Citation

Stamkou E, Homan AC, Van Kleef GA. Curr. Opin. Psychol. 2020; 33: 74-79.

Affiliation

University of Amsterdam, Department of Social Psychology, P.O. Box 15900, 1001 NK Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.07.012

PMID

31400662

Abstract

'Social norms keep anarchy at bay, yet norm violations are omnipresent. Although norm violators are generally rejected from higher-ranking positions, they sometimes rise up the ranks. We advance a threat-opportunity framework to understand how contextual factors shape norm violators' downward or upward mobility in social hierarchies. The contextual factors we identify pertain to attributes of the actor (violator), the observer, and the cultural context, which influence whether norm violations are construed as threats or opportunities. Norm violators rise up when their actions promote group goals, but they fall from grace when their actions obstruct observers' own interests or culturally reinforced goals. We offer a review of the literature, which supports the threat-opportunity framework. We close by suggesting future research directions.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en