Which term describes the ideas about what is proper or improper that are taught and reinforced through society?

• A. Ideal Culture
• B. Real Culture
• C. Norms
• D. Social Control

Answer: (C)

Norms are the shared expectations about what counts as proper or improper behavior in a society. They’re learned through socialization—from family, schools, media, and peers—and reinforced by social sanctions like praise, conformity pressure, or punishment. These informal and formal guidelines shape daily actions and tell people how to behave in different situations. While ideal culture represents what a society says it should value and real culture reflects what people actually do, norms are the practical rules that govern how people are supposed to behave. Social control mechanisms keep these expectations in place, ensuring people conform to what the culture regards as appropriate.