Singapore, June 12, 2020 – In a nationwide survey of over 3,000 Singapore residents, we asked respondents about the importance of certain social norms in their neighbourhoods. These are signposts of desirable behaviours and they reflect the level of civic consciousness in the community. Residents from smaller housing types value more norms generally, whereas younger respondents place greater emphasis on behaviours that reflect our multi-racial/multi-religious identity and customs. Greater effort can be targeted at a few under-rated behaviours such as clearing our plates and trays after consuming food at hawker centres, and keeping our corridors and walkways clean and clear of obstacles. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened dengue situation, we should also practise good hygiene by not spitting and littering in public, remove stagnant water at home to prevent mosquito-breeding that give rise to dengue fever, and continue to look out for each other, by volunteering our time and/or resources to help others in need.
- The study on social norms in the neighbourhoods was conducted by Principal Investigator Associate Professor Leong Chan-Hoong of the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth as part of Singapore Cares (SG Cares), a movement that aspires to build a more caring Singapore. The list of norms included in this study was inspired by the People’s Association handbook on “Desirable Social Norms for an Inclusive and Harmonious Community” published in 2017.
- Public adherence to established norms engenders social trust and harmonious living, especially in Singapore’s densely populated, multi-racial and multi-religious neighbourhoods.Social norms can be broadly categorised according to cultural (e.g., “Burn incense only at designated bins”, “Taking care not to mix halal and non-halal utensils”), civic (e.g., “Remove stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes breeding”, “Refrain from spitting or littering in public”), and public transport norms (e.g., “Gives pedestrians the right of way when cycling or riding a personal mobility device”, “Moving to the back/centre of the bus/train for others to board”).See Table 1, for the full ranking of 40 social norms.
- On the whole, respondents living in smaller housing as opposed to larger residential types rated most norms as more important. Older adults, particularly between 45 to 64 years old, put greater emphasis on civic norms, particularly transport-related ones such as “Gives up seats on public transport”, and “Gives pedestrians the right of way when cycling or riding a PMD”. The younger respondents emphasised norms related to cultural diversity.
- The findings call for a segmented approach to public engagement and education, with localised messages for a targeted audience, e.g. reach out to food and beverage operators to reduce noise levels at estates with older residents; building greater awareness and understanding of Singapore’s unique ethno-cultural landscape in the minds of new immigrants and non-residents (such as burning of incense, and conducting weddings and funerals at void decks).
- The list of norms is not exhaustive, and it should be refreshed periodically. In addition, a broader national conversation is warranted to address evolving manners of which Singaporeans should be cognisant.For instance, just 35.4% of respondents viewed “practices environmentally friendly habits” as “very important”, ranked 28 out of 40, 28.2% viewed “clears own plates at hawker centres” as “very important”, ranked 33 out of 40, and 16.8% viewed “volunteers to organise or help out at community events” as “very important”, ranked 37 out of 40. These behaviours are not featured highly on the civic radar of majority of Singaporeans, and if these norms are to be treated as an integral part of our normative culture, greater public awareness and education becomes necessary.
- In light of the spread of coronavirus and rising dengue cases, civic norms promoting social responsibility and keeping Singapore clean and safe have become even more important. These include norms promoting social habits like removing stagnant water to prevent mosquito breeding (which was the top-ranked norm among survey respondents), clearing our own plates and trays at hawker centres and food courts, and supporting those in need. All of us can do our part to adopt these good social habits, look out for one another, and safeguard our public health in Singapore.
Table 1. Ranking of Social Norms by Percent Rating of ‘Very Important’
Type of norms
% rated ‘very important’
Remove stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes breeding
Refrain from spitting or littering in public
Only smokes in designated areas
Leashes pets and clears their droppings
Gives up seats on public transport
Burns incense only at designated bins
Ensures garbage is properly bagged before disposal
Gives pedestrians the right of way when cycling or riding a personal mobility device
Queues up properly
Allow others to alight before boarding train
Ensures excess water is drained before hanging wet laundry outside
Moves to the back/centre of the bus/train for others to board
Keep common areas clean
Takes care not to mix halal and non-halal utensils
Reduces noise levels in the evening
Refrains from using the horn or high beam indiscriminately
Shows understanding to funerals at void decks
Gets along well with neighbours
Keeps to the left of escalators and walkways
Shows understanding to weddings at void decks
Being conscious of noise levels in public places
Willing to share their table at hawker centres
Holds the lift when someone is approaching
Shows understanding to incense burning
Respects personal space by keeping a comfortable distance from others
Would do favours for neighbours
Proactively offers help to others in need
Practices environmentally friendly habits
Interacts with people of different backgrounds
Would ask neighbours to keep eye on their home when no one is around
Smiles and greets others
Refrains from public displays of affection
Clears own plates in hawker centres
Would eat at hawker centres
Speak in English when interacting with people of different cultures
Volunteers to organise or help out at community events
Borrows/lends household items
Able to speak local languages/dialects when interacting with others
Participates in grassroots and community events
For more details on the key findings and rankings, please click here.
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