CHAPTER 2

UNDERSTANDING
CULTURE
AND SOCIETY
Society is a group of individuals sharing a
common culture, geographical location and
government .Human being are considered to
be naturally incline to established societies
since it is interacting with others that they are
able to ensure their survival by establishing
mutually beneficial relationship with one
another
A society is characterized by the presence of the
following elements
A. Social solidarity whereby the
members of the community live
together for mutual benefit
B. Shared identity and culture among
members that serve as basis for their
patterns
C. A common language
D. A large population and the ability
to sustain succeeding generation of
members
E. Definite geographical area
F. Political, economic and social
organization
Social scientist has also identified five major
types of societies according to how they changed
developed
Hunting and Gathering –the basic
social and economic units were the
family the and local clan which
organized hunting and gathering
activities and distributed the
accumulated food supply
Horticultural and Pastoral societies –
horticultural societies relied on the
cultivation of plant as their primary source
of food while pastoral de[ended on the
domestication of animals
Agricultural societies – food production
became more efficient due to the new
methods of farming the invention of more
advanced tools and the establishment of
permanent settlements
Industrial societies- technological
advancement resulted the invention
of machines that improved
production
Post industrialist societies- where
knowledge is a commodity and
technological innovation is key to
long lasting and development
Culture is one of the important basis
that define and influence a society .
Culture refers to the set of beliefs,
ideas, values, practice, knowledge,
history and shared experience attitude
as well as material object and
possessions accumulated overtime and
shared by the members of the society.
Two primary categories of culture
Material culture is composed of
the physical or tangible objects
produced shared and utilized within
society such as tools or implements
paintings and other works of art
architectural styles, weaponry, and
toys.
Nonmaterial culture meanwhile
consists of the intangible
properties and elements of
society that influence the
patterns of action and behavior
of its members
Four vital culture component
Symbols- refer to thing that convey meaning or
represent idea.
Language- is a set of symbols that enables
members of society to communicate verbally and
nonverbally.
Values- are shared ideas, norms, and principles
that provide members of society the standards
that pertain to what is right or wrong, good or
bad, desirable or undesirable.
Norms- are shared rules if conduct that
determine specific behavior among society
members.
There are various categories of norms according
to their special importance. Folkways are norms
that may be violated without serious
consequences. Mores are norms with moral
connotations. Laws are norms that are legally
enacted and enforced
Socialization refers to the lifelong process of
forging identity through social interaction.
Language as well as social agents that
each aspects of culture to the members of
society also contributes to the socialization
of the individual
Enculturation refers to the process by which
an individual learns or acquires the
important aspects of his or her society
culture
Context refers to
particular circumstances
of a certain culture and is
defined location, weather,
time period, and other
factors.
Society and
Culture
According to
the Three
Disciplines
Anthropology consider culture as the central
focus of its discipline. It studies the different
culture of different societies. Anthropology
examines and provides explanation for the
existence of different cultural patterns as well as
the similarities and different cultures. In their
studies of various cultures, anthropologist have
adopted two major views with regard to how
culture should be considered in comparisons t
others
Relativistic approach considers cultures as
equal This views holds that there are no
“superior” and “inferior” cultures and each
is unique in its own way.
Ethnocentric approach is the beliefs that
ones native culture is superior to other
culture. Ethnocentric societies tend to have
a negative view of other countries and
people
Ethnocentrism diminishes or
invalidates “other” ways of life and
creates distorted views of one own. As
a result this could be affect individual
relationship with others cultures.
Conversely there are some societies
that have tendency their culture as
inferior to others. This is called
xenocentrism.
Cultural relativism which recognizes and accepts
the cultural differences between societies. This
view believes tat every aspect the cultural can
justified by the context in which the culture has
been formed.
Sociology refers culture with the overall context
of social orders.
Structural functionalism operates on the
assumption tat society is a stable and orderly
system.
Conflict theory - assumes that there is a
constant power struggle among the various
social group and institutions within society
Symbolic interactionalism - views individual
and group behavior and social interaction
as defining features of society. Symbolic
interactionaism believe tat cultures
provides shared meaning to members of
society.
Political sciences -examines culture as
a vital aspect of society culture
together with political socialization is
analyzed in order to explain political
behaviour such as voting patterns and
the behaviuor of leaders.
Multiculturalism – an ideology that
acknowledge and promotes cultural
diversity within society.
Cultural relativism implies that all
aspects of a particular culture should
be accepted and even colaborated.
Cultural sensitivity- advances
awareness and acceptances of cultural
differences but encourages a critical
stance in dealing with issue regarding
diversity