The Decline in Shared Collective Conscience as Found in the Shifting Norms and Values of Etiquette Manuals

In this article we address E mile D urkheim's theory that norms and values become more generalized and abstract in a society as it becomes more complex and differentiated. To test D urkheim's theory we examine etiquette manuals—the common texts that define normative manners and morals in American society. We perform a deductive content analysis on past and present etiquette manuals to understand what changes have occurred regarding shifting behavioral norms and values over time. Our findings suggest that a change has occurred in the presentation and language of contemporary etiquette manuals, reflecting a greater change in the normative order. We find—as D urkheim would expect—that three main shifts have occurred: a shift from specific to general expectations for behavior in social settings, a shift from demanding to more suggestive rules of behavior in social situations, and a weakening in the severity of sanctions for breaches of etiquette.