Which term refers to social customs that may be broken without serious consequences?

• A. Folkways
• B. Adaptive
• C. Guilt
• D. Denial

Answer: (A)

Folkways describe the casual social customs that guide everyday behavior. They’re the norms you follow for polite conduct, dress, and ordinary routines. If you break a folkway, the reaction is usually mild—things like being given odd looks or a light tease—rather than serious punishment. This distinguishes folkways from more serious norms that carry stronger moral or legal consequences. The other options don’t denote a type of social norm—guilt is an emotional response after a violation, denial is a defense mechanism, and adaptive isn’t a term used for these norms.