Final answer:
The student nurse is describing group norms, the informal behavior guidelines that vary between groups, leading to the student’s socialization into the evening class's different cultural behaviors. This is part of informal education, learning that is not structured and happens through socialization and emergent norm theory's concepts, adapting to new norms in different settings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student nurse is describing group norms, which are the informal guidelines of behavior and a fundamental concept in sociology. These norms often vary from one group to another, and what might be considered normal behavior in one setting (the daytime class with its structure and formality) may not align with the norms of another group (the evening class with its casual atmosphere and open discussion style). The process the student goes through when adjusting to the different atmosphere can be seen as a form of socialization, a method by which individuals learn and adapt to the new cultural behaviors that come with being part of a different group.
Informal education plays a key role here. This type of learning relates to (b) the learning of cultural norms rather than a structured academic curriculum. This kind of education doesn't rely on a planned instructional process and can occur in various settings, including peer interactions in the classroom or during activities like joining a sorority or fraternity, where students learn new social norms and roles.
Insights from emergent norm theory by sociologists Ralph Turner and Lewis Killian (1993) also help understand this situation. Norms within a group, especially in crowd situations, can be fluid, changing due to the influence of individual behaviors and external factors. As a new environment presents itself, such as joining a college or new class, students often find themselves adapting to these emergent norms to fit in with their new reference groups.