Ideal and Typical Social Norms.

This article focuses on ideal and typical social norms. In view of the strategic position occupied by the concept of social norms in sociological theory it behooves sociologists to elaborate and refine it beyond its present formulation. Social norms are viewed as standards for behavior, which is to say they represent a base or criterion for judging the appropriateness or acceptability of actions. It should be apparent, however, that there are realty two sets of norms lo guide behavior. One standard is the ideal, what one ought to do. The ideal norm stipulates what the morally correct form of behavior would be for a given situation. Almost invariabIy however, actual behavior does not coincide with what would be socially preferable; one would be bard pressed to cite a social norm which is never violated. The distinction between these two types of norms can also be illuminated by reference to the socialization process. The acquisition of ideal norms seems to be primarily a matter of verbal transmission, whereas typical nouns are more likely to be acquired as a result of observation of overt behavior.