The act of implanting a convention or norm into society?

• A. Institutionalization
• B. Habitualization
• C. Rationalization
• D. Myth of Meritocracy

Answer: (A)

Institutionalization is about turning a convention or norm into a stable part of the social order. It describes how a practice moves beyond individual habit or ad hoc use and becomes embedded in the routines, rules, and structures that guide society—through formal institutions, laws, organizations, education, and shared expectations. Once a norm is institutionalized, it is reinforced by social incentives and penalties, making it persistent across time and more resistant to change.

Habitualization is the process by which actions become routine through repetition, but it doesn’t necessarily create lasting social structures or rules. Rationalization involves organizing social life for efficiency and predictability, often through formal systems, but it centers on efficiency rather than embedding a norm as a social institution. The Myth of Meritocracy is a belief about how rewards are distributed, not the process of embedding norms into social structures.