Folkway Example 
Imagine sitting in the college classroom with sixty other people around. As a professor who teaches early morning 
classes, it is always encouraged to eat if hungry. However, everyone must be considerate of those around them. 
You should not chew loudly. That would be considered rude, and it is against class ‘customs’ to do so. To make it 
worse, imagine burping without saying ‘excuse me.’ These would be folkway violations. Remember, this may not 
be disrespectful in all cultures, and it is very subjective. 
Perhaps stricter than folkways are more because they can lead to a violation of what we view as moral 
and ethical behavior. Mores are norms of morality, or right and wrong, and if you break one it is often 
considered offensive to most people of a culture. 
3 Sometimes a more violation can also be illegal, but other 
times it can just be offensive. If a more is not written down in legislation, it cannot get sanctioned by the 
criminal justice system. Other times it can be both illegal and morally wrong. 
More Example 
If one attended a funeral for a family member, no one would expect to see someone in bright pink clothes or 
a bikini. Most people are encouraged to wear black clothing out of respect. Although there may not be specific 
rules or laws that state expected attire to wear to a funeral, it would be against what most of American society 
views as right and wrong to attend a funeral in a bikini or be in hot pink leotards. It would be disrespectful to the 
individual people are mourning. Both mores and folkways are taught through socialization with various sources: 
family, friends, peers, schools, and more. 
A taboo goes a step farther and is a very negative norm that should not get violated because people will be 
upset. Additionally, one may get excluded from the group or society. The nature and the degree of the taboo 
are in the mores. 
4 
Taboo Example 
A student once gave the example of a man in their neighborhood in Colorado that had multiple wives and 
also had ten different children from the women. In most of American culture, it is seen as unacceptable to have 
more than one spouse/partner. However, there are instances where having children with multiple people would 
not be seen as taboo. Specifically, if a man or woman remarries and then has another child with their new partner. 
However, again, this is more acceptable today than in the past because of the greater societal acceptance of divorce 
and remarriage. 
3. Sumner, W. (1906). Folkways. 
4. Sumner, W. (1906). Folkways. 
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
17