Norms and it’s Types

In sociology
Norms :
• The rules or expectations that determine and regulate appropriate
behavior within a culture, group, or society.

• They inform specific people how to handle different situations and

control their social behavior without necessarily using the law. Social
norms are basically unwritten rules of conduct that are acceptable to
a culture. These rules provide order and inform people on how to
behave, thus providing certainty in society. An example of a social
norm is greeting a person when you meet them.
Types of Norms
There are four types of norms:
1. Folkways
2. Mores
3. Taboos
4. Law
Folkways
• Folkways are customs that we follow but are often not written down.
We learn them through intuition as we grow up.

• If you break a folkway, you might be considered a little strange, but no

one will be too upset. You just might not make friends! People who
understand folkways are usually more liked and socially accepted.
Example
• Covering Your Mouth When You Cough Or Sneeze
• Dressing Appropriately At Work
• Wearing A School Uniform
• Not Spitting On The Sidewalk
• Saying Please And Thank You
• Eating with your right hand
Mores :
• Mores are moral norms. The term ‘more’ comes from ‘morality’. If
you break a more, society will consider you to be immoral. Some
mores are illegal (making them also laws), while others are not.

• Generally, we look at a more as something that has a clear ‘right or

wrong’.

• Stricter social guidelines that carry some form of punishment

Example
• Some examples of mores include lying, stealing, gossiping, bullying,
and dishonesty.

• Skipping A Funeral
• Imagine if someone close to you died and you didn’t go to their
funeral! This is not illegal, of course, but it’s something that might
cause people to question your moral character.
Taboos
• A taboo is an activity or behavior that is forbidden, prohibited or otherwise
outside of what is considered acceptable in society.

• Taboos are social norms in a society that are considered shocking if you
break them. They’re often things that no one talks about because they’re
so embarrassing and socially unacceptable.

• Taboos are often things that are silently whispered about because they’re
so unacceptable. They’re things kept secret and especially not talked about
in front of children. They will often leave people shocked when people
break them.
Types of Taboos
• Cultural Taboos – A cultural taboo is something that is considered
inappropriate to do or discuss within a specific cultural or sub-cultural
group. Cultures such as the Tongans, French, Brazilians, and Native
Americans all have their own taboos.

• Religious Taboos – A religious taboo is something forbidden by a religion.

Many actions and thoughts are banned by sacred religious texts such as the
Torah, Old Testament, and Quran.

• Food Taboos – A Food taboo is a restriction on what foods are considered

appropriate to eat, as well as appropriate ways to eat foods. This can also
apply to drinks. Some food taboos are enforced by religions and cultures.
Examples
Cultural Taboos –Photographing Strangers (Worldwide) – Taking a photo of a stranger
without their permission is considered an invasion of privacy and may even be against the
law in some circumstances. If people are identifiable in the background of your pictures,
it’s polite to blur their faces before sharing the images.

Religious Taboos – Pork is banned in Judaism and Islam.

Homosexuality – Several of the major religions have rules against homosexuality.

• Food Taboos-While alcohol is celebrated in most of Europe, some Arabic

nations consider it to be a morally questionable activity. This likely stems
directly from Islamic beliefs.
Law
• Laws are cultural and social norms that are policed by the state. If you’re
found to have broken a law, you could be fined or even go to jail.

• Laws are norms that are actually defined as being legal or illegal. The
government has decided these norms are so important that you could get
in trouble for breaking them.

• Laws exist to discourage behavior that would typically result in injury or

harm to another person, including violations of property rights. Those who
enforce laws have been given legal right by a government to control
behavior for the good of society at large.
Example
• Whether someone can be married to more than one
person at the same time is a matter of law in many
societies.

• Commonly, a society will pass laws related to violence

against others, theft, and damage to property.