Some behaviors, such as cursing and wearing revealing clothing are acceptable in some social contexts, but are considered unacceptable in other situations, such as in a business office. Which of the following explains why this is the case?

A) Social norms only apply to social contexts with written guidelines for behavior, for example, the workplace.
B) Many social norms are specific to a social context.
C) Social norms vary from person to person and are not related to the social context.
D) Social norms only exist for major societal issues, such as theft and murder; there are no social norms for trivial behaviors such as cursing or appropriate dress.

Answer: B
Rationale: Social norms are the (usually unwritten) guidelines for how to behave in social contexts. Norms include everything from the little nuances of public behavior and the manners we use in polite company, to the topics that are appropriate for conversation and the types of clothing deemed appropriate. Many social norms are specific to certain contexts, such as the workplace, or even a particular university.

Psychology

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