Difference between Norm and Rule (with examples)
Examples / / June 10, 2022
A rule It is a pattern that regulates the behavior of people in a society and that has social consensus.
A rule it is a guideline of behavior in a specific context and whose transgression is always sanctioned by an authority.
Both are social conventions, that is, they are accepted by the people who make up a society, a group or a collectivity. Furthermore, both the rules as the rules establish what is allowed and what is prohibited.
However, most regulations do not have specific sanctions, except legal ones, while most of the rules, in the event that they are not complied with, do have prior sanctions determined.
In many cases, the rules derive from social or moral norms, since the former are the institutionalization of behavior patterns that exist in society.
- It can serve you: Rules and their sanctions
Rule | Rule |
It has a social consensus. | It has social consensus, but it is established and enunciated by an authority. |
It is transmitted from generation to generation. | It is transmitted between people and, specifically, in written form. |
Failure to comply results in ethical and moral sanctions. | Failure to comply results in moral or legal sanctions. |
It is shared by many people. | It is shared by a specific group or community. |
It is more flexible than the rule. | It is stiffer than the norm. |
Characteristics of the standard
- Has social consensus. It is part of a tacit code of conduct, that is, it establishes what can and cannot be done and it is an agreement between the individuals of a society so that there is balance.
- It is passed down from generation to generation. It is transmitted orally and in interaction with other people.
- Failure to comply results in ethical and moral sanctions. Their non-compliance can generate the disapproval of other individuals in society. Failure to comply with legal regulations also has legal sanctions.
- It is shared by many people. It is known and respected by the members of a society.
- It is more flexible than the rule. It can be modified over time or by drawing up a new agreement.
Standard Types
There are many types of standards, but almost all of them can be included in one of these general categories:
- legal rules. They are the rules that regulate the behavior of individuals in a society, which are written in an official document and are produced and endorsed by a state institution. In addition, failure to comply results in a sanction, which is also found in official documents.
- Social norms. They are the norms that guide the behavior of the individuals of a certain society or community, that are not written, since they are usually tacit and vary according to the context and the traditions. Failure to comply leads to the disapproval of other members of society.
- Ethical or moral standards. They are the norms that function as a foundation for social and legal norms, which are based on moral values and whose objective is for society to function in a harmonious manner.
- religious norms. They are the norms that regulate the behavior of people who belong to a certain religion, which They are usually written in a sacred text and are usually regulated by institutions, such as the Church. Catholic.
Characteristics of the rule
- Has social consensus, but is established and enunciated by an authority. It is part of a code of conduct that is issued and regulated by an institution or authority figure.
- It is transmitted between people and, specifically, in written form. It can be transmitted orally, but it must always be written in an official document, to guarantee that all people know it and comply with it.
- Failure to comply results in moral or legal sanctions. Its non-compliance, in addition to generating social disapproval, may imply the application of a penalty or punishment. Institutions or authority figures are responsible for applying sanctions.
- It is shared by a specific group or community. It is known by a certain group of people and must be respected in certain contexts, for example, at work or in a club.
- It is stiffer than the norm. It is not usually easily modified, but there are certain mechanisms that allow its changes.
rule types
There are different types of rules with very different characteristics and application contexts. Some of them are:
- game rules. They are the rules found in a regulation, which specifies how the participants of a game should act.
- sports rules. They are the rules that determine what each player can and cannot do, how the score is counted and what the sanctions are in case any guideline is broken.
- Gramatical rules. They are the rules that determine how the spelling, the syntax and the morphology of a language.
- work rules. They are the rules that determine what is allowed and what is not within a work space. Generally, they are guidelines related to respect and safety.
- Transit rules. They are the legal rules that determine the obligations and rights of drivers and passers-by. In addition, their non-compliance has specific sanctions, because they belong to codes prepared by state institutions.
Standard Examples
- You should thank a person who did a favor. (social norm)
- All people have the right to express their opinion freely. (Legal standard)
- The truth must always be told. (ethical or moral standard)
- Father and mother should be honored. (religious norm of Christianity)
- You should not interrupt a person when he is speaking. (social norm)
- It is prohibited to discriminate against people for reasons of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, among others. (Legal standard)
- Do not mistreat other living beings. (ethical or moral standard)
- It is forbidden to eat meat. (religious norm of Hinduism)
- You must be punctual. (social norm)
- All people have the right to a fair trial. (Legal standard)
- Fasting should be done in the month of Ramadan. (religious rule of Islam)
- All people must be treated with respect. (ethical or moral standard)
- Plagiarism is prohibited. (Legal standard)
- You should greet when entering or leaving a place. (social norm)
- The environment and public spaces must be cared for. (social norm)
rule examples
- The player must say “uno” when he has only one card left, otherwise he must pick up two cards. (game rule)
- The defending team and/or receiver of the ball is entitled to three touches before sending the ball to the opposite field. (volleyball rule – sport)
- Acute words have an accent mark when they end in N, S or a vowel. (gramatical rule)
- All employees must use the protection elements to carry out the work. (work rule)
- Position lights must be turned on to travel on streets, routes and highways. (traffic rule)
- The king can only be moved one square vertically, horizontally or diagonally, unless the player wants to castling. (game rule)
- In each restart of the game, the teams have a maximum of thirty seconds to make their shot at the opposite goal. After this time, the team that has the ball will lose its right and the opposing team will be able to make a new play from the side. (basketball rule – sport)
- Proper nouns are capitalized. (gramatical rule)
- All employees must sign their entry and exit times. (work rule)
- Pedestrians and bicyclists have priority over motorists at intersections where there are no traffic lights. (traffic rule)
- The player who rolls the highest score with the dice is the one who starts the game. (game rule)
- Any infraction committed within the large area, intentional handball or foul against an opponent will be penalized with a free kick from the penalty spot located eleven meters from the goal line. (soccer rule – sport)
- Before B write M and not N. (gramatical rule)
- All kitchen employees must wash their hands and put on a mask and cap before starting to prepare the dishes. (work rule)
- The use of the seat belt is mandatory. (traffic rule)
It can serve you:
- Cultural values
- Spelling rules (from Spanish)
- etiquette rules
- House Rules
- Social, moral, legal and religious norms
- Unilateral and bilateral rules