Final answer:
The question addresses the phenomena of societal norms around perceptions of time and deadlines. It deals with how society's evolution has extended goal-achievement cycles, and the impact of these time structures on individuals through a combination of social norms, media influence, and age-related transitions. Societal expectations dictate the timing and structure of life events, with technology and media shaping our perception of time as compressed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The perception of time, especially in the context of societal norms with a focus on deadlines, indicates an understanding of how socialization processes and societal expectations shape individuals' experiences of time. In contemporary society, goal-achievement cycles are extended, with goals often set years into the future, contrasting with the natural environment where goals are immediate and short-term. Our society imposes deadlines as a crucial element for structuring social and economic activities, which are regulated by formal and informal social norms.
New media forms and technologies have intensified the sense of time compressing, contributing to a society where information flow is constant and disconnection difficult, described as time-space compression. This condition affects individuals' social identities and everyday lives, and it has significant implications for social interaction and the digital divide. Sociologists like Lazerfeld and Merton discuss consequences such as narcotizing dysfunction, where individuals become overwhelmed and their involvement in social issues becomes passive.
Furthermore, socialization, which is greatly influenced by age norms and time-related regulation, leads to transitional points in life where individuals assume new roles, adjusted by cultural expectations from the society they belong to. The United States, for example, has structured norms such as mandatory education for children and retirement age, reflecting a systematic approach to managing the lifecycle within a sociocultural framework.