What does “Vorstellungen” mean in this context?

Question

I receive emails from Deutsche Welle and like the title says I want to know what Die Vorstellungen darüber means in this context:

Was ist normal, was unnormal? Die Vorstellungen darüber, was den gesellschaftlichen Normen entspricht und was nicht, unterscheiden sich von Land zu Land. Und sie verändern sich im Lauf der Zeit – auch in Deutschland.

Leo translates it as Agenda, Notion, Idea...which one fits the context best?

Answer 1

"Vorstellungen" are derived from the verb "sich etwas vorstellen" - originally to imagine something, or in an extended meaning to back something with an opinion, or have an expectation on something.

So "Vorstellungen" refers a number of generic opinions or expectations, as no one having that expectations in particular is mentioned in your example, we may assume it's anyone. So in your particular example, the word is best translated to

general expectations

or

norms

(referring to "normal" and "abnormal" in the sentence before.)

Answer 2

I would translate it with:

The general idea of what corresponds to the social norms and what not...