Norms: meaning, definitions and examples

Commonly accepted behaviors or practices within a society, community, or group.

• Social norms dictate that you should greet people when you meet them
• Cultural norms vary between different countries

Explicit instructions or laws that must be followed; often have consequences if broken.

• You must follow the school rules or face detention
• The game has a strict set of rules that everyone must follow

Accepted levels of quality or criteria used as benchmarks in various fields.

• Safety standards in construction are very important
• The new software meets industry standards

Recommended practices or advice provided to help people make decisions or perform tasks.

• The company has issued guidelines for remote working
• Follow the guidelines in the user manual to set up the device

Norms are often used to describe commonly accepted behavior or rules within a group or society.

• In many cultures, it is a norm to greet someone with a handshake.
• Social norms dictate how we should behave in public settings.

Standards refer to accepted levels of quality or achievement that things or people are expected to meet.

• The product failed to meet safety standards.
• Educational standards can vary greatly between different countries.

Benchmarks are used to set a standard or point of reference against which things may be compared or assessed.

• The company's sales figures set a new benchmark for the industry.
• Benchmark tests are important to evaluate the performance of students.

Averages are generally used in mathematical or statistical contexts to describe the central value in a set of numbers.

• The average grade in the class was a B.
• She calculated the average temperature for the month.