Exploring Social Norms and Cognitive Simulations in Social Behavior

Social norms work because of social cognition, where our brains create simulations of other people's minds to anticipate their thoughts and actions. These simulations are based on appearances and behaviors, which may lead to misunderstandings. During times of abrupt change like the pandemic, there is a disruption in social norms resulting in confusion and the need to adapt to new behaviors according to new guidelines.