Final answer:
The statement is true. Normative history-graded influences are shared cultural events that shape individuals and societies, although not all normative events are experienced universally. These influences, alongside social conformity and emerging norms, play a key role in understanding historical causation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is true: Normative history-graded influences are events that most people in a specific culture experience at the same time. These events often have a significant impact on individuals and society as they forge common experiences that are shared by a particular cohort, which is a group of individuals who experience an event within the same period.
It's important to clarify that not all normative events are universal; some experiences, like biological milestones such as puberty, are almost universal across cultures. In contrast, social milestones can vary significantly from culture to culture. For instance, the age at which children start formal schooling can be different based on cultural norms and socioeconomic factors. In some developed countries, it is common for children to begin school around the ages of 5 or 6, while in other parts of the world such as developing countries, the age can be higher, and some children might not have access to schooling at all.
Social conformity is closely related to normative influences as it pertains to the informal and formal social norms that guide behavior within a culture. Norms can be fluid and can change in response to societal shifts or events. For example, emergent norm theory explains how norms can rapidly shift in crowd situations and highlight the dynamic nature of social norms as influenced by historical events.
Historians seek to understand the multiple levels of causation behind events, including history-graded influences. Their goal is to comprehend not only the immediate causes of events but also the long-term societal shifts that occur as a result. An appreciation of these diverse causes deepens our understanding of how historical events shape our present situation and influence individual choices, societal norms, and the shaping of history itself.