Some sociocultural systems must have means of self-regulation and control in order to persist and function. The kinship organization specifies reciprocal and correlative rights, duties, and obligations of one class of relatives to another. Codes of ethics govern the relationship of the individual to the well-being of society as a whole. Codes of etiquette regulate class structure by requiring individuals to conform to their respective classes.
Custom is a general term that embraces all these mechanisms of regulation and control, even more.
Custom is the name given to uniformities in sociocultural systems. Uniformities are very important, they make anticipation and prediction possible, without them, orderly conduct of social life would not be possible.
Custom would be to follow a rule and a deviation from the norm is punished merely by expressions of social disaproval, gossip,ridicule, or ostracism. If infractions or violations are punished by an agency, designated by a society and empowered to an act on its behalf, then the rule is called Law.
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