The Relational Foundation of Norm Enforcement

Abstract

Understanding norms requires explaining both where rules come from and why people enforce them. The mere fact that a rule prohibits a behavior does not mean that the behavior will be punished. Rather, the same action with the same consequences may be sanctioned in some social environments and not in others. Depending on the circumstances, people may punish behaviors that are harmful or harmless, and they may do so even without a belief that the behavior is wrong. In other words, normative rules and norm enforcement are only loosely connected. Rules provide guidance to people regarding what they should sanction, but do not explain why they do so. I argue that social relationships are a key factor in explaining norm enforcement. That is, sanctioning depends on the characteristics of relationships between group members and the expectations people hold regarding how others are likely to react to their sanctioning efforts. Evidence from a series of laboratory experiments shows how social relationships and expectations affect sanctioning, thereby contributing to the emergence of norms.