Which term describes behaviors that are negatively sanctioned in a society?

The term that best describes behaviors that are negatively sanctioned in a society is "taboos." Taboos refer to strong prohibitions against certain actions or behaviors that are considered unacceptable or forbidden within a culture. When individuals violate these taboos, the backlash can include severe social penalties or ostracism because these behaviors are seen as fundamentally wrong or harmful to the social fabric.

In contrast, folkways refer to norms governing everyday behavior that are less strictly enforced, and their violation may lead to informal penalties, such as social disapproval, rather than serious consequences. Mores are more strongly held norms related to morality, and while violations can lead to disapproval or legal consequences, they typically do not carry the same level of societal outrage as taboos. Lastly, norms encompass the broader expectations of behavior in society, which can include both accepted practices and those subjected to sanctions, but they do not specifically denote the most serious prohibitions, as taboos do.