 Folkways
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Definition
example
Nature
Social importance
 Mores
Definition
Types
Nature and characteristics
Difference between folkways and mores
 Customs
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Definition
Nature
Social importance
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The term folkways was introduced into
sociological literature by W.G.Sumner in a
book with the title-Folkways published in
1906.
The word means literally, the ways of the
folk. Folks means people and Ways refers to
their behavioural habits.
Folkways are the accepted ways of behaviour.
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Definition
According to Sumner, folkways represent
man’s unique means of adapting himself to
the environment.
Gillin and Gillin say that “Folkways are
behaviour patterns of everyday life which
generally arise unconsciously in a group.”
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Lundberg has said that “Folkways are the
typical or habitual beliefs, attitudes and styles
of conduct observed within a group or
community.”
In simple word, ‘folkways’ can be understood
as “repetitive petty acts of the people.”
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The ways of eating,
talking,
dressing,
playing,
walking,
greeting,
conversing,
expressing love and affection, etc. reprsent
folkways.
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1. Social in nature
Folkways are the products of man’s
group life.
2. Repetitive in character
A social practice becomes a folkway when
majority of people observe it constantly and
regularity.
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3. Unplanned origin
The origin of folkways are very obscure.
Sumner believed that they arise automatically
and unconsciously.
They are not the result of any advance
planning.
Someone in the group starts a new way
May be a hairstyle, a dress style, a
conversational style.
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4. Informal enforcement
Folkways constitute one of the type of
informal means of social control.
Folkways are not as compulsive and
obligatory as that of law or morals.
Ex. One who does not brush his teeth
regularly and properly , it is not going to be
punished by law.
One can neglect and violate one or a few of
the folkways but no same person can neglect
and violate all of them.
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5.folkways differ a lot
Folkways differ from group to group and
society to society.
Folkways vary with age and sex in almost all
the place
Ex. women hair style; long or short
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6.Folkways are numerous
It is not possible for anyone to enlist all the
folkways.
7.Folkways are subject to change
Folkways change with changing social
condition.
Some folkways undergo rapid change
Sumner called them ‘fashions.’
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The folkways are the foundation of every
culture.
Folkways have reduced much of our mental
strain and nervous tension by helping us to
handle social relations in a comfortable way.
Sumner believed that “the life of society
consists of making folkways and applying
them. The science of society must be
constructed as the study of them.”
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Universal characteristics of human societies
They contribute to the order and stability of
social relation.
Human infants learn the folkways through the
elders as naturally as they grow older.
Infants learn different folkways as different
stage .
Folkways control informally the society.
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The mores represent yet another category of
norms.
Mores is a term used to denote behaviour
patterns which are not only accepted but are
prescribed.
All of the folkways are not equally important.
Some of them become more compulsive and
regulators of behaviour are normally referred
to as mores.
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According to R.M. MacIver and C.H.Page,
“When the folkways have added to them
conception of group welfare, standards of
right and wrong, they are converted into
mores.”
Gillin and Gillin say that “Mores are those
customs and group routines which are
thought by the members of the society to be
necessary to the group’s continued
existence.”
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simple words we can say
when the folkways clearly
represent the group standard,
the group sense of what is
fitting, right, and conductive
to well-being then they
become mores.
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1. Positive mores
Positive mores always ‘prescribe’ behaviour
patterns.
They represent the ‘do’s.
They give instructions and provide guidance
for the people to behave in a particular way.
Ex. Respecting elders, protecting children,
doing service to the society, etc.
 Negative
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mores
Negative mores ‘prescribe’ behaviour
patterns.
They represent the ‘don’ts.
They are often called ‘taboos’
Ex. Don’t appear before the people without
dress,
Don’t be cruel to the wife and children
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1.Mores are the regulators of your social life.
Mores represent the living character of the
group or community.
They put restrictions on our behaviour
2. Mores are relatively more persistent
Mores are relatively long lasting than ordinary
folkways.
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Ex. People at one time resisted the efforts of
the law-makers to abolish the so-called
morals such as slavery, child marriage etc.
3. Mores vary from group to group
Mores have not always been uniform.
What is prescribed in one group is prohibited
in another.
Ex. some practise strictly monogamy,
whereas others practise polygamy, and so on.
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4.Mores are backed by values and religion
Mores normally receive the sanction and
backing of values and religion.
Mores backed by religious sanction are
strongly justified by people.
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1.Mores are relatively wider and more general in
character than the folkways.
2. Mores imply a value-judgement about the
folkways.
3. Out of the mores comes our profound
conviction of right and wrong and not out of the
folkways.
4. An individual may disobey the ordinary
folkways without incurring and severe
punishment. But violation of the mores brings
him strong disapproval and severe punishment.
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5. Mores are more compulsive, regulative and
rigid than the folkways. Hence, Mores are
more effective and influential in moulding our
character and restricting our tendencies.
6. As Sumner has suggested when the
folkways take on a philosophy of right living
and a life policy of welfare, folkways become
mores. Hence the mores always contain a
welfare element in them.
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Folkways are less deeply rooted
in society and change more
rapidly. On the other hand, mores
are deeply rooted in society and
changes less frequently.
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Like folkways and mores, ‘customs’ also
represent one of the types of informal means of
social control.
They are as universal and pervasive as those of
folkways and mores.
Customs are the socially accepted ways in which
people do things together in personal contacts.
Ex. Such accepted procedures or practice of
eating, conversing, meeting people, training the
young, caring for the aged, playing, working, etc.
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According to MacIver and Page, “The socially
accredited ways of acting are the customs of
society.”
Duncan Mitchell in his ‘Dictionary of
Sociology’ writes: “The term ‘customs’ refers
to established modes of thought and action.”
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Lundberg says that customs are those
“folkways that persist over relatively long
periods of times so as to attain a degree of
informal recognition and so as to be passed
down from one generation to another.”
In simple word, customs are the long
established habits and usages of the people.
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1.Customs is a social phenomenon
Customs are the oft-repeated of the practices
of the people.
They represent the routine acts of daily life of
the people.
Customs are the created by the groups,
associations, communities and institutions.
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2. Customs are followed by people mostly
unconsciously
As MacIver and Page have pointed out, “We
conform to the customs of our own society ,
in a sense, ‘unconsciously’.”
Because they are a strongly imbedded part of
our group life.
Humans infants learn the customs by
imitation or direct instruction.
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3. Customs are varied in nature
Though customs are universal in nature they
differ from community to community and
society to society.
Ex. The customary dressing at occasions such
as marriage and funeral ceremonies differs
from group to group.
Similarly, eating behaviour, worshipping
behabiour, etc. differ a lot.
Among the Christians, the husband and wife
exchange their rings on the occasion of their
marriage.
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4. The origin of customs is obscure
It is difficult to ascertain the exact way in
which customs emerged.
As McDougall writes, “The ends and purposes
of many customs are lost in the midst of
antiquity.” No single theory or explanation
can be offered about the origin of customs.
Numerous customs have arisen in different
ways to satisfy the varied needs of man.
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5. Customs are relatively durable
In comparison with the folkways, fashions
and fads, customs are more durable.
When once the customs are established they
gain grounds to become firm. They are
implicitly obeyed with least resistance by the
majority of the people.
The sole justification for following the
customs is that it has been in existence since
a long time.
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6. All consumer are not irrational
It is wrong to assume that all customs are
irrational and meaningless.
Still good number of customs are found to be
illogical, meaningless, non-utilitarian and
unethical in character.
In modern times, much stress is laid on
following the rational, useful and meaningful
customs.
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1. customs regulate our social life
Customs acts as the effective means of social
control.
Individuals can hardly escape their grip.
They are self-accepted rules of social life.
They bind people together, assimilate their
actions to the accepted standards and control
their purely egoistic impulses.
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2. Customs constitute the treasury of our
social heritage
Customs preserve our social culture and
transmit it to the succeeding generations.
They have added stability and certainty to our
social life.
They bring people together and develop
social relationships among them.
The children learn the language spoken, and
the occupation followed by their parents
through the customs.
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3. Customs are basic to our collective life
Customs are found in all the communities of
the world.
They are more influential and dominant in the
primitive society than in the modern
industrial society.
Still no society can do without them.
In the traditional societies customs are like
sacred object and their violation cannot be
thought of.
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4.Customs support law
Customs also provide the solid ground for
the formulation and establishment of law.
If the laws are not supported by customs,
they cannot succeed.
It is to be noted that in the modern complex
society customs are not enough to control
the behaviour of the people.