How Types of Group Norms Influence Individual Behavior – Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

In the movie Wizard of Oz (one of my favorites, by the way), the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion learn about themselves as individuals, but they also learn about how they act in a group once they’re faced with a task that requires all of them to contribute. Individually, they have their own separate traits, but once they have to work in a group, they exhibit different behaviors based on the group norms. For example, on his own, the Cowardly Lion is a self-proclaimed coward. But, when these three characters go to rescue Dorothy from the Wicked Witch, the Cowardly Lion overcomes his fears and (as we will talk about in a few minutes) learns to work within the performance norms present in the group.

So why do I make this point? You see, when individuals are in groups there are forces at work that shape how they behave while in that group. These forces – very much like how our characters in the movie found a heart, courage and a brain – influence how we act as individuals when we are in a group without us knowing if there are ‘things going on behind the curtain’ that consciously or subconsciously impact how we act.

Those things, if you will, are norms, and there are several types that do impact how we behave in a group. Thus, let us take a look at some of the norms that are present so we can understand how they impact our actions and behavior when in a group.