Right and Wrong Subjective?

[Eerongal]

But it's hardly normative.

You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means.

inconceivable!!

[/off topic]

[Renoard]

Actually it means exactly what I think it does.  It is an adjective or predicate that means fitting with the norms and expectations of the group in question.  It's a sociology term.  A normative behavior is one that is either a common choice within a group or an integral part of group distinctives.  Having to do with norms.

[SarahG]

I'm familiar with the word normative and its sociological origins, or I would never have commented on your use of it.  It sounded to me (both here, and on the "Brandon to Write Wheel of Time Book 12" thread) like you were confusing it with "normal" in the non-sociological sense of "common" or "ordinary" or "usual".  My understanding is that the word has more of a "here's what behavior our group expects, approves of, and encourages" connotation, not just "here's what behavior frequently occurs within our group".  It is a value judgment, roughly synonymous with "prescriptive".

But people get bored when other people quibble about definitions, so I'm happy to drop this argument.  While you and I may disagree on the precise connotations of the word, I freely admit that I underestimated your knowledge of sociology and its terminology.  I assumed, wrongly, that you were one of those annoying people who try to sound smart by misusing big words, saying things like "simplistic" when they mean "simple".  I'm sorry.

[Renoard]

No problem.  I left out the fact that I agree that for a common behavior in a group to be normative it also needs to be to some degree a distinctive for that group.  Which trends toward being prescriptive.  So I think we MOSTLY agree anyway.