Final answer:
Ideas or rules about how people should behave in particular situations or toward certain other people are considered norms. Norms are essential components of culture and include mores, which are morally significant, and folkways, which relate to everyday customs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ideas or rules about how people should behave in particular situations or toward certain other people are considered norms. Norms are the visible and invisible rules of conduct through which societies are structured. They define how to behave in accordance with what a society deems as good, right, and important. There are different classifications of norms, such as mores and folkways. Mores are norms that embody the moral views and principles of a group and can have serious consequences if violated. The most severe mores are protected by laws and formal sanctions, such as in the case of laws against homicide. Folkways, on the other hand, involve everyday customs that may carry informal sanctions if violated. Culture comprises shared values, beliefs, and practices, which include norms and rules that maintain those values. It's through interactions within a culture that these norms are enforced and taught. Sociologists study the patterns and contexts in which certain behaviors are expected or not.