Chapter One
The Study of Sociology and Anthropology
What is Sociology?
Etymology: socius- groups or partners, logus- science or study
It deals with the study of the interaction process within a group.
It is the scientific study of patterned, shared human behaviour. (Joseph Fitcher)
Behaviours accord with the prevailing rules of various social units.
It is the story of people in social life. (Dr. Epifanio S. Palispis)
It is the scientific study of patterns and processes of human interaction that deals with the
study of group life. It focuses on group behaviour and social interaction, namely: social
arts, social relationships, social organizations, social structures, and social processes.
Microsociology looks at group life in close-up. Macrosociology explains the fundamental
patterns and process of large scale social relations.
The social facts it gathers include the recurrent and repetitive forms of behaviour such as
attitudes, beliefs, values, norms, and social institutions which make up the social order.
It deals with the study of various current issues and problems such as ethnic relations,
family life, community life and participation, social mobility, social problems, community
beliefs and practices and other similar subjects.
It is the science of society which consists of a body of related generalizations about
human social behaviour, guided by concepts and theories arrived at by scientific
investigations.
Sociology as a Science
Sociology deals with the systematized or organized body of facts about patters of human
interactions of group life, of people living in interdependence. It uses methods and
techniques of inquiry and investigations which are scientific.
Areas of Sociology (by Hauser)
1. Social Organization covers the study of various social institutions, social groups, social
stratification, social mobility, bureaucracy, ethnic groups and relations and other similar
subjects.
2. Social Psychology deals with the study of human nature as an outcome of group life,
social attitudes, collective behaviour and personality formation. It views man with reference
to group life.
3. Social order and social disorganization includes the study of the change in culture and
social relations and the disruption that may occur in society.
4. Human Ecology studies the nature and behaviour of a given population and its
relationships to the group’s present social institutions.
5. Population or demography is concerned with the study of population number,
composition, change and quality as they influence the economic, political and social system.
6. Sociological theory and method is concerned with the applicability and usefulness of
the principles of group life as bases for the regulation of man’s social environment.
7. Applied sociology utilizes the findings of pure sociological research in various fields
such as criminology, social work, community development, education, industrial relations,
marriage, ethnic relations, family counselling and other aspects and problems of daily life.
What is Anthropology?
Etymology: anthropos- man, logus- study
It is a discipline of infinite curiosity of about human beings.
It discovers when, where and why humans appeared on the earth, how and why they
have changed since then, and how and why modern population vary in certain physical
features.
It is the branch of knowledge which deals with the scientific study of man, his works, his
body, his behaviour and values in time and space.
It is the scientific study of physical, social and cultural development and behaviour of
human beings since their appearance on earth.
Man is the main concern. Man’s biological foundations, physical similarities, and
differences, evolution, differentiation and classifications are also scrutinized. Man’s daily
activities and his behaviour in politics, religion, social life, aesthetics, health and other fields
are studied and analysed.
Branches of Anthropology
1. Physical/ Biological anthropology deals with man’s biological foundations, race
evolutions, racial classifications and differentiations. It traces the evolutionary development
of man and studies the biological variation within the species. It concentrates on the study
of man’s physical characteristics, the processes by which the biological changes occur, and
the resultant human variations. Sub-disciplines of physical anthropology include:
a. Racial history deals with the study of the nature of race.
b. Paleontology deals with the origin of man
c. Human genetics deals with the study
2. Cultural/ Social Anthropology deals with concept of culture or social heritage (the way
of life of a people which had been learned, shared and transmitted from one generation to
another by means of language and symbols. The subdivisions of cultural anthropology
include:
a. Ethnography is pure description of the culture of a people or an ethnic group. The
ethnographer is one type of research who usually spends a year or so living with, talking to,
and observing the people whose customs he or she is studying.
b. Ethnology is the analysis, comparison and contrast of cultures of people. It is concerned
with patterns of kinship organization, political and economic systems, religion, folk art, and
music and with the ways in which these patters differ in contemporary societies. The
ethnologists seek to understand how and why peoples today and in the recent past differ in
their customary ways of thinking and acting.
c. Social anthropology evolves generalizations about social life and conduct based on the
ethnography and ethnology of the culture under study.
d. Cultural anthropology deals with the total life of man in time and space.
3. Archaeology is concerned with the study of man’s culture and society in the past, as far
back in time as prehistoric times. It reconstructs the daily life and customs of people who
lived in the past and traces cultural changes in their societies and offer possible
explanations of those changes. Historical archaeology studies the remains of recent
peoples who left written records. The main evidences for evaluating prehistoric societies:
a. Fossils are remnants of the past that have organic life which withstood the test of time
and forces of nature
b. Artifacts are man-made and man conceived remains of prehistoric times that have
endured through time. (tools, pottery)
4. Linguistics refers to the systematic study of recorded and unrecorded languages all over
the world. It deals with the relationship between language and culture.
Anthropology as a Science
Generally, the science of anthropology has a well-defined set of objectives
1. To describe the phenomena of human life and culture accurately
2. To classify the variable phenomena studies in order to achieve revealing general
formulations
3. To locate the origin of the changes and processes that are characteristics of such data
4. To describe the changes and directions of change likely to be taken by the phenomenon
under examination
Relationships with Other Social Sciences
1. Psychology is the study of human behaviour. It concentrates on the processes occurring
within the individual, such as perception, attitudes, values and their influences or
determinants. It is interested in personality and how individuals cope with problems they
face.
2. History focuses on the study of past events. It attempts to establish the context or social
milieu relevant to the event- the important, persons, ideas, social movements, and recurrent
events.
3. Economics concentrates on the production, distribution and allocation of material goods
and services of a society. It is the study of wealth getting and wealth using activities of men.
4. Political Science studies the ways people govern themselves; the various forms of
government, their structures, and their relationships to other institutions in society.
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Relationships between Sociology and Differences
Anthropology Similarities
Both are recent social sciences Origin. Anthropology started with the
Both attempt to understand the way of life study of primitive or non-literate groups.
of various cultures/ societies. Sociology started as the study of Western
Both borrow heavily from each other. civilization and later, of advanced and
Society and culture are interrelated and contemporary societies.
interdependent concepts. Approach. Sociology allows sampling of
Both are interested in the study of social the subject of the study. Anthropology
issues. makes use of the holistic approach.
Both disciplines synthesize and
generalize data about human behaviour
and social systems
Both are related to the humanities
