Final answer:
Norms serve as rules guiding behavior within society and can be formal, with specific written rules, or informal, learned through socialization. Mores are norms with moral significance, often protected by law, while folkways are everyday customs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Norms can be understood as the rules of conduct that dictate how individuals in a society should behave. There are both formal and informal norms that govern behaviors within different social contexts. Formal norms are established, written rules like laws, employee manuals, and college entrance exam requirements.
These norms are the most specific, clearly stated, and strictly enforced. They exist in various social institutions such as the military, criminal justice and healthcare systems, and public schools.
On the other hand, informal norms are casual behaviors generally and widely conformed to, and they are learned through observation, imitation, and socialization. Informal norms dictate behaviors without the need for written rules, and often involve daily interactions and social etiquette.