The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Understanding social norms and constitutive rules : Perspectives from developmental psychology and philosophy

På svenska

Author

Summary, in English

A recent experimental paradigm that tests young children’s understanding of social norms by modelling norms on Searle’s notion of constitutive rule is examined. The experiments and the reasons provided for their design are discussed in detail. The concepts of a social norm and of a constitutive rule are compared, and it is shown that they are distinct. It is argued that the experiments do not provide direct evidence for the development of social norms. The experimental data are re-interpreted, and suggestions for how to deal with the present criticism are presented. It is suggested that normativity emerges from interaction, and that learning to comply with social norms involves an understanding of the distinctions among their content, enforcement, and acceptance.

Department/s

Publishing year

2015

Language

English

Pages

699-718

Publication/Series

Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences

Volume

14

Issue

4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Springer

Topic

  • Psychology (excluding Applied Psychology)
  • Philosophy

Keywords

  • compliance
  • constitutive rule
  • game
  • rule following
  • play
  • social norm

Status

Published

Project

  • Understanding rules: Cognitive and noncognitive models of social cognition (ESF/VR)

Research group

  • CogComlab

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1568-7759