schmucks_ch7.html

Schmucks: Chapter 7:Norms

SHARED EXPECTATIONS OR ATTITUDES ABOUT APPROPRIATE CLASSROOM PROCEDURES AND BEHAVIORS. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AS RULES WHICH ARE REGLATIONS CREATED BY ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS TO GOVERN STUDENTS’ BEHAVIOR. RULES SOME TIMES BECOME GROUP NORMS. NORMS HELP CLARIFY WHAT IS DISTINCTIVE ABOUT A GROUP AND CENTRAL TO ITS GROUP IDENTITY.

THE POWER OF “GROUP NORMS” ARISES OUT OF FOUR KINDS OF SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL FORCES:

1) FORCES WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL TO REDUCE CONFLICT FELT WHEN PERSONAL ACTIONS ARE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE HELD BY OTHERS.
2) FORCES INDUCED BY OTHERS WHO WISH TO INFLUENCE THE PERSON’S BEHAVIOR.
3) FORCES INDUCED BY ACTIVITY STRUCTURES SUCH AS READING CIRCLES, ONE-WAY PRESENTATIONS, AND SEAT WORK THROUGH WICH STUDENTS INTERACT WITH THE TEACHER AND WITH ONE ANOTHER. GOAL STRUCTURES ARE IMPORTANT HERE. THERE ARE CERTAIN DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOAL STRUCTURE WHICH “AFFORD” NORMATIVE BEHAVIORS.
4) FORCES INDUCED BY MEMBERS TO MAINTAIN THE GROUP’S DISTINCTIVENESS AND IDENTITY.

FOUR TYPES OF NORMS:

PERCEPTUAL NORMS: DERIVES MEANING FROM SENSORY EXPERIENCES
COGNITIVE NORMS: SHARING THOUGHT PROCESSES SUCH AS REASONING, REMEMBERING, ANALYZING, AND ANTICIPATING AND MAY NOT CORRESPOND TO A PHYSICAL REALITY
EVALUATIVE NORMS: SHARED ATTITUDES THAT ARE ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH AMOUNTS OF GROUP FEELING
BEHAVIORAL NORMS: BEHAVIORS THAT ARE INFLUENCED BY PERCEPTIONS, COGNITIONS AND EVALUATIONS AS WELL AS BY CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE SITUATION (CONTEXT).

TWO DIMENSIONS OF NORMS

	FORMAL	INFORMAL
STATIC	NORMS FOLLOWED WITH LITTLE PROMPTING: 1)NO CHEATING 2)ASKING PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE ROOM 3)ADDRESSING TEACHER WHEN SEEKING PERMISSION TO CHANGE SOMETHING IN THE ROOM	PROCEDURES AND ROUTINES: 1)HOW STUDENTS ENTER THE ROOM 2)WHO TALKS TO WHOM FOR HOW LONG 3)SAYING "GOOD MORNING," THANK YOU," ETC.
DYNAMIC	NORMS IN NEED OF AT LEAST OCCASIONAL ENFORCEMENT: 1)NO TALKING DURING STORY TIME OR INDIVIDUAL STUDY TIME 2)TURNING WORK IN ON TIME 3)USING CORRECT GRAMMAR IN TALKING AND WRITING	INTERPERSONAL ACTIONS WHICH INVOLVE ACTIVE MONITORING: 1)ADDRESSING TEACHER IN A NASTY FASHION 2)WEARING HAIR IN AN EXTREMELY DIFFERENT STATE THAN OTHER STUDENTS 3)ACTING ABUSIVELY TOWARD OTHERS