Custom

Custom Definition

Custom refers to an established and traditional pattern of behaviour or belief within a community or society. These patterns encompass the routines of daily life, accepted social practices, and rules of behaviour that are often informally regulated and taken for granted by members who share them. In a broader sense, customs serve to define and distinguish one cultural group from another, operating as distinctive features that mark off separate cultures.

Scope and Application

The term is frequently employed in anthropology to denote these established patterns of behaviour and belief. Sociologically, customs encompass both the routines of everyday existence and the distinctive features that delineate different cultural groups. They can provide integrative activity for a society while simultaneously establishing boundaries between groups.

Behavioural Forms

Customs relate to how societies organise action. Customary forms of action, such as traditional actions, may be contrasted with ‘rational’ forms of action, which involve little consideration of alternative courses of action.