Discussion 1  Violation of Social Norms Most of the time we follow cultural norms without even thinking about them. For this discussion, you should identify a prevalent social norm (such as facing for

Discussion 1 

Violation of Social Norms

Most of the time we follow cultural norms without even thinking about them. For this discussion, you should identify a prevalent social norm (such as facing forward in an elevator, not interrupting, sitting facing forward in a classroom) and then violate that norm, noticing the reaction of those around you. (Note: do not break any laws or endanger yourself or others.) In developing your initial discussion post, consider the following questions:

• What norm did you break?
• How did people react to this norm violation?
• How did their response make you feel?
• Do you feel this norm is important to society?
• Based on your experience, what role do you think norms have in our everyday life?

Discussion 2 

Examining Cultural Beliefs

This week's Lookism video segment demonstrates how cultural perceptions of and beliefs about physical appearance shape how we interact with and respond to one another. Review the video (link the Resources area) and address the following questions in your initial discussion posts:

• What is your reaction to the courtroom experiment presented in the Lookism video?
• What do the findings and other examples provided in the video tell us about U.S. culture?
• What information did you find when researching heightism? How does this information relate to that in the Lookism video?
• Do you think lookism is a cultural universal (it exists in all cultures)?
• What examples can you see of lookism in your everyday or professional life?