Internalization is the acceptance of norms as part of one's identity. Which option best describes this concept?

Internalization is the acceptance of norms as part of one's identity. Which option best describes this concept?

• A. The conscious adoption of norms as part of one's identity
• B. Formal sanctions imposed by authorities
• C. The acceptance of norms as part of one's identity
• D. The social process of shaming

Answer: (C)

Internalization is about norms becoming part of who you are, so you follow them because they feel like your own standards, not just because you’re told to. That makes the description that emphasizes acceptance of norms as part of one’s identity the best fit, since it captures the integration of norms into one’s self-concept. The idea of conscious adoption suggests a deliberate choice that may not fully reflect the deepest internal integration. External controls, like formal sanctions or shaming, influence behavior from the outside and don’t describe norms being taken into the self.

Internalization is about norms becoming part of who you are, so you follow them because they feel like your own standards, not just because you’re told to. That makes the description that emphasizes acceptance of norms as part of one’s identity the best fit, since it captures the integration of norms into one’s self-concept. The idea of conscious adoption suggests a deliberate choice that may not fully reflect the deepest internal integration. External controls, like formal sanctions or shaming, influence behavior from the outside and don’t describe norms being taken into the self.