CULTURE

(MODULE 1)

CULTURE- society’s way of life

SOCIETY – is a community of people with common traditions, practices, institutions and

with a collective understood activities and interests.

NORM- society has played a big role in shaping individuals into what it seems to be
commonly acceptable.

-each member has to follow the norms to be recognized as part of society.

DEVIANCY(deviants) – Neglecting to follow these norms is usually unacceptable, and when

members neglect to follow these norms, they might be avoided by the society.

POLITICS- may refer to the complex relationships of people living in a society.

-It may also refer to the concept of power and leadership; the more powerful and influential
may get the upper hand in the society.

The term “science” refers to the pursuit and application of knowledge and the evidenced-
based understanding of both the natural and social world.

-This evidence is obtained through systematic methodologies, which may include direct
and objective observations, measurement of data, experimentation, verification and
testing, critical analysis, and induction.

HISTORY- focuses on past events that dictate social evolution

ECONOMICS-focuses on the ways and processes of how humans produce, obtain, and
distribute needs and wants.

PSYCOLOGY- investigates personality and individual and social behavior.

GEOGRAPHY- describes people’s interactions with their environments.

ANTHROPOLOGY- describes the human race, including the formation of its culture and
society.

POLITICAL SCIENCE - studies the exercise of law, power, and authority.

SOCIOLOGY- examines people’s social relationships.

SOCIOLOGY- is the study of human relationships and behaviors in society.

- The American sociologist, Albert L Beiss (1968), defined the field as “the study of
social aggregates and groups in their institutional organization, of institutions and
their organization, and of the causes and consequences of changes in institutions
and social organizations.”
- The German sociologist, Max Weber (1922), defined sociology as “the science
whose object is to interpret the meaning of social action and thereby give a causal
explanation of the way in which the action proceeds and the effects which it
produces.”
- The American sociologist, C. Wright Mills, wrote his book titled “Sociological
Imagination” , which is an awareness to comprehend the links of one’s own
personal understanding, challenges, or limitations (called troubles) with wider
social challenges (called issues).
- Auguste Comte (1838), a French sociologist, used the term
“sociology” widely, which was from the Latin word socius that means “society” or
“association’’ and the Greek word logos that means “to speak about” or “study.”
-It was further developed as a discipline by succeeding sociologists such as Émile
Durkheim, Karl Marx, Max Weber, C. Wright Mills, Talcott Parsons, and Robert
Merton, whose works established theories central to the study of sociology.

ÉMILE DURKHEIM (french sociologist)- is considered the Father of Sociology, as he

formally established the discipline with his study on social facts in his book. “The
Rules of Sociological Method” (1859).

SOCIAL FACTS- are phenomena in society that are already accepted such as values,
norms, and social structure and are not bound by any actions of an individual.
- These social facts have-sui generis reality, which means it is unique to oneself that
was created by individual conscience fused together.
- These social facts have coercive power(commonly known as social control)on an
individual to act with inbounds of what are acceptable in society.
- These social facts may exist in different forms, whether they are tangible or
intangible, individualistic or societal, and objective or subjective.

ANOMIE- harmless, purposeless, feels disconnected

- loss of direction felt by an individual when the social controls become ineffective.

STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM

- States that society is a system of interconnected parts that work as one, so there
would be harmony and balance in the whole.
- This theory was introduced from the works of Durkheim (Suicide, 1897), Herbert
Spencer (Principles of Sociology, 1898), Parsons (The Structure of Social Action,
1937), and Merton (Social Structure and Anomie, 1938).
- It is a macro-level theory, which means it studies society as a whole.

PHENOMA OR ELEMENTS IN SOCIETY (Parsons and Merton):

FUNCTIONAL- when it provides social stability and solidarity, where an individual is doing
his or her part to maintain a strong and robust society and achieving overall social
equilibrium.

DYSFUNCTIONAL- if it causes disruption in the stability of the society, such as in other

institutions or in the whole society itself.

TWO TYPES OF FUNCTIONS IN SOCIETY:

MANIFEST FUNCTIONS- are intended and commonly recognized functions of an institution.

LATENT FUNCTIONS- are unintended and unrecognized consequences that help ensure
social stability.

CONFLICT THEORY

- One of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology

- Which posits that society is always in a constant state of conflict, as the members
of society compete for limited resources.
- Some members of society may hold more resources and can be considered as
more powerful, whereas others hold less or no resources and can be considered as
powerless.
 - Was originated by Marx, a German sociologist who proposed the theory in his book
Das Kapital (1867). Friedrich Engels, another German sociologist, and C. Wright
Mills also contributed their ideas to this theory.
- Macro-level theory

BOURGEOISIE-those with resources (capitalist)

PROLETARIAT- without resources (workers)

THE SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM THEORY- sometimes referred to as

interactionism, sees human beings as living in a world of “symbols,” which may be
material objects, actions of oneself, relationships with other people, and others.
- Micro-level theory
- It studies individual approaches and how each interprets the whole society.
- Its major proponent is the American philosopher, George Mead, who discussed the
theory in his book Mind, Self and Society (1934)posthumously published by his
students.
- Herbert Blumer, an American sociologist, also contributed to interactionism in his
own book Symbolic Interactionism (1969).

ANTHROPOLOGY- is the study of the evolutionary history of human beings, including their
culture and society.

- It deals, most primarily, with human culture and societies of the past and how these
evolved to what is now the present state.
- It investigates and seeks to understand the evolutionary origins of human beings
and contends with the present social, political, and economic context.

Anthropology is divided into four sub disciplines:

1. Cultural anthropology – the study of how humans developed their culture and society

2. Physical anthropology (also known as biological anthropology)- the study of how

humans adapt to their environment, including biological evolution

3. Linguistic anthropology – the study of how language evolves and how humans use
language to communicate

4. Archaeology – the study of artifacts or material evidence that past human societies left
behind.
POLITICS- is the relationship of power dynamics and decision making in a society.

POLITICAL SCIENCE- deals with how the government, power, and authority work in a
society, including various political thoughts and ideas, political activities, and political
behavior.

HUMAN VARIATION

- Within society, each individual member is influenced by various factors that cause
variation in characteristics, which may be cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and
cultural.

- Humans exhibit these variations through various human evolutions such as biological
evolution, cultural evolution, and societal evolution.

BIOLOGICAL FACTORS- can be traced back in the evolution of humans as a separate

species, such that human genes have adapted to survive harsh environments.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS- include being able to adapt to the climate, food shortages,
pollution, changing quality of life, and other factors that may enhance specific biological or
physical traits that the human body may need.

CULTURAL FACTORS- refer to the experiences and interactions people have and how
people are influenced by these same interactions. The interaction of various cultures may
result in adaptation or acculturation.

NATIONALITY- refers to where you are born or your place of birth.

- It can be acquired by natural means (being born into) or through a legal process
(naturalization).
- cannot be changed because it is innate.

CITIZENSHIP- is granted by a government of a country when certain legal requirements are

met.

ETHNICITY -can be considered as a political status because it shows which country

recognizes you as a citizen.

-is more of a specific legal relationship between a state and a person.

Nationality or citizenship by natural process can also be classified into the principles of jus
soli (by the place you were born) or jus sanguinis (by the blood of your parents).

RACE- may be seen from a narrow perspective based on one’s physical attributes such as
skin and eye color.

ETHNICITY - as a wider perspective based on cultural expression and place of origin, such
as tribal traditions, religious beliefs, and linguistic heritage.

SEX- refers to the biological and physiological traits of male and female.

- sex is determined at birth

GENDER- refers to a social and cultural construct that distinguishes differences in the
attributes of male and female and their roles and responsibilities in the society.

- may change over time.

•Heterosexuals- are commonly attracted to the opposite sex or gender.
•Homosexual- are commonly attracted to the same sex or gender.
•Lesbians- refer to females who are attracted to females, and gays are males
attracted to fellow males.
•Bisexuals- are attracted to both male and female.
•Asexual- persons do not have sexual and romantic attractions to any gender.
•Transgender- people recognize themselves as members of the other sex group
•Transsexuals- have undergone medical procedures to sexually align themselves to
the other sex group.

SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS- refers to the idea that differentiates between rich and poor
based on income, financial status, educational attainment, and social status, among
others.

- It is connected with the concept of the quality of life as well as the opportunities and
privileges that come with it.

- In the Philippines, socioeconomic class may be classified as high-income, middle-

income, and low-income.
LOW-INCOME- is commonly associated with poverty or the state of lacking financial
resources and living with the bare minimum.

SITUATIONAL POVERTY:

GENERATIONAL POVERTY- is the state or condition in which the family has been in poverty
for at least two generations.

ABSOLUTE POVERTY- refers to the lack of very basic necessities such as food, clothing,
and shelter.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF POVERTY:

URBAN POVERTY- usually occurs in urban communities, such as cities and towns.

- Includes limited access to education, employment, and healthcare.

RURAL POVERTY- usually occurs in rural agricultural communities.

- has problems in building quality, affordable housing, creating large-scale water and
sanitation systems, ensuring safety from street violence, and more.