Folkways, Mores, & Taboos Are Types of Norms

The term “norm” is rather often used in sociology and is defined as “the specific cultural expectation for how to behave in a given situation.” (Andersen, Taylor, 2009, p. 8). People, living in a concrete country or travelling there should subdue to the accepted there norms of behavior. Norms might be unique for each separate culture and be controversial in various cultures. One of the examples of different norms could be the eye contact – in some countries it is considered preferable, when you are talking to another person, in other countries – it is not polite. Norms are usually subdivided into several categories, namely: folkways, mores and taboos, each of them having their characteristic features.

People are used to the word “customs”, which could be in sociology associated with folkways. Folkways include the standards of behavior, which are not official, but accepted by people for the sake of their comfort and tradition. They include for example food or dressing habits, breaking of which would usually have no serious consequences.

Mores are stricter norms of individuals’ behavior, which are related to concrete definitions of right and wrong. They are usually considered to be weightier, than folkways, people react much stronger to their violation and reveal high disapproval degree, if they are broken. One of the examples of mores is related to religion. Religion is a part of cultural traditions of any country; there are certain norms of behavior in church or some religious traditions, which are strictly followed by the supporters of this religion.  Breaking of them they would consider morally wrong, and it would hardly remain unnoticed or accepted.

Taboo is a rather widespread characteristic, which is applied to the types of behavior, which under no condition could be accepted as morally and ethically correct. The range of concrete taboo norms is wide and different in various countries and religions, thus for example for Muslim countries eating pork is absolute taboo, as they consider such animals, as pigs, to be not clean. More widespread taboos are incest or cannibalism.

Overall, each culture has developed and exists in the frames of the social and cultural norms, which prescribe concrete rules of human behavior.

 

References:

Andersen, M.I., Taylor, H. F (2009). Sociology: The Essentials. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
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