Part A (Q2): How Social Customs are determinants of Development?

Social customs act as a massive environmental blueprint that shapes how an individual develops psychosocially. They determine what behaviors are considered "normal" or "abnormal" at various stages of life.

1. Gender Role Development: Customs heavily dictate how boys and girls should behave, what toys they play with, and what aspirations they should have. This deeply impacts cognitive and emotional development based on gender.
2. Parenting Styles: Customs dictate child-rearing practices. For example, in collectivist cultures (like India), customs encourage interdependence, obedience to elders, and family cohesion. In individualistic cultures, customs promote early independence and self-reliance.
3. Milestone Expectations: Customs define the "social clock"—when a person is expected to marry, start a career, or have children. Hitting or missing these culturally defined milestones affects a person's self-esteem and psychosocial well-being.
4. Moral Development: An individual's sense of right and wrong is almost entirely absorbed from the prevailing social customs and religious traditions of their community.