Introduction
Social norms are an essential component of society that regulate the behavior of people and the relationship between them. Even though these are unwritten rules, everyone around the community expects all members of the community to adhere to them. I tried to break one of those social norms, which is to cover your mouth while coughing and sneezing, to see how others react. This paper describes and analyzes people’s responses to breaking established social rules.
Main Body
Social norms have a long history of formation and functioning in society. For example, the rule to cover your mouth while coughing or sneezing is based on preventing one person’s saliva from getting on others and protecting others from contracting various diseases. This explicit norm “expressly identifies acceptable behavior” (Rothwell, 2018, p. 67). This implies that people expect others to behave this way when coughing or sneezing. When one person’s behavior does not meet others’ expectations, there is a corresponding reaction. In my case, because not adhering to the social norm of covering one’s mouth threatened one’s health and safety, people reacted quite strongly to the violation of the social norm.
First, it was difficult for me not to cover my mouth while coughing or sneezing. I usually adhere to established social norms, which bring “social acceptance, support, companionship, and recognition” (Rothwell, 2018, p. 69). On the other hand, the violation of acceptable social behavior leads to others limiting themselves from a person with deviant behavior. I observed such a reaction when I tried to violate a social norm. Many people showed their surprise and disapproval of my behavior. Some people exchanged glances among themselves, trying to find support for their reaction. Moreover, many tried to physically protect themselves from me, for example, by moving away from me in public places or covering their faces. In general, it was obvious that, for the majority, my behavior was unacceptable or even threatening.
People’s reactions to my reluctance to cover my coughs and sneezes are natural. This social norm has long been rooted in society and is considered a manifestation of politeness and respect for others. By breaking this rule, I am actually endangering the health of others, which may make them feel uneasy. This also caused their discomfort, disapproval, and desire to isolate themselves from me as a threat physically.
Moreover, it should be borne in mind that, despite the lifting of the state of emergency and the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, memories of the coronavirus are still quite fresh. As a result, the reaction of most people is quite predictable and is determined not only by the existing social norm but also by recent experiences. At the same time, the reactions of some people were quite unpredictable. They began to laugh and cheerfully discuss my actions among themselves. They may have seen my actions as a joke or a form of defiance. Additionally, these people did not regard my actions as such that threatening their safety.
Conclusion
In conclusion, social norms are an integral part of society, regulating people’s behavior and relationships. Since they have a long history of functioning in the community, their violation leads to natural reactions. I have observed people’s reactions to breaking the rule of covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing. During this experiment, I observed various reactions from those around me, but most were concerned about my behavior and probably felt threatened. Such a reaction demonstrates how deeply this social norm is integrated into society.
Reference
Rothwell, J.D. (2018). In mixed company: Communicating in small groups and teams (10th ed.). Oxford University Press.