Real Dictionary

formalism
uncountable noun: Formalism is a style, especially in art, in which great attention is paid to the outward form or appearance rather than to the inner reality or significance of things.

formalism in American English
strict or excessive attention to or insistence on outward forms, as in art, or established traditions, as in religion
noun: strict adherence to, or observance of, prescribed or traditional forms, as in music, poetry, and art

formalism in British English
noun: scrupulous or excessive adherence to outward form at the expense of inner reality or content