Social Norms Theory and Development Economics

Eriksson, Lina

Social Norms Theory and Development Economics

2015

Eriksson, Lina

Social norms affect almost every aspect of people’s lives, and can be an obstacle to or support economic development. This paper outlines what social norms are and how they work, providing examples from everyday life and from development case studies. Sometimes not much can be done about changing undesirable social norms. In those cases, development economists need to be aware of how the existence of those norms can impact the effects of the policies they advocate. But of particular importance to development economists is the ways in which social norms can be changed, at least under some circumstances. Understanding of social norm change is still patchy at best, but the paper outlines the theoretical underpinnings of change, with empirical evidence from various policies aimed at changing social norms. However, some of those policies raise ethical concerns that would require attention.

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AGROVOC Keywords

abuse adoption anthropology child care communication cooperation developing countries discrimination domestic violence drugs economic growth energy consumption ethics ethnicity families fatherhood gender gender equality gender norms history household income households human behaviour kids knowledge land tenure marriage modernization pensions policies population power property property rights radio religion rural communities sex sexual violence social change social development social norms social security society sociology students surveys teenagers television war women

Bibliographic information

Publisher

World Bank, Washington, DC

Other Subjects

Public policy; Employment opportunities; Progress; Safe sex; Social marketing; Sociobiology; Fewer people; Participatory process; Child‐rearing; Fairness; Partners; Social group; Posters; Maternity leave; Taboo; Development policy; Social meanings; Social psychology; Gender roles; Policy research working paper; Woman; Ritual; Condoms; Parental leave; Genital cutting; Norms; Public support; Dependence; Ethnography; Young women; Media; Pregnancies; Everyday life; Gender relations; Spouses; Mutilation; Social status; Young people; Market economy; Peace; Nationals; Symbols; Female genital mutilation; Living‐standards; Mother; Female sexuality; Education of women; Responsibility; Religious reasons; Policy‐makers; Social issues; Philosophers; Impact on children; Beliefs; Family; Ethnographic evidence; Married couples; Cultures; Tv; Public service; Altruism; Violence against women; Machismo; Young men; Social inequality; Integrity; Television network; Female genital cutting; Femininity; Political change; Ownership of land; Social policy; Social pressure; Husbands; Societies; Masculinity; Respect; Social life; Policy; Circumcision; Soap operas; Sexuality; Anthropologist; Morality; Social information; Policy research; Condom; Good; Alcohol; Cultural differences; Unplanned pregnancies; Exogamy; Social interactions; Creation; Girls; Human behavior; Policy‐ makers; Responsibilities; Policy discussions; Peer pressure; Female “circumcision; Mandates; Health impact; Development efforts; Principles; Civil war; Family members; Funerals; Spouse; Genital mutilation; Female children; Condom use; Household work; Populations; Role models; Policy makers; Moral norms; Individual members; Care for children; Both sexes; Substance abuse; Social practice

Language

English

Format

application/pdf, text/plain

License

CC BY 3.0 IGO, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/, World Bank

Type

Working Paper; Document De Travail; Documento De Trabajo

In AGRIS since: 2024-10-18

Modification date: 2025-04-17

Format: Dublin Core

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