Structural Characteristics of Norms

Abstract

The idea norm is now such a familiar one to educators that its meaning in ordinary discourse is generally assumed. Yet, as with many abstractions that fall readily into general use, this concept refers to highly complex phenomena within which many component processes can be recognized and a large number of meaningful characteristics distinguished. For example, norms may be described as ambiguous, highly restrictive, poorly crystallized, or very potent, although it is not clear how these characteristics are related to one another or precisely what they mean. In the absence of some scheme for representing the structure of a norm, much of its potential as a tool for analysis of the instructional group fails to be realized. In this chapter a model is introduced which tries to incorporate the essential properties of the idea. A large number of characteristics of this model will then be examined, and each will be related to observable phenomena. Each property of a norm will be defined both conceptually and operationally. Thus, the construction of the model represents an attempt to provide a way of thinking about norms and their properties in a differentiated and logical way and to suggest methods of measuring these properties with relative precision. To the degree that the attempt is successful, it may provide a useful means for the study of such problems as the socialization of the child, the integration of students into the classroom group, and the relation of individual personality to the social environment of instructional groups.