Glossary / Lexicon

Equity norm refers to a social standard that encourages distributing rewards and resources in proportion to their inputs.

In social psychology, equity norm refers to the principle that people should be rewarded in proportion to their efforts or contributions. It is based on the idea that individuals should receive fair and just compensation for their work, and that there should be a balance between what they put in and what they get out. The equity norm is closely related to the concept of distributive justice, which refers to the perceived fairness of the distribution of rewards in a group or society.

Examples of equity norm can be found in many different contexts. In the workplace, for instance, employees expect to be paid according to their skills, qualifications, and job responsibilities. If two employees have the same qualifications and perform the same duties, but one is paid significantly more than the other, this violates the equity norm and can lead to feelings of injustice and resentment. Similarly, in a classroom setting, students expect to be graded based on their own efforts and abilities, rather than on factors such as their social background or personal connections. If one student is consistently given better grades than another, even though their performance is similar, this can violate the equity norm and lead to feelings of frustration and demotivation.

Another example of equity norm can be seen in the distribution of resources and benefits within society. People generally believe that everyone should have access to basic necessities such as food, shelter, and healthcare, and that those who work harder or contribute more to society should be rewarded accordingly. When there are large disparities in income and wealth, or when certain groups are systematically disadvantaged, this can be seen as a violation of the equity norm and can lead to social unrest and political turmoil.

Similar concepts to the equity norm include the equality norm and the need-based norm. The equality norm suggests that resources and rewards should be distributed equally among members of a group or society, regardless of their individual contributions. This is often seen as a more radical approach to distributive justice, and can be challenging to implement in practice. The need-based norm, on the other hand, suggests that resources and rewards should be allocated based on the needs of individuals, rather than on their contributions or merits. This approach is often used in social welfare programs and other forms of redistributive policies.

In conclusion, the equity norm is a powerful and widely recognized principle of distributive justice that underpins many aspects of social and economic life. It is based on the idea that people should be rewarded in proportion to their efforts and contributions, and that there should be a fair and just balance between what they put in and what they get out. When this norm is violated, it can lead to feelings of injustice and inequality, and can have far-reaching social and political consequences.