Juanita notices that people in her group get their lunch from the cafeteria rather than bring their own lunch. When Juanita brings her own lunch, her coworkers notice it but don't seem too concerned about it. In this case, getting lunch at the cafeteria is a _____ norm.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Descriptive norms describe what people commonly do in a given situation, whereas prescriptive norms prescribe what people ought to do in a given situation. In this case, the fact that most people in the group get lunch from the cafeteria is descriptive, as it reflects what people commonly do rather than what they are expected to do. The norms are also informal, as there are no clear rules or regulations requiring people to get lunch at the cafeteria.

Juanita Notices That People in Her Group Get Their Lunch