HUMAN MIND AND BEHAVIOR IN RELATION TO SOCIAL NORMS AND ETHICS

Prelim - 2nd sem

Physical Potentiality

The biological aspects of the brain and body.

Mental Ability

Cognitive capacity, such as thinking, learning, and problem-solving.

Communication Skills

How we convey thoughts, emotions, and ideas.

Social Skills

Interacting with others, forming relationships, and navigating social environments.

Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory

focuses on the interplay between the conscious, subconscious, and unconscious mind.

psychoanalytic theory Key Components:

• Conscious Mind: Thoughts and feelings we're fully aware of.

• Subconscious Mind: Information that is just below the surface; easily accessible memories

and learned behaviors.

• Unconscious Mind: Deep, hidden desires, fears, and memories; often influences behavior

without us realizing.

Freud's Iceberg Model:

• The conscious mind is the tip of the iceberg, representing only a small fraction of our thoughts.
• The subconscious and unconscious make up the vast majority of the iceberg, where many behaviors, desires, and fears originate.

Social Norms

the unwritten rules about how to behave in society.

James Chris' Definition of Norms

• Norms are shared expectations or standards that guide behavior in specific contexts.

• Social Norms are those that are accepted by a group or society.

WILLIAM GRAHAM SUMNER’S CLASSIFICATION OF NORMS

Folkways
Mores
Taboos
Laws
(F-M-T-L)

Folkways

• Informal norms that guide everyday behavior (e.g., table manners, greeting others).
  
  • Violating them may lead to mild social disapproval but not punishment

Mores

• Strongly held norms that have moral significance (e.g., honesty, respect).

• Violations lead to serious consequences like ostracism or legal punishment.

Taboos

Norms that are so strongly ingrained that their violation is considered repugnant (e.g., incest, cannibalism).

Laws

Formalized rules that are enforced by institutions (e.g., laws against theft, assault).

HOW SOCIAL NORMS INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR

Internalization of Norms:

• People internalize norms through socialization and learning, shaping their behavior accordingly.

Conformity:

• Individuals conform to norms to gain social acceptance, avoid conflict, and maintain group harmony.

Deviance:

• When someone violates social norms, they may face stigma or punishment, depending on the severity of the norm violated.

Ethics

refers to the principles that govern behavior, helping individuals differentiate right from wrong.

Maximo Torrento’s View on Ethics

Ethics are driven by shared values, the core principles that a society deems important, such as fairness, justice, and respect.

Values

Core beliefs that guide individual and collective actions, often influenced by culture, religion, and personal experience.

Virtue Ethics (Aristotle)

Aristotle believed that the goal of life is to achieve eudaimonia (flourishing or well-being) through virtuous actions.

Virtue is developed by practicing moral behavior and finding the "golden mean" – moderation between excess and deficiency.

Key Aspects of Aristotle’s Ethics

• Moral Virtue: Cultivating traits like courage, honesty, and generosity.

• Practical Wisdom (Phronesis): The ability to make sound moral decisions in everyday

life.

Relationship Between Ethics and Social Norms

• Ethics shape social norms, and vice versa. Ethical beliefs about right and wrong influence the creation of social norms, and norms help shape ethical decisions in everyday life.

• Example:

• A society that values honesty as an ethical principle will likely establish norms against lying

and deception.