The ways in which people are expected to behave in a particular situation.

• A. Social control
• B. Rewards
• C. Social expectations
• D. Sanctions

Answer: (C)

Social expectations are the shared beliefs about how people should behave in a given situation. They act as unwritten norms that guide actions in everyday life, helping people know what is appropriate, polite, or acceptable in that context. For example, in a classroom it’s expected to raise your hand to speak and listen when others are talking; in a formal event, wearing appropriate attire is expected. These expectations can be explicit rules or informal understandings and can vary across cultures and settings.

This term fits best because the statement is about what people are expected to do, not about the penalties for not doing it or the rewards for compliance, or the broader system that enforces norms. Sanctions describe punishments or rewards after behavior, social control refers to the mechanisms that enforce norms in society, and rewards are incentives used to promote certain behavior.