what is folkways

Folkways are learned behaviors, shared by a social group, that provide a traditional mode of conduct. They are social conventions that are not considered to be of moral significance by members of the group, and they operate primarily at an unconscious level and persist because they are expedient. Folkways are specific social norms that define and guide behavior in society. They are a type of social norm that defines expectations for how we act. Folkways tend to group themselves around major social concerns, such as sex, forming social institutions like the family. They become more and more arbitrary, positive, and compelling over time, as tradition, habit, and religious sanctions tend to strengthen them. Folkways can be important for social acceptance, and each group can develop different customs. Examples of folkways include not chewing loudly in a college classroom and saying "excuse me" after burping.