How do informal norms and cultural customs influence political behavior?

In neoinstitutionalism, informal norms and cultural customs are recognized as essential constraints that shape political behavior alongside formal rules. These influences operate through several theoretical frameworks:1

• Normative Institutionalism: This approach suggests that political actors follow norms because they perceive certain actions as appropriate or inappropriate for their specific roles. Adherence is driven by a sense of duty or professional standard rather than just personal gain.1
• Sociological Institutionalism: This perspective argues that some norms are so deeply embedded that they become taken-for-granted. Actors follow these customs because they cannot conceive of alternative ways to behave, often leading to standardized responses to crises, such as appointing independent inquiries.1
• Cultural Context: The "culture matters" explanation posits that values and norms are constitutive of political relations. Mutual trust, for example, serves as a foundation for the acceptance of rules and the perseverance of political systems. This helps explain why political actors may behave differently even when operating under similar formal institutional arrangements, such as liberal democracies.2

Ultimately, these informal elements provide stability and legitimacy to political systems, often dictating how actors navigate the space between formal requirements and social expectations.12