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From the course by University of Pennsylvania

Social Norms, Social Change II

141 ratings

University of Pennsylvania

Social Norms, Social Change II

141 ratings

This course is Part 2 of the Social Norms, Social Change series. In this course, we will examine social change, the tools we may use to enact change, and put into practice all we have learned in Part 1. See Social Norms, Social Change Part I at this link: https://coursera.org/learn/norms This course covers scripts and schemas, the cognitive structures in which social expectations are embedded, and their relationship with social norms. The course then examines the essentials of norm abandonment, including the relations between personal beliefs and social expectations. We will also evaluate existing intervention strategies, including legal reforms, information campaigns, economic incentives, and group deliberations. Finally, we look at a variety of tools policy makers may use to effect change, highlight the role of trendsetters in social change, and explore the conditions under which they can be successful. The course is a joint Penn-UNICEF project." Please see the following link for a 30% discount on the book that accompanies this course: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/9780190622053/?cc=us&lang=en&promocode=AAFLYG6

From the lesson

Honors Lesson: Scripts and Schemas

This course is "part 2" of Social Norms, Social Change and the lessons here are a continuation of the first course. This module covers scripts and schemas, the cognitive structures in which social expectations are embedded, and their relationship with social norms.

Introduction1:23

Meet the Instructors

Cristina Bicchieri
S. J. Patterson Harvie Professor of Social Thought and Comparative Ethics
Department of Philosophy

[MUSIC]

Lots of social schemas are shared within a culture.

Shared empirical and normative expectation.

That is, what to expect people to do and what we think people believe we should do,

are usually part of share schemas for events and people.

Think of common stereotype think of particular groups,

African American, Asian, women,

men, stereotypes are typically shared by group or an entire society.

And as we shall see later on, may be difficult to eradicate.

Once we elicit a schema, our actions are influenced by it.

So a shared schema is reinforced through social interaction.

Let us explore the way we apply schemas by looking at gender.

Which schema is activated when you observe this little image?

Typically, one would say a woman.

Now look at this new image,

where we have added some context, a table and a typewriter.

What sort of schema is activated?

Many people would say it is a secretary.

Also because in our culture, most secretaries are women.

Now, look at this little figure.

How would you describe it?

Many people will say it is a business woman.

And what about this new image?

A mother will occur more frequently than a babysitter, a nanny or a grandmother.

The most common interpretation is, it is a mother.

You see that the context, in this case women with child,

influences the activation of a specific schema.

But the schema, in turn, depends on how prototypical what we observe is.

Now, look again at a different image.

What do you think looking at it?

Two friends, brother and sister?

Often, people will say it is a couple.

Because the prototypical image of a couple is just a man and a woman together.

Let us now imagine that the schema for woman was activated.

Different cultures will have very different ideas

about what a woman schema entails.

Cultures differ in the characteristics, activities,

roles they link to the woman schema.

When the schema is activated,

it influences how we interpret what we observe.

And what we expect from the women we interact with.

When we have expectations about how a woman normally behaves in specific

situations, and how she should behave in such situations,

these expectations are socially shared.

Color our interpretation and understanding of women action,

and ultimately determine our behavior toward them.

If I am a woman, the social expectation will influence not just my behavior but

even my judgment about how good or appropriate my behavior is.

Let us now listen to examples of what it means in some cultures to be

a good woman and in particular, a good mother.

>> Why mother do not breastfeed properly?

And this is because they have advice by the elder [INAUDIBLE]

of the mother-in-law.

And if they don't comply, they feel that they are bad mothers.

>> The mothers who marry their younger child,

they are considered In the community as very good mother.

If there is mothers in these association who have not married

their girl child very early, they are not so well accepted.

They are considered like mothers who expose their girl child.

Because the factual belief here is that marrying a girl child very early,

it's a kind of protection in the society, in the community.

So, the mothers who do not marry their girl child very

early are not good mothers.

This is discreet.

They are considered like mothers who do not like their girl child.

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