Build a mind you’re proud of.

Social norms are invisible instructions

Norms are shared expectations about behaviour that people often follow without a written rule.

The idea

They are reinforced through approval, embarrassment, imitation, and belonging. Because they feel normal, they can be difficult to notice until we enter another group or culture.

An example

How closely people stand, when they arrive, or how directly they disagree can signal respect in one setting and rudeness in another.

Put it into practice

When behaviour feels obviously right or wrong, ask whether you are seeing a universal rule or a learned norm.