, the conditions for its existence as a single organism.

- Evaluation. Social norms act in social practice as criteria for attitudes towards certain actions, the basis for assessing the socially significant behavior of specific subjects (moral - immoral, legal - illegal).

- Broadcasting. We can say that social norms concentrate the achievements of mankind in the organization of social life, the culture of relations created by generations, and the experience (including negative ones) of the social structure. In the form of social norms, this experience and culture are not only preserved, but also “broadcast” into the future, passed on to subsequent generations (through education, upbringing, enlightenment, etc.).

In order to exist in the social world, a person needs communication and cooperation with other people. But essential for the implementation of joint and purposeful action should be a situation in which people have a common idea of ​​​​how to act correctly, and how incorrectly, in what direction to make their efforts. In the absence of such representation, concerted action cannot be achieved. Thus, a person, as a social being, must create many generally accepted patterns of behavior in order to successfully exist in society, interacting with other individuals. Such patterns of behavior of people in society, regulating this behavior in a certain direction, are called social norms.

Main public purpose social norm can be formulated as the regulation of social relations and behavior of people. Regulating relationships through social norms ensures voluntary and conscious cooperation of people.

Regulatory - This is one of the main functions of social norms. By and large, its essence lies in regulating and streamlining the interaction of people and their associations. Thereby stabilizing and organizing society, as well as creating the basis for its existence and development of society.
Another important function is evaluative . Being standards and examples of socially necessary or acceptable behavior. The evaluative function is, in some way, a criterion for treating specific acts of behavior of people and their associations as immoral or moral, etc.
But don't forget the importance broadcast functions. Since the historical memory of people and their communities regarding the optimal forms of their relationships within society is also concentrated in social norms. After all, knowledge about various types of norms is transmitted through the education system, and norms of behavior, in turn, are transmitted from generation to generation, thus, over many years, and the possibility of using the historical experience of normative regulation in new conditions is laid down.

Social norms perform a number of important social functions:

• Socialization - norms are a means of introducing people to a certain social and cultural experience.
• Transmission of culture - its transfer from generation to generation.
• Social control - norms regulate the behavior of individuals.
• Social integration - social and intra-group cohesion is maintained through norms.
• Sacralization - norms sanctify various social relations and objects, both real and fictional. Norms are not visible until they are violated. Violation of social norms can be a sign of anemia in a society.

There are various classifications of social norms. The most important thing is the division of social norms depending on the characteristics of their emergence and implementation. On this basis, five types of social norms are distinguished: moral norms, customary norms, corporate norms, religious norms and legal norms.

Moral norms are rules of behavior that are derived from people’s ideas about good and evil, justice and injustice, good and bad. The implementation of these norms is ensured by public opinion and the inner conviction of people.

Norms of customs are rules of behavior that have become habitual as a result of their repeated repetition. The implementation of customary norms is ensured by the force of habit. Customs with moral content are called mores.

A variety of customs are traditions that express people’s desire to preserve certain ideas, values, and useful forms of behavior. Another type of customs are rituals that regulate the behavior of people in the everyday, family and religious spheres.

Corporate norms are the rules of behavior established by public organizations. Their implementation is ensured by the internal conviction of the members of these organizations, as well as by the public associations themselves.

Religious norms refer to the rules of conduct contained in various holy books or established by the church. The implementation of this type of social norms is ensured by the internal beliefs of people and the activities of the church.

Legal norms are rules of behavior established or sanctioned by the state; church norms are rights established or sanctioned by the state, and sometimes directly by the people, the implementation of which is ensured by the authority and coercive power of the state.

All social norms operating in modern society are divided on two grounds:
by the method of their establishment (creation);
- by means of protecting their claims from violations. Based on this, the following types of social norms are distinguished:
1. Rules of law - rules of conduct that are established and protected by the state.
2. Norms of morality (morality) - rules of behavior that are established in society in accordance with people’s moral ideas about good and evil, justice and injustice, duty, honor, dignity and are protected by the power of public opinion or internal conviction.
3. The norms of public organizations are rules of behavior that are established by public organizations themselves and are protected through measures of social influence provided for by the charters of these organizations.
4. Norms of customs are rules of behavior that have developed in a certain social environment and, as a result of their repeated repetition, have become the habit of people. The peculiarity of these norms of behavior is that they are fulfilled due to habit, which has become a natural human need in life.
5. The norms of traditions appear in the form of the most generalized and stable rules of behavior that arise in connection with the maintenance of time-tested progressive foundations of a certain sphere of human activity (for example, family, professional, military, national and other traditions).
6. Norms of rituals are a type of social norms that determine the rules of behavior of people when performing rituals and are protected by measures of moral influence. Ritual norms are widely used during national holidays, weddings, and official meetings of government and public figures. The peculiarity of the implementation of ritual norms is their colorfulness and theatricality.
The division of social norms is carried out not only by the method of establishing them and protecting them from violations, but also by content. On this basis, political, technical, labor, family norms, cultural norms, religious norms and others are distinguished.

There are many classifications of social norms proposed by scientists in the legal literature; such a variety of classifications can be explained by the fact that a particular classification is based on different classification criteria. The most common systematization is based on two criteria:

1. By scope social norms are distinguished between economic, political, religious, environmental, etc. The boundaries between them are drawn depending on the sphere of social life in which they operate, on the nature of social relations - the subject of regulation. Economic norms are of particular importance for our country in the conditions of the emergence of a market economy and are self-regulating principles of economic activity of society. Political norms are designed to regulate the relations of social groups, citizens to state power, relations between peoples, the participation of the people as a whole and individual social groups in government power, the organization of the state, the relationship of the state with other organizations of the political system of society. Religious norms regulate the relationship of believers to God, the church, each other, the structure and functions of religious organizations. Religious norms are of great importance. The existence of different faiths and movements dictates the need to identify a set of moral and ethical principles - an integral part of religious beliefs. Religious canons are a regulatory system operating in society from the most ancient stages of human development. A special role in the possibility of the existence and recognition of religious norms was played by the provision of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”: “Every person has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes the freedom to change one's religion or belief as an individual. So also in common with others, public or private, in teaching, worship and the performance of religious and ritual rites.”;

2. By mechanism(or regulatory features): morality, law, customs and corporate norms. Here the difference lies in the process of formation of norms, the form of their fixation, the nature of the regulatory impact and the methods and methods of enforcement.

The number of social norms is huge. In terms of content, different types of social norms are distinguished depending on how the social relations regulated by social norms are distinguished. There is no clear classification here.

Traditionally there are:

• Political norms (rules governing relations regarding the exercise of political power and management of society);
• Economic norms (rules governing relations regarding the production and distribution of social goods);
• Cultural norms (rules governing the behavior of people in the non-productive sphere of society; here, first of all, we mean norms governing creative, sports and other activities to realize human interests);
• Aesthetic norms (rules associated with ideas about the beauty of human actions, as well as the external manifestations of the beautiful and the ugly);
• Religious norms (rules governing the relations of believers with each other, with religious organizations, religious rituals, etc.);
• Other social norms.

According to the mechanism of action, social norms are divided into socially autonomous and socially heteronomous, which reflects the different ways in which social norms influence individual behavior.

Socially autonomous norms are rules of behavior based on the internal convictions of an individual (for example, moral norms).
Social heteronomous norms are rules of behavior that are external to a person’s personality, imposed from outside, their implementation is strictly regulated and ensured by external coercion (for example, legal norms).
From the point of view of legal science, the main classification of social norms is the classification, the criterion of which is the method of formation and method of ensuring social norms. On this basis, all social norms are divided into two groups: legal norms and other social norms.
Legal norms, both by the method of formation and by the method of enforcement, are associated with the state. They are established or sanctioned by state power, on the one hand, and ensured by the power of state coercion, on the other.
Other social norms are formed by other social institutions and are ensured by other - non-state - measures of influence. Depending on the characteristics of the formation and provision of other (non-legal) social norms, they are divided into three main types:

Customs are historically established rules of behavior of a general nature that have become the habit of people as a result of repeated repetition and are a regulator of social relations.

From the point of view of the method of formation, customs develop historically, naturally as established and most acceptable options for behavior; they are formed by society independently of the state. From the point of view of the method of enforcement, customs are maintained primarily by the force of habit; In addition, like all social norms, they are secured by the power of public opinion.

Norms of morality (morality) are general rules of behavior based on people’s ideas about good, evil, honor, duty, justice, etc. categories supported by the internal conviction of the individual and the strength of public opinion.
From the point of view of the method of formation, moral norms develop in society, are absorbed by the individual in the process of socialization, and are introduced into consciousness through education. From the point of view of methods of ensuring specific to moral norms, it is the support by the force of the internal conviction of the individual; In addition, moral norms are supported by the power of public opinion, and for them this method is more significant than for other social norms.

Corporate norms are rules of conduct established by a particular association of people, regulating relations between members of this association and supported by the measures of influence of these public associations themselves.
Examples of such norms can be the charters of various public associations, interest clubs, for example, a cat lovers club, a philatelist club, house committees, etc.

From the point of view of both the methods of formation and methods of enforcement, these norms are associated with various non-state associations of citizens; they are established by these associations independently, in order to streamline their relationships in the process of communication based on interests. At the same time, citizens independently introduce measures of influence on those members of the association who violate the norms established by it. The most significant measure to ensure corporate norms is exclusion from members of a given society.

All classifications of social norms closely intersect with each other. It is possible to characterize a separate group of social norms only by reflecting its features from the point of view of various classifications.

Legislation-- a system of legislative acts adopted by the legislative (representative) body or directly by the population and operating on the territory of the country.

Social norms-- generally accepted rules, patterns of behavior, standards of activity that ensure orderliness, stability and stability of social interaction of individuals and social groups. The set of norms operating in a particular community constitutes an integral system, the various elements of which are interdependent. legislation social normative act

Types of Social Norms

Group habits-- norms of small groups. They appear and continue to exist only in small groups (families, sports teams, groups of friends).

General rules -- norms of large groups (society as a whole). These are manners, traditions, etiquette. Each social group has its own customs, rules of behavior, and traditions. There are behavior patterns of older people and national customs.

The normativity of social behavior is directly related to the role functions of a person in society as a whole, a social group. These functions are determined by his status in such a group. A social norm instilled in an individual, group and society dictates the behavior that will be expected. Stereotypes are formed, a person’s vision of his proper behavior.

Functions of social norms

integration of individuals into groups, and groups into society;

regulation of the general course of socialization;

controlling deviant behavior;

formation of models, standards of behavior.

Achieving this through social norms occurs as follows:

Social norms-- these are the duties of one person in relation to another or other people. Limiting students from communicating with the school principal more often than with their teachers obliges each student to fulfill the required standards of behavior, certain obligations with other students, teachers and the school principal. Consequently, social norms determine the formation of a network of social relations of a group, society.

Social norms-- these are the expectations of a small group, a large group, and society as a whole. From every person who follows social norms, others expect certain behavior. When public transport passengers get off first, and only then others enter, organized interaction emerges. When the norm is violated, clashes and disorder arise. Consequently, social norms determine the formation of a system of social interaction, which includes motives, goals, orientation of the subjects of action, action, expectation, evaluation and means.

Social norms perform their own functions depending on the quality in which they manifest themselves:

as standards of behavior (rules, requirements, responsibilities);

as expectations of behavior (stereotypes, reactions of other people).

Social norms are universal. A social norm, fixing any rule of behavior, affects not a specific individual, but all people in similar situations. Social norms are characterized by:

uncertainty of the addressee (to someone who is in a specific capacity, in specific conditions provided for by social norms);

universality of application (in acts of social relations, production, exchange, interaction of individuals);

repeated repetition (a criterion of the historical process, indicating a pattern of development).

A social norm fixes an act of activity that has become established in practice in life. Consequently, committed actions become an unspoken rule. The social norm determines the formation of the purposeful activity of each individual, which is determined by objective factors. These factors give social norms what is called “objective authority.”

Social norms also presuppose the relative freedom of human behavior, which every person feels when he acts in accordance with social rules, although he could neglect them. At the same time, when a person violates the rules of behavior, he must be prepared to undergo a certain kind of sanctions, by applying which society ensures that individuals respect social rules.

With the help of social norms, society strives to ensure the implementation of certain social functions. The exercise of these functions is of public interest. This public interest is not necessarily, in the full sense of the word, the interest of the prevailing part of society. However, it is social in the sense that, with the help of social norms, it ensures coordination and coordination of the actions of individuals so that, first of all, the process of social production, ensuring the existence of society at a given stage of its development, unfolds successfully.

• - all social norms operating in modern society are divided on two grounds:
  • a) method of creation;
  • b) means of protecting their claims from violations.

Based on this, the following types of social norms are distinguished. Rules of law are generally binding rules of behavior that are established or sanctioned (recognized) by the state and protected by its coercive force. Norms of morality (morality) are rules of behavior that are established in society in accordance with people’s moral ideas about good and evil. justice and injustice, duty, honor, dignity and are protected by the force of public opinion or inner conviction. The norms of public organizations (corporate) are rules of behavior contained in the charters, programs and other documents of parties, trade unions, public associations, and mass movements. These norms are mandatory only for members of these public formations and are protected through measures of social influence provided for in the statutory documents of these organizations. Religious norms regulate relations between believers, their participation in worship, the order of worship, etc. For thousands of years, religious norms have regulated relations not only between members of religious communities, but have also been used. as legal norms (in particular, when regulating family and marriage relations, land use, inheritance, etc.). They are contained in religious books (Old Testament, New Testament, Koran, Talmud, Buddhist religious books, etc.). Customary norms are rules of behavior that have developed in society under certain conditions and, as a result of their repeated repetition, have become people’s habits. The peculiarity of these norms of behavior is that they are fulfilled due to habit, which has become a natural human need in life. Their implementation is carried out, as a rule, without thinking about the origin of the norm due to emotional perception and a certain automatism. The norms of traditions are rules of behavior (a special guide of customs), acting in the form of the most general and stable areas of human activity, associated with a certain spiritual make-up of the individual, his worldview (for example, family, professional, military, national and other traditions). Therefore, tradition can be eradicated through ideological influence on people. On the contrary, a custom can only be superseded by another custom. The norms of rituals are a type of social norms that determine the rules of behavior of people when performing rituals and are protected by measures of moral influence. Ritual norms are widely used during national holidays, weddings, official meetings of government and public figures and official receptions (banquets). The peculiarity of the implementation of ritual norms is their colorfulness and theatricality. The division of social norms is carried out not only by the method of their establishment and protection, but also by content. On this basis, political, technical, labor, family, cultural, religious, etc. norms are distinguished. All social norms in their totality and interrelation are called the rules of human coexistence.

Social norms, like other values, perform the functions of assessing and orienting the individual and community. However, they are not limited to these functions. Norms regulate behavior and social control over behavior. They have a pronounced strong-willed character. This is not only an expression of thought, but also an expression of will. At the same time, in contrast to individual expression of will, a norm expresses typical social connections and gives a typical scale of behavior. The norm not only evaluates and orients, like ideas, ideals, but also prescribes. Its characteristic feature is imperativeness. This is the unity of assessment and prescription.

Social norms are rules that express the requirements of society, a social group for the behavior of an individual, a group in their relationships with each other, social institutions, and society as a whole.

The regulatory effect of norms is that they establish boundaries, conditions, forms of behavior, the nature of relationships, goals and methods of achieving them.

Due to the fact that norms provide both general principles of behavior and its specific parameters, they can provide more complete models and standards of what should be done than other values.

Violation of norms causes a more specific and clear negative reaction from the social group, society, and its institutional forms, aimed at overcoming deviant behavior. Therefore, norms are a more effective means of combating deviation, a means of ensuring order and stability of society.

Norms arise from the need for certain behavior. For example, one of the most ancient norms was the norm of an honest attitude towards one’s share in social labor. At the dawn of humanity, it was possible to survive only by adhering to this norm. It emerged as a result of the consolidation of repeated necessary joint actions. It is interesting that this norm has not lost its significance even today, although it is fed by other needs and is actualized by other factors.

The diversity of social reality and social needs gives rise to a diversity of norms. Norms can be classified on different grounds.

For a sociologist it matters identification of norms by subjects, carriers of norms. On this basis, universal human norms, social norms, group norms, and collective norms are distinguished. In modern society there is a complex conflict and interpenetration of these norms.

By object or field of activity norms that apply in the field of certain types of relations are differentiated: political, economic, aesthetic, religious, etc.

By scale:First type- these are norms that arise and exist only in small groups (youth parties, groups of friends, family, work teams, sports teams). These are called "group habits."

Second type- These are norms that arise and exist in large groups or in society as a whole. These are called "general rules". These are customs, traditions, mores, laws, etiquette, and manners of behavior. Every social group has its own manners, customs and etiquette. There is social etiquette, there are manners of behavior of young people. There are national traditions and mores.

By place in the normative value hierarchy: fundamental and secondary, general and specific.

According to the form of formation and fixation: rigidly fixed and flexible.

By scope of application: general and local.

By method of provision: based on internal conviction, public opinion or coercion, on the power of the state apparatus.

By function: norms of assessment, guiding, controlling, regulating, punishing, encouraging.

According to the degree of stability: norms that are based on social habit, custom, tradition and do not have such a basis, etc.

All social norms can be classified depending on how strictly they are enforced.

Violation of some norms is followed by a mild punishment - disapproval, a smirk, an unfriendly look.

Violations of other norms result in severe sanctions – imprisonment, even the death penalty.

A certain degree of non-compliance with norms exists in every society and in every group. Violation of palace etiquette, the ritual of diplomatic conversation or marriage causes awkwardness and puts a person in a difficult position. But it does not entail harsh punishment.

In other situations, sanctions are more noticeable. Using a cheat sheet during an exam will result in a grade reduction, and losing a library book will result in a five-fold fine. In some societies, the slightest deviation from tradition, not to mention serious offenses, was severely punished. Everything was under control: hair length, clothing, behavior. This is what the rulers of ancient Sparta did in the 5th century BC. and Soviet party bodies in the 20th century.

If we arrange all the norms in ascending order, depending on the measure of punishment, then their sequence will take the following form:

Sanctions are marked with crosses, therefore, the more of them, the more severe the punishment for violating the norm. Compliance with norms is regulated by society with varying degrees of strictness.

Violations of taboos and legal laws (for example, killing a person, insulting a deity, revealing state secrets) are punished most severely; habits are punished most mildly. Whether individual (forgot to brush your teeth or clean your bed) or group, in particular family (for example, refusal to turn off the light or close the front door).

Thus, social norms – instructions, requirements, wishes and expectations of the corresponding(socially approved) behavior. Norms are some ideal samples (templates) that prescribe what people should say, think, feel and do in specific situations.

Social norms perform very important functions in society. They:

Regulate the general course of socialization,

Integrate individuals into groups, and groups into society,

Control deviant behavior

They serve as models and standards of behavior.

How can this be achieved through norms?

First, norms are also the duties of one person towards another or other persons. By prohibiting newcomers from communicating with their superiors more often than with their comrades, the small group imposes certain obligations on its members and places them in certain relationships with their superiors and comrades. Therefore, norms form a network of social relations in a group or society.

Secondly, norms are also expectations: others expect completely unambiguous behavior from a person who follows this norm. When some pedestrians move on the right side of the street, and those walking towards them move on the left, orderly, organized interaction occurs. When a rule is broken, there is conflict and disorder. The effect of norms is even more obvious in business. It is, in principle, impossible if the partners do not comply with written and unwritten norms, rules, and laws. Therefore, norms form a system of social interaction, which includes motives, goals, orientation of the subjects of action, the action itself, expectation, evaluation and means.

Norms perform their functions depending on the quality in which they manifest themselves:

How standards of behavior(duties, rules) or

How behavior expectations(other people's reaction).

Protecting the honor and dignity of family members is the responsibility of every man. Here we are talking about a norm as a standard of proper behavior. This standard is met by a very specific expectation of family members, the hope that their honor and dignity will be protected. Among the Caucasian peoples, such a norm is valued very highly, and deviation from this norm is punished very strictly. The same can be said about the southern European peoples. The Italian mafia emerged as an informal norm for protecting family honor, and only later did its functions change. Those who deviated from the accepted standard of behavior were punished by the entire community.

Why do people strive to comply with the norms, and the community strictly enforces this?

Norms – guardians of values. The honor and dignity of the family has been one of the most important values ​​of the human community since ancient times. And society values ​​what contributes to its stability and prosperity. The family is the basic unit of society and taking care of it is its first responsibility. By showing concern for his family, a man thereby demonstrates his strength, courage, virtue and everything that is highly valued by others. His social status rises. On the contrary, those who are unable to protect their household are subject to contempt and their status is sharply reduced. Since protecting the family is the basis for its survival, fulfilling this most important function in a traditional society makes a man automatically the head of the family. There is no dispute about who comes first - the husband or the wife. As a result, the socio-psychological unity of the family is strengthened. In a modern family, where a man does not have the opportunity to demonstrate his leadership functions, instability is much higher than in a traditional one.

As we see, social norms are truly guardians of order and guardians of values. Even the simplest norms of behavior represent what is valued by a group or society.

The difference between a norm and a value is expressed as follows: norms are rules of behavior, values ​​are abstract concepts of what is good and evil, right and wrong, due and inappropriate.