Which term describes the general patterns of behavior that are accepted by most members of a society over time?

Which term describes the general patterns of behavior that are accepted by most members of a society over time?

• A. Trends
• B. Customs
• C. Norms
• D. Culture

Answer: (B)

The general patterns of behavior that are accepted by most members of a society over time are customs. Customs are established, traditional ways people routinely behave—things that a community considers normal and follows across generations. They shape everyday actions like greetings, meal practices, dress codes, and ceremonial rituals, and they endure because people continually observe and reinforce them through social life. While norms are the rules that guide behavior in a society (what people ought to do), customs are the practiced, habitual ways those rules are carried out in daily life. Culture is the broader system that includes beliefs, values, knowledge, and symbols, of which customs are one visible part. Trends, on the other hand, are more temporary changes in behavior, not the long-standing patterns described here.

The general patterns of behavior that are accepted by most members of a society over time are customs. Customs are established, traditional ways people routinely behave—things that a community considers normal and follows across generations. They shape everyday actions like greetings, meal practices, dress codes, and ceremonial rituals, and they endure because people continually observe and reinforce them through social life.

While norms are the rules that guide behavior in a society (what people ought to do), customs are the practiced, habitual ways those rules are carried out in daily life. Culture is the broader system that includes beliefs, values, knowledge, and symbols, of which customs are one visible part. Trends, on the other hand, are more temporary changes in behavior, not the long-standing patterns described here.