What term refers to the principles that determine how a group or society behaves?

The term that best fits the description of the principles that determine how a group or society behaves is ethics. Ethics refers to the set of moral principles that guide the behavior of individuals and groups, influencing decisions about what is considered right or wrong within a specific cultural or societal context. These principles can reflect the collective beliefs about justice, virtue, and proper conduct, shaping how members of society interact with one another and uphold the values deemed important within that community.

While mores, values, and norms also play significant roles in shaping behavior, they refer to related but distinct concepts. Mores are the essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a community, typically concerning moral views and social norms. Values are the deeply held beliefs about what is important or desirable, informing individual or collective priorities. Norms, on the other hand, are the explicit or implicit rules that outline acceptable behavior in a specific context, often derived from the underlying values and ethics of that society. Each of these elements contributes to the larger framework of ethics, but ethics specifically refers to the overarching principles that guide behavior.