Convention (norm)

People have many ways of acting. These are called conventions. They are rules we all agree on.

Some rules are not written down. For example, people shake hands to say hello. In other lands, people bow to show respect.

Some rules are laws. In some places, cars drive on the right. In other places, cars drive on the left.

Rules can change over time. What is normal now might be different later. This helps people live together.

Rules also help us be kind. We can give up a seat to an elderly person. These small acts help everyone.

A convention is a rule that people agree on. Some rules are written as laws. In the United States, cars drive on the right side of the road. In the United Kingdom, cars drive on the left side.

Other rules are not written down. These are often called customs. For example, many people shake hands to say hello. In Japan or China, people bow to show respect. In Thailand, people may wai to one another. These rules help people know how to act in a group.

Social rules can change over time. What is normal today might change in the future. Rules can also be different in different places. Some rules tell us how to be polite. We might give a seat to an elderly person on a bus. We might stay quiet in a library.

Even governments use conventions. These are unwritten rules for leaders. In some systems, like the Westminster System, these rules are very important. Following these rules helps a country run smoothly.

A convention is a way that people agree to act. It can be a rule that is written down as a law. It can also be an unwritten custom that a group of people follows. These rules help us understand what is normal in a group. They help us know how to behave in different places. Without these shared ideas, it would be hard to live together.

There are many different ways that conventions work in our daily lives. Some conventions are about how we move through the world. For example, motorists in the United States and Germany drive on the right side of the road. In places like Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom, they drive on the left. Other conventions are about how we greet each other. In Western societies, people often shake hands when they meet. In Korea, Japan, and China, people might bow instead. In Thailand, they use a gesture called a wai.

People have studied these rules for a very long time. Philosophers like David Lewis and Ruth Millikan have written about how they work. Some thinkers, like the Buddha, said that conventions arise from specific conditions. He taught that seeing these rules as the only truth can lead to conflict. Instead, he suggested a Middle Way of using them when they are helpful. This means we can follow rules without thinking they are the only way to exist.

Conventions can be found in almost every part of society. In a library, the convention is to speak very quietly. In a cinema, the convention is to turn off your phone. There are even rules for how to use money or how to treat elders. In many Asian countries, people have a duty to care for older family members. Some rules are even used in science to agree on measurements. These help scientists all over the world work together using the same scales.

Even governments use these unwritten rules to function. In the Westminster System of government, many rules are not written in law books. These are called political conventions. If a leader ignores these rules, there might be consequences. However, courts usually do not enforce them because they are not legal laws. These rules help leaders know how to act even when a law does not say so. They keep the system running smoothly for everyone.

A convention is a set of agreed-upon standards or social norms. These can be unwritten customs shared by a community. They can also be explicitly legislated rules. Conventions influence how we behave, how we measure things, and how we organize our societies. They act as a selection from two or more alternatives. Participants agree on one rule to follow. This agreement helps create order in many different areas of life.

In the physical sciences, conventions take a specific form. Scientists use conventional values for certain measurements. These values do not represent a measured property of nature. Instead, they originate from an agreement between scientists. For example, they might use an average of many measurements as a standard. This ensures that everyone uses the same scales or constants. This standardization allows researchers to work together accurately.

Social conventions are rules that people follow in a society. These are often not written in law. Sociologists study how these rules are socially constructed. This means people create them through interaction. Symbolic interactionism suggests these rules are shaped by how members of a society communicate. Because they rely on interaction, social rules are fluid and shifting. They change depending on the specific time and place.

There are many different types of social conventions. Greetings are a common example. In Western societies, people often shake hands. In Korea, Japan, and China, people may bow to one another. In Thailand, people use a gesture called a wai. In the United States, business handshakes involve eye contact and a smile. Other conventions include etiquette, such as being punctual or tipping at a restaurant. There are also property norms, like returning items to where they were found.

Conventions have been a major subject of philosophical study. Philosophers like David Lewis have written influential accounts of how they work. Margaret Gilbert offered an alternative account in her 1989 book, "On Social Facts." Ruth Millikan also provided a different view in her 2005 work. Additionally, the Buddha described conventions as arising from specific conditions. He suggested that treating conventions as absolute realities can lead to dogmatism and conflict. He advised a "Middle Way" of using conventions when they are useful without seeing them as ultimate truths.

Some social conventions eventually become formal laws. In the United States, many customs are now legal requirements. For instance, there are laws regarding the age to buy alcohol or drive. Rules about using zebra crossings in cities are also based on social norms. Even the way motorists drive is a convention. In the United States and Germany, motorists drive on the right. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan, they drive on the left.

Finally, conventions play a vital role in government. In political systems, conventions are unwritten rules that participants must follow. The Westminster System relies heavily on these unwritten rules. If a leader ignores a political convention, there may be consequences. However, these rules are non-legal. According to the traditional doctrine of Dicey, courts cannot enforce them. They serve to guide behavior within the government even without a written law.