Unspoken Norms
Definition:
Implicit, often unconscious rules and expectations that govern behavior within social systems without being formally articulated, functioning in the liminal space between conscious regulation and emergent order.
Key Attributes:
- Tacit Enforcement: Maintained through subtle social signals like approval, discomfort, ostracism, or confusion rather than explicit sanctions
- Differential Visibility: More apparent to those who violate them than those who comply, creating asymmetric awareness between insiders and outsiders
- Power Embedding: Reflect and reproduce existing power dynamics by naturalizing behaviors that advantage dominant groups while pathologizing alternatives