Norms (including implicit social conventions, explicit rules, and formal laws) are key regulators of human behavior. By clarifying what is (not) acceptable, norms can facilitate coordination and prevent chaos, but they can also hamper innovation and entrench inequality. Although often conceptualized as relatively static, history shows that norms can change - for better or worse. For instance, in many countries traditional norms hampering gender equality have shifted in the direction of greater representation of women. Conversely, norms protecting decency and honesty have changed toward greater acceptability of hate speech and misinformation. Changes such as these have major implications for the functioning of groups, organizations, democratic institutions, and society at large. However, when and how such changes come about is not well understood. Shifting norms are commonly described as a “sign of the times”, but what explains the change versus stability of norms is unclear. As such, the nature and development of an essential predictor of human behavior remain poorly understood.

The goal of the proposed session is to bring together experts from different disciplines to address pressing questions about the dynamic nature of norms. For instance, how does the (counter)normative behavior of (political) leaders influence norm perceptions and behavior of individuals observing those behaviors, and what are the downstream consequences for democratic institutions? When do norm violations by individual members of a collective (online or offline) spread to other members, and when does such spreading result in norm change? What is the impact of (political) leaders’ responses to others’ norm violations on perceivers’ norm inferences and behavior? How are such dynamics modulated by the presence or absence of strong institutions? How do social media algorithms that prioritize attention-grabbing information (e.g., norm violations) shape the spread of violations and the development of norms over time? And how are such dynamics influenced by the proliferation of AI? Tackling such questions requires an interdisciplinary approach. This session is intended as a launching platform for the development of an interdisciplinary community of scholars interested in norm dynamics, who can jointly tackle these and other pressing questions about the dynamic nature of norms and explore implications for society.

Programme:

About Gerben van Kleef

Professor Gerben A. van Kleef is a behavioral scientist studying human social interaction. His primary interests are in emotions, social norms, power/hierarchy, and conflict/cooperation. Van Kleef investigates basic psychological processes and effects and explores their implications for individuals, groups, organizations, and society. In doing so, he draws on insights and approaches from psychology, behavioral economics, management, law, biology, and evolutionary science. In much of his work he adopts an interpersonal perspective, examining how individuals influence and respond to one another across a variety of contexts, including personal relationships, group decision making, persuasion, conflict, negotiation, consumer behavior, leadership, sports, and social media.