Norms are best described as

Norms are best described as

• A. Formal legal requirements
• B. Personal preferences everyone must adopt
• C. Unwritten rules that guide acceptable behavior
• D. Technical specifications for equipment

Answer: (C)

Norms are unwritten expectations about how people should behave in a group or culture. They guide what’s considered acceptable conduct through social cues and approval or disapproval, rather than through formal laws or written rules. For example, in a classroom, raising your hand before speaking is a norm that helps the group function smoothly. Norms can vary between communities and can change over time as what’s considered acceptable shifts. They differ from formal legal requirements, which are written rules with official penalties; they’re not mere personal preferences, which are individual choices; and they’re not technical specifications, which tell you how a thing should work rather than how people should act.

Norms are unwritten expectations about how people should behave in a group or culture. They guide what’s considered acceptable conduct through social cues and approval or disapproval, rather than through formal laws or written rules. For example, in a classroom, raising your hand before speaking is a norm that helps the group function smoothly. Norms can vary between communities and can change over time as what’s considered acceptable shifts. They differ from formal legal requirements, which are written rules with official penalties; they’re not mere personal preferences, which are individual choices; and they’re not technical specifications, which tell you how a thing should work rather than how people should act.