In 2005, the Northwestern University women's lacrosse team won an NCAA championship and was invited to the White House to receive congratulations from the president. Controversy erupted after the team's visit when the official photograph revealed that several team members were wearing flip-flops. Despite the outcry, the athletes took the criticism in stride by talking about it on The Today Show and auctioning the offending footwear for charity. What kind of norm did the athletes break by wearing flip-flops to the White House, given the reaction and the team's response?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The athletes broke a folkway, which is a minor norm that governs everyday behavior and is typically not considered to be morally significant. The reaction and the team's response suggest that wearing flip-flops to the White House is not seen as appropriate, but it did not violate any deeply held beliefs or values (taboo) or result in a severe punishment (negative sanction). The team's response also indicates that they recognized the relatively minor nature of the norm they had broken and were able to respond to the criticism in a lighthearted and constructive way.

In 2005, the Northwestern University Women's Lacrosse Team Won an NCAA