What do breaching experiments aim to uncover?

Breaching experiments are designed specifically to expose and explore the responses of individuals when social norms are intentionally violated. These experiments typically involve participants engaging in behaviors that disrupt the expected social order—such as behaving in an unusual manner in common social settings. By doing so, researchers can observe how others react to these breaches, revealing the underlying social structures, expectations, and norms that govern everyday interactions. The insights gained from such experiments highlight the importance of social norms in maintaining social cohesion and how they can influence individual behavior and social interactions. This focus on responses to broken social norms is essential for understanding the complexities of social norms and the role they play in society.