Mores

Mores (/ˈmɔːreɪz/, sometimes /ˈmɔːriːz/;[1] from Latin

mōrēs [ˈmoːreːs], plural form of singular mōs, meaning
"manner, custom, usage, or habit") are social norms
that are widely observed within a particular society or
culture.[2] Mores determine what is considered morally
acceptable or unacceptable within any given culture.

William Graham Sumner (1840–1910), an early U.S.

sociologist, introduced both the terms "mores"
(1898)[3] and "folkways" (1906) into modern
sociology.[4][5]
A 19th-century children's book informs its readers
that the Dutch were a "very industrious race", and
that Chinese children were "very obedient to their
Contents parents".

Terminology
Anthropology
See also
References

Terminology
The English word morality comes from the same Latin root "mōrēs", as does the English noun moral.
However, mores do not, as is commonly supposed, necessarily carry connotations of morality. Rather,
morality can be seen as a subset of mores, held to be of central importance in view of their content, and
often formalized in some kind of moral code.

The Greek terms equivalent to Latin mores are ethos (ἔθος, ἦθος, 'character') or nomos (νόμος, 'law'). As
with the relation of mores to morality, ethos is the basis of the term ethics, while nomos gives the suffix -
onomy, as in astronomy.

Anthropology
The meaning of all these terms extend to all customs of proper behavior in a given society, both religious
and profane, from more trivial conventional aspects of custom, etiquette or politeness—"folkways"
enforced by gentle social pressure, but going beyond mere "folkways" or conventions in including moral
codes and notions of justice—down to strict taboos, behavior that is unthinkable within the society in
question, very commonly including incest and murder, but also the commitment of outrages specific to the
individual society such as blasphemy. Such religious or sacral customs may vary. Some examples include
funerary services, matrimonial services; circumcision and covering of the hair in Judaism, Christian ten
commandments, New Commandment and the sacraments or for example baptism, and Protestant work
ethic, Shahada, prayer, alms, the fast and the pilgrimage as well as modesty in Islam, and religious diet.
While cultural universals are by definition part of the mores of every society (hence also called "empty
universals"), the customary norms specific to a given society are a defining aspect of the cultural identity of
an ethnicity or a nation. Coping with the differences between two sets of cultural conventions is a question
of intercultural competence.

Differences in the mores of various nations are at the root of ethnic stereotype, or in the case of reflection
upon one's own mores, autostereotypes.

The customary norms in a given society may include indigenous land rights, honour, filial piety, customary
law and the customary international law that affects countries who may not have codified their customary
norms. Land rights of indigenous peoples is under customary land tenure, its a system of arrangement in-
line with customs and norms. This is the case in colonies. An example of a norm is an culture of honor
exists in some societies, where the family is viewed as the main source of honor and the conduct of family
members reflects upon their family honor. For instance some writers say in Rome to have an honorable
stance, to be equals with someone, existed for those who are most similar to one another (family and
friends) this could be due to the competing for public recognition and therefore for personal and public
honor, over rhetoric, sport, war, wealth and virtue.[6] To protrude, stand out, be recognized and demonstrate
this "A Roman could win such a “competition” by pointing to past evidences of their honor" and "Or, a
critic might be refuted by one’s performance in a fresh showdown in which one’s bona fides could be
plainly demonstrated."[7] Honor culture only can exist if the society has for males the shared code, a
standard to uphold, guidelines and rules to follow, do not want to break those rules and how to interact
successfully and to engage, this exists within a "closed" community of equals.[8] Filial piety is ethics
towards ones family, as Fung Yu-lan states "the ideological basis for traditional [Chinese] society" and
according to Confucious repay a burden debt back to ones parents or caregiver but its also traditional in
another sense so as to fulfill an obligation to ones own ancestors, also to modern scholars it suggests
extends a attitude of respect to superiors also, who are deserving to have that respect.[9][10][11]

See also
Culture-bound syndrome
Enculturation
Euthyphro dilemma, discussing the conflict of sacral and secular mores
Habitus (sociology)
Nihonjinron "Japanese mores"
Piety
Political and Moral Sociology: see Luc Boltanski and French Pragmatism
Repugnancy costs
Value (personal and cultural)

References
1. "mores" (https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=mores). The American Heritage
Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
2. Macionis, John J.; Gerber, Linda Marie (2010). Sociology (7 ed.). Pearson Education
Canada. p. 65. ISBN 9780138002701.
3. "mores" (https://oed.com/search?searchType=dictionary&q=mores). Oxford English
Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution
membership (https://www.oed.com/public/login/loggingin#withyourlibrary) required.) - "Professor
Sumner:-..Systematic Societology..knowledge and pseudo-knowledge, world philosophy,
otherworldliness, industrial theories, mores, codes, mental training, traditional wisdom."
 4. Macionis, John J.; Gerber, Linda Marie (2010). Sociology (7 ed.). Pearson Education
Canada. p. 65. ISBN 9780138002701.
5. Sumner, William Graham (1906). Keller, Albert Galloway (ed.). Folkways: A Study of the
Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals (https://archive.o
rg/details/folkwaysastudys01sumngoog). Ginn. pp. 692 (https://archive.org/details/folkwaysa
studys01sumngoog/page/n702).
6. McKay, Brett and Kate (28 October 2018). "Does Stoicism Extinguish the Fire of Life?" (http
s://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/does-stoicism-extinguish-the-fire-of-life/).
www.artofmanliness.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021. "Rome was thus not only an honor
culture, but a contest culture... Romans competed both with the living and the dead. They
strove to not only live up to the good name of their ancestors, but to surpass them in glory.
And while we moderns think it gauche to compete with one’s family and friends, the Romans
thought these peers made the best fellow competitors, for they were equals with whom one
shared the most in common... Romans competed over who was most skilled and excellent in
rhetoric, in sports, in war, in wealth, and in virtue — particularly the defining quality of
manhood: courage... The Roman legionary strove not only for personal honor, but for public
recognition; ancient Rome offered many different awards and commendations, and soldiers
competed strenuously for them all."
7. McKay, Brett and Kate (28 October 2018). "Does Stoicism Extinguish the Fire of Life?" (http
s://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/does-stoicism-extinguish-the-fire-of-life/).
www.artofmanliness.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021. "A Roman could win such a
“competition” by pointing to past evidences of their honor; this was a culture in which
politicians shamed political opponents or bolstered the credibility of their own arguments by
tearing open their tunic to reveal scars earned in defense of the republic. Or, a critic might be
refuted by one’s performance in a fresh showdown in which one’s bona fides could be
plainly demonstrated."
8. McKay, Brett and Kate (28 October 2018). "Does Stoicism Extinguish the Fire of Life?" (http
s://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/does-stoicism-extinguish-the-fire-of-life/).
www.artofmanliness.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021. "An honor culture can only function in a
society in which there is a shared code - clear rules, standards and expectations for
interaction and engagement - and within a closed community of equals."
9. Cong, Y. (2004). "Doctor–family–patient Relationship: The Chinese Paradigm of Informed
Consent". The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy. 29 (2): 149–78.
doi:10.1076/jmep.29.2.149.31506 (https://doi.org/10.1076%2Fjmep.29.2.149.31506).
PMID 15371185 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15371185).
10. King, A.Y.; Bond, M.H. (1985). Tseng, W.S.; Wu, D.Y.H. (eds.). "The Confucian Paradigm of
Man: A Sociological View". Chinese Culture and Mental Health. Academic Press: 2–45.
11. Kwan, K.L.K. (2000). "Counseling Chinese peoples: Perspectives of Filial Piety" (http://hkier.
fed.cuhk.edu.hk/journal/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/ajc_v7n1_23-41.pdf) (PDF). Asian
Journal of Counseling. 7 (1): 23–41.

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