Mores are norms that carry strong moral significance. They are widely observed and violating them brings serious social disapproval, not just awkwardness. Incest, treason, and child abuse are examples. Unlike folkways, which are matters of custom, mores are matters of right and wrong.

William Graham Sumner distinguished mores from folkways in 1906. Mores often become laws, but not always. Some mores are enforced by religion, family, or community pressure. Others are codified in legal systems. The strength of mores varies by culture and era.

Examples

• Prohibition of incest
• Condemnation of murder
• Taboo against cannibalism
• Expectation of honesty in close relationships
• Prohibition of sexual relations with minors

Mores can change. Homosexuality was once treated as a severe violation of mores in many Western countries. Today, it is widely accepted, and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people violates a different set of mores. The content of mores is not fixed by nature. It is shaped by society.