Norms in a particular society that are widely accepted and carry on over time are called what?

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

Answer: (C)

Customs are the traditional patterns of behavior that a society treats as normal and passes down from generation to generation. Because they are learned through socialization and reinforced by daily life, they stay widely accepted and continue over time, shaping how people act in familiar situations. This makes customs the best fit for a description of longstanding, shared practices in a society. Beliefs are ideas about what is true, not necessarily about action. Culture is the whole way of life of a society, including many elements, not just established practices. Norms are general expectations for behavior, whereas the prompt highlights long-standing, widely accepted practices specific to a culture, which points to customs.