What term includes both written laws and unwritten customs and is used to identify deviance?

What term includes both written laws and unwritten customs and is used to identify deviance?

• A. Norms
• B. Laws
• C. Rules
• D. Customs

Answer: (A)

Norms are shared expectations that guide behavior in a group. They include formal rules like laws and informal ones like unwritten customs, and they define what counts as acceptable. Deviance is identified when someone violates these expectations, whether by breaking a statute or by flouting social etiquette. Laws focus on the written code, customs on practices, and rules is too broad to capture the full idea. So norms best fit the description because they encompass both written laws and unwritten customs and explain how behavior is judged deviant.

Norms are shared expectations that guide behavior in a group. They include formal rules like laws and informal ones like unwritten customs, and they define what counts as acceptable. Deviance is identified when someone violates these expectations, whether by breaking a statute or by flouting social etiquette. Laws focus on the written code, customs on practices, and rules is too broad to capture the full idea. So norms best fit the description because they encompass both written laws and unwritten customs and explain how behavior is judged deviant.