ANTH 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Norm (Social), Cultural Relativism, Franz Boas
13 Jan 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Social norms are things we do unconsciously/subconsciously. We learn social norms informally and implicitly. Because they are unconscious, it is harder to recognize them and therefore learn from them. Since social norms are culturally-specific, they often make us judgmental of those who are different from us. Social norms don"t always match up with legal or ethical norms. They create group harmony and prevent chaos. They give us guidelines on how to behave in society. Sometimes a social norm excludes people in ways that are biased and unfair. Social norms make it difficult to alter behavior or embrace new ideas. The violation of social norms helps us identify problematic individuals. In order to become conscious of our social norms and approach the social norms of others without judgment, anthropologists employ cultural relativism. Cultural relativism: the idea that beliefs and practiced can only be understood from inside an individual"s culture.
