Social Norms

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the sociologist who introduced the concept of 'folkways' as a type of social norm.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The American sociologist William Graham Sumner introduced the concepts of folkways and mores in his influential 1906 book, "Folkways: A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals".
- He defined folkways as the traditional behaviors or ways of life of a group of people that arise unconsciously and are not based on any moral judgment. They are the norms for routine and casual interaction.
Step 3: Final Answer:
William Graham Sumner has given the concept of folkways.

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify which type of social norm is enforced with the greatest severity. Social norms are unwritten rules about how to behave, and they vary in their importance.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Folkways are norms for routine or casual interaction. Violating them is considered strange or rude, but not immoral (e.g., eating with the wrong utensil).
- Mores (pronounced 'mor-ays') are norms that are widely observed and have great moral significance. They are seen as essential to the well-being of the group. Violation of mores (e.g., theft, adultery) evokes strong social disapproval and can lead to severe sanctions.
- Customs are long-established norms or traditions. The term is broader than mores.
Of the informal norms listed, mores are the most strictly followed because they are tied to a society's core values and moral principles.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Mores are the most strictly followed type of informal social norm.