Propriety

What is propriety?

Propriety means appropriateness of conduct or feeling in relation to a standard or situation. In everyday use, it often concerns social expectations and manners; standards can differ between settings.

In Adam Smith’s moral philosophy, propriety concerns whether a person's sentiments fit what a spectator can sympathetically share when considering the circumstances. This is more specific than simply following etiquette.

Sense of propriety

A sense of propriety is a judgment about what conduct is appropriate in a setting. Someone may follow a convention to show respect, yet disagree with the convention itself.

Propriety and social expectations

Formal speech at a ceremony and casual speech among friends illustrate how judgments of propriety can depend on the setting. Knowing a convention is different from deciding whether that convention is fair or worth preserving.

Expectations can be explicit rules or unspoken customs, and departures can attract social disapproval. Ask which group sets the standard, who is affected by it, and whether following it would exclude others or suppress a reasonable objection.