Shifting standards model
Okay kiddo, imagine you're playing a game with some friends, like tag.
At first, everyone agrees that the rules are simple: one person is "it" and they have to tag everyone else to win. But as the game goes on, people start changing the rules. Maybe someone says that if you tag a tree or a bench, that counts as tagging a person. Or maybe someone says they have a special power that lets them avoid being tagged.
Each time someone changes the rules, it gets a little confusing. You might find yourself wondering, "Wait, what are the rules now? How am I supposed to win?"
That's kind of like what the shifting standards model is all about. It's a way of explaining how people's expectations and standards can change over time, and how that can make it hard to figure out what's right or wrong.
For example, let's say your teacher tells you that you need to study for at least an hour every night to do well in class. If you don't study for an hour, you might feel like you're not doing enough. But if your teacher later changes their mind and says you only need to study for 30 minutes, suddenly you might feel like you're doing too much if you study for a whole hour!
That's because the standard or expectation has "shifted" over time. And the same thing can happen in lots of different situations. Maybe your parents used to be okay with you staying up late on weekends, but now they want you to go to bed earlier. Or maybe your boss used to be happy with you finishing tasks by the end of the day, but now they want things done even faster.
It can be frustrating because it's hard to keep up with what's expected of you. But one thing to remember is that sometimes these shifts happen for good reasons. Maybe your teacher realized that 30 minutes is actually enough time to study, or maybe your boss is under a lot of pressure to meet a deadline.
And if you're ever unsure about what's expected of you, it's always okay to ask for clarification!
At first, everyone agrees that the rules are simple: one person is "it" and they have to tag everyone else to win. But as the game goes on, people start changing the rules. Maybe someone says that if you tag a tree or a bench, that counts as tagging a person. Or maybe someone says they have a special power that lets them avoid being tagged.
Each time someone changes the rules, it gets a little confusing. You might find yourself wondering, "Wait, what are the rules now? How am I supposed to win?"
That's kind of like what the shifting standards model is all about. It's a way of explaining how people's expectations and standards can change over time, and how that can make it hard to figure out what's right or wrong.
For example, let's say your teacher tells you that you need to study for at least an hour every night to do well in class. If you don't study for an hour, you might feel like you're not doing enough. But if your teacher later changes their mind and says you only need to study for 30 minutes, suddenly you might feel like you're doing too much if you study for a whole hour!
That's because the standard or expectation has "shifted" over time. And the same thing can happen in lots of different situations. Maybe your parents used to be okay with you staying up late on weekends, but now they want you to go to bed earlier. Or maybe your boss used to be happy with you finishing tasks by the end of the day, but now they want things done even faster.
It can be frustrating because it's hard to keep up with what's expected of you. But one thing to remember is that sometimes these shifts happen for good reasons. Maybe your teacher realized that 30 minutes is actually enough time to study, or maybe your boss is under a lot of pressure to meet a deadline.
And if you're ever unsure about what's expected of you, it's always okay to ask for clarification!
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