social expectations
What's considered proper
Social expectations are the unwritten rules about how people should behave in a given context—what to wear, how to speak, when to marry, what constitutes success.
They vary by culture, class, and era.
Someone who defies social expectations may face judgment or admiration depending on the circumstances: She rejected social expectations and traveled alone through her twenties.
The phrase often appears when people push back against conformity.
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- peer pressureInfluence from one's equals
- peer groupSocial circle of equals
- etiquetteRules of polite conduct
- good mannersSocially acceptable conduct
manners · conformity · responsibility · compliance · mores · stigma · customs · unspoken rules · respect · propriety · dress code · judgment · saving face · fitting in · hierarchy · shame · gender roles · accountability
- Assumptionsfalse assumption, stereotypes, generalizations, biases, prejudices
- gender developmentgender identity, gender norms, gender stereotypes, gender expression, feminine roles
- inheritanceinheritance, inheritances, heir, heirs, heiress
social expectationsself-determination
Control over one's fate
intrinsic motivation · self-direction · gut instinct · individual autonomy · personal autonomy
social expectationsnonconformity
Rejection of prevailing norms
rebellion · rule-breaking · transgression · defiance · anti-social behavior
social expectationsanomie
Breakdown of shared standards
anarchy · anything goes · legal requirements · codified laws · lawlessness