Living in a Social World
Psy 324: Advanced Social Psychology
Miami University

News from a Social Psychology Perspective

These materials may be used for research, study, and education, but please credit the authors and source.

Norms in Conflict: Crackdown on Prom Wear -- March, 1999.  Analysis by Kristen Allodi, Jerry Greene, Ed Gries, & Mick Rakauskas

Students, teachers, and parents have recently been engulfed in a debate over what is and is not appropriate attire and conduct at high school dances. The debate stems from recent events at Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills high school. Recently, the increased level of sexual undertones in the students’ conduct has appalled parents.

The school’s administration is currently in the process of defining acceptable behaviors and determining possible methods for enforcing these behaviors. Graphic sexually related displays found in the students’ dress and dance have warranted the need for change in status-quo policy. The evolution of acceptable social norms and values has lead to the debate between the students, parents, and faculty. Parents try to instill morals and values representative of their times, but now apparently seem contrary to today’s trends.

Related topics include: expectancies, intimacy, attraction, physical attractiveness, social norms, attributions, morals, gender roles, generation gap, evolution, and schemas.

*Click Here for The Team's Final Analysis*

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Social Psychology / Miami University (Ohio USA). Last revised: . This document has been accessed   times since 1 Sept 1998.  Comments & Questions to R. Sherman

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