How Societal Norms Influence Our Nonconscious Behaviours

Introduction

Our behaviors and attitudes may seem like entirely personal choices, but research suggests that much of our social behavior operates at an implicit, or unconscious, level. This unconscious aspect, known as "implicit social cognition," was examined by Anthony Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji in a 1995 study that aimed to understand how societal influences—like cultural norms, stereotypes, and societal expectations—shape our subconscious attitudes, self-esteem, and stereotypes​.

What is Implicit Social Cognition?

Implicit social cognition refers to the unconscious influences of our past experiences on current judgments, behaviors, and preferences. These subconscious influences often occur without our active awareness, guiding our responses and decisions in ways that don’t align with our conscious beliefs​. For instance, someone might consciously believe in gender equality, but due to underlying implicit biases shaped by societal norms, they might unconsciously display stereotypical assumptions about gender roles.

How Societal Norms Shape Implicit Bias

According to Greenwald and Banaji, implicit biases often arise from repeated exposure to societal norms. These norms are shared beliefs within a culture that dictate how people are expected to think and act. Over time, these expectations shape our subconscious beliefs, even if we consciously disagree with them. The research explains that attitudes and stereotypes, once acquired, can operate implicitly, meaning they influence us without our being fully aware​.

Implicit Attitudes and Stereotypes

Implicit attitudes are subconscious evaluations that we may have towards people, objects, or situations. For example, cultural norms often associate certain personality traits with gender, which may lead people to subconsciously view men as more assertive and women as more nurturing. Greenwald and Banaji found that even those who explicitly reject gender stereotypes may unconsciously exhibit bias in line with these stereotypes​.

A well-known example of implicit stereotyping is the "halo effect," where positive traits in one area (like physical attractiveness) lead people to assume other positive traits (such as kindness or intelligence). In their research, Greenwald and Banaji highlighted how societal norms around physical attractiveness create implicit biases that influence judgment, even among people who are not consciously aware of these biases​.

Self-Esteem and Societal Influences

Societal norms also shape implicit self-esteem. While people may consciously view themselves in a particular way, underlying social influences—such as cultural standards of success and beauty—can unconsciously affect self-worth. This is especially true when societal expectations clash with personal self-assessments. For instance, societal pressure to conform to a certain image can lead individuals to experience internal conflict, creating what psychologists call "cognitive dissonance", or a disconnect between their conscious and subconscious self-evaluations​.

Reducing Implicit Bias

Greenwald and Banaji suggest that understanding and acknowledging the impact of societal norms on our unconscious can help in mitigating biases. For example, they found that drawing people's conscious attention to their biases could reduce implicit bias. Awareness of societal norms allows individuals to challenge these influences actively, promoting more conscious control over subconscious responses​.

Conclusion

Societal norms and implicit social cognition interact in powerful ways, often guiding our thoughts and behaviors without our conscious awareness. Through Greenwald and Banaji's research, we see that societal expectations shape our implicit attitudes, self-esteem, and stereotypes, influencing everything from daily interactions to major life decisions. Recognizing these effects empowers individuals to challenge biases, fostering a more self-aware, equitable society.

Further Reading

Implicit social cognition: attitudes, self-esteem, and stereotypes. (AG Greenwald, MR Banaji. Psychological review, 1995)