Le 34e Congrès annuel de la SQRP

permettant de mieux comprendre l’expérience des enfants d’immigrants et de leurs parents,
particulièrement les aspects liés aux différences culturelles, seront discutées, ainsi que les implications
théoriques.
4. Addressing dysfunctional sociocultural norms: A normative approach to constructive community
change
TAYLOR, Donald M. (1) ; DE LA SABLONNIÈRE, Roxane (2)
(1) Université McGill ; (2) Université de Montréal
For any organization, group or community to achieve its goals, the vast majority of its members must
adhere to the socially defined norms of the group. These would include norms common to all group
members as well as more particular norms associated with the myriad of interrelated roles that
coordinate group activity. These norms are fundamental to the well-functioning of individuals in groups,
guiding their behaviour and interactions with others. As such groups take seriously any members who
exhibit non-normative behaviour since they compromise the effective functioning of the group. The
process is qualitatively different for groups that suffer a normative imbalance wherein norms foster
dysfunctional behaviours, such as the imbalance that can be observed among some Aboriginal
communities and inner-city communities in Canada. We will first introduce a normative theory for
constructive social change, particularly in contexts of normative imbalance. We will then illustrate the
value of this theory by reviewing community-based research that employs an innovative survey research
methodology as a vehicle for constructive social change. The implications of the theory as well as the
survey research method in terms of promoting functional behaviours will be discussed.
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