Work

Norms and concealment

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Norms promote cooperation and prosocial behavior in groups, and one way in which norms support social order is by regulating concealment. However, systematic evidence on whether a norm of concealment affects the frequency of concealment and the content of what people conceal remains scarce. Using data from two surveys of US adults, we find that the norm of concealment is a moral norm that correlates with counts of concealment, the proportion of behaviors concealed, and membership in unique subgroups of concealers. We also find that the norm of concealment is relatively weak in terms of its character: it is bipolar, conditional, and of moderate intensity, with respondents disagreeing about the nature of the norm. Our findings suggest that individuals who follow a moral norm against concealment withhold less information than others.

Source: Sociological Forum

DOI: 10.1111/socf.13055

Authors: Maria S. Grigoryeva, Blaine G. Robbins

Institution: New York University Abu Dhabi

Language: English

Topic: Social Power and Status Dynamics

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,240