Understanding 11

Culture, Society, and

Politics
Quarter 3- Modules 1-8

Writers:
Eric F. Fungo, LPCNSHS-Manuyo Campus
Estella Marie A. Oclares, LPCNSHS-Manuyo Campus
Rosanna T. Sarte, LPCNSHS-Manuyo Campus
Maria Cristita B. Cuerdo, LPCNSHS-Manuyo Campus

Content Validator
Eric F. Fungo, LPCNSHS-Manuyo Campus

Consolidator/Team Leader
Mary Jane Aranda, PES Camella Annex

Language Editor
Jeferson M. Lumbao,LPCNSHS- Golden Acres Campus

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 Nature, Goals, and Perspectives of
Lesson
Anthropology, Sociology, and
1
Political Science
Most Essential Learning Competency
● Discuss the nature, goals, and perspectives in/of anthropology, sociology and political science

Examine the picture. Identify concepts that you can associate with culture, society, and politics. Write
your answers on the table.

What is it?
“Change is the only permanent thing in this world” –Heraclitus

In our society today, we can see a lot of changes and developments that affect our lives.
Machines have made our work easier. Computers have allowed us to communicate with more people
faster. Genetic engineering has helped us produce disease resistant plants. Changes such as these,
have resulted in modernization of nation-state.

A nation-state is a sovereign state whose citizens or subjects have a common culture. They
speak the same language, have a common descent, and share a common history. Having citizens
with common culture, the nation-state, therefore, is a major component of personal identity. Personal
identity is the concept you develop about yourself that evolves over the course of your life.

Culture, Society, and Politics are very popular factors that affect every man’s life. In school, we
are taught things that will be useful in the near future. Not all may be of importance but can serve as a
guide or starting point of your career.

How then are culture, society, and politics related in everyday life? Each person interacts
meaningfully with one another as a member of society. Culture encompasses the meaningful
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processes and products of these social interactions. People likewise interact in society as individuals
and as groups with duties and privileges. In the exercise of duties and privileges, a person as a member
of society engages in political activities.

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE
Understanding culture is essential for researching our past. Studying culture, allows us to have
knowledge of our own lifeblood traditions, the things that made us who we are today. Culture is also
an identity that sets the difference between us and other people from other countries.

What is Anthropology? The etymology or origin of the term anthropology can be traced back
to two Greek words, ‘anthropos’ and ‘logos’. When translated into English, ‘anthropos’ means ‘human’
while ‘logos’ refers to ‘knowledge’ (Eriksen 2001: 2). In this sense, anthropology can be understood as
the ‘knowledge about humans. The subject of anthropological study is humanity but unlike other
disciplines in the human sciences, anthropology studies the diversity and similarity of the way a person
lives and makes connections as a social and cultural being. Anthropology as a discipline, compares
cultural and social life primarily through participant observation, a research method that entails lengthy
fieldwork or immersion in a specific social setting. Through participant observation, anthropologists
study in depth the various aspects of society and then compare how that society differs and reflect
from other societies.

Process Questions: What are the objects of anthropological study? What perspective does
anthropology offer to the study of culture and society? Why is it important to know the similarity and
diversity of cultures and societies?

According to Mark Banaag, culture functions in the following ways and from which we can
realize the significance of culture as well:
1. Culture makes it possible for man to adapt and integrate himself to his environment by
being creative and resourceful in coming up with ways and means of survival.
2. Culture establishes patterns of acceptable social behavior such as etiquette, protocols,
good manners and right conduct, roles and duties, etc. as established by folkways,
mores, and laws.
3. Culture conveys and facilitates meanings through verbal and non-verbal
communication, written and non-written language, forms of expression, and
symbolisms.
4. Culture produces man-made things such as clothing, tools, instruments, machines,
equipment, structures, etc. made possible by technological know-how.
5. Culture contributes to overall human satisfaction as we develop ways to make life more
enjoyable, more comfortable, easier, and more rewarding such as recreational
activities, leisure, entertainment and arts, etc.

UNDERSTANDING SOCIETY
Understanding society is a complex process. There are many things that are to be studied in
the concept of “society”, but most important is the significance of the people. Knowing how the society
functions as a whole and as a part of our lives, helps us come up with a better way of improving it or
sustaining its brilliance. The country's well-being can also be seen in its societies.

What is sociology? Sociology is the systematic study of human society (Macionis 2012),
focusing particularly on the dynamic interplay between individual and society. At the heart of sociology

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is the sociological perspective, a special point of view of sociology that sees general patterns of society
in the lives of particular people.
● One of the works that elaborates this special point of view is C. W. Mills’s Sociological
Imagination, a quality of mind that enables the possessor to link personal with the social.
● The sociological imagination helps us understand everyday events. According to Mills,
“society—not people’s personal failings—is the main cause of poverty and other social
problems. By turning personal problems into public issues, the sociological imagination also is
the key to bringing people together to create needed change” (Macionis 2012).
● The sociological imagination also requires a global perspective, a study of the larger world and
our society’s place in it (Macionis 2012).

Activity: Turning personal problems into social problems

Answer each question independently. You may use separate paper if needed.
1. What personal troubles have you already experienced? Identify 2–3 personal troubles.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Are any of these personal troubles also social problems? Which ones and why?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. Identify solutions to these social problems.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

UNDERSTANDING POLITICS
Understanding politics is best in a state full of deceptions and empty promises. We are in a
democratic country; the people have all the power to make a country rise from the ground. But if
someone is not aware of how politics works or how it should work, leaves people ignorant.

Sometimes people tend to associate politics with power. This connotation was formed through
man’s relationship with other people. It is a struggle and a compromise between the powerful and the
powerless, the haves and the have-nots. There are different perceptions about politics. According to
Ricardo Lazo, politics may be viewed in the following ways.

Art of Academics Consensus &

Government Compromise

POLITICS
Power &
Public Affair Distribution of
Resources Society

Haque defines politics in different ways but whatever definition is attached to it, here are four
important points inherent to it:

Collective Initial
Reconciliation of Authoritative
Activity diversity of
3 difference Policy
views
 1. Politics is a collective activity, involving people who accept a common membership or at least
acknowledge a shared fate;
2. Politics presumes an initial diversity of views, if not about goals then least about means;
3. Politics involves reconciling differences through discussion and persuasion; and
4. Political decisions become authoritative policy for a group, binding members to decisions that
are implemented by force if necessary.

Activity: Who Said What? In this activity the students should be able to identify different thinkers who
gave perspectives about politics. Whose ideas of politics are
the following?
1. A human being is a political animal. ____________________________
2. Politics is the authoritative allocation of values in a society. ________________________
3. Politics refers to any activity involving human beings associated together in a relationship of
power and authority where conflict occurs. _____________________
4. Politics is a way of ruling in divided societies without violence. _____________________
5. Politics is reserved for statesmen and stateswomen. _________________________.

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 Rationale of Studying Anthropology,
Lesson
2 Sociology, and Political Science
Most Essential Learning Competency
● Discuss the rationale of studying anthropology, sociology, and political science.

What is the rationale of studying Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology?

There are different ways of understanding social reality.

Anthropology, Sociology, and Political Science are areas of studies that provide us important
ideas in analyzing and creating a productive society. These fields are significant, because they give
us a glimpse of man’s early development including his or her collective memory and identity.

Anthropology
Early forms of art show something about man’s social experience vis-à-vis a man’s relationship
to his or her environment, which is essential in analyzing his or her way of life. Hence, anthropology
as a field of study is important in seeking answers about man’s social experiences. Additionally,
anthropology is a significant field of study due to the following:
● provides insights into “strange aspects” of the past or even present societies which historians
and sociologists find difficult to comprehend and explain (ex. conflict and violence, superstition
and witchcraft, fashion, myths and legends, and rituals concerning rites of passage, courtship
and marriage, human sacrifice and others (Banaag, 2012 p.6);
● gives us information concerning man’s behavior in relation to his social environment;
● allows us to reflect on various ways of being humans;
● teaches respect for other ways of life, while using a variety of cross-cultural human behavior
as a mirror from which we can reflect on the things we do in our own culture;
● broadens our perspective on how we value our own and others’ culture;
● gives us a background on how diverse and complex others’ customs, traditions, and cultural
practices are; and
● teaches us the value of religious tolerance, respect for different race, gender, and political
background.

Sociology
According to Joseph Fichter, Sociology is a scientific study of patterned and shared human
behavior. It analyzes human interaction which is essential in understanding man’s cultural makeup. It
may focus its attention on all kinds of social interactions: social arts, social relationships, social
organizations, social structures, and social processes (Palispis, 2009). The social relationship provides
sociological information that will help in understanding the society objectively through the use of
scientific investigation or methodology.
The outcome of sociological investigations is essential for leaders, businessmen or
entrepreneurs, and government officials in maintaining social stability and creation of programs and
policies for political, economic, and social development. Moreover, studying sociology is important
because of the following:

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 ● increases our understanding of ourselves and our society by providing us with concepts that
describe and explain our social creations and how they influence us;
● broadens our experience as we learn to discard prejudices and become more understanding
of the customs of other people;
● opens our minds, prompts us to review the taken-for-granted, and encourages us to entertain
alternatives;
● gives meaning to the importance of the relationship of oneself to others;
● provides understanding on how social groups affect our thinking and behavior;
● describes how and why we belong to a bigger global society that is composed of nations and
states, international institutions, and transnational companies working together and sharing
resources to solve common problems like climate change, poverty, inequality, etc.

Political Science
Political science is the systematic study of a state and its government, with the relationships of
men and the community, with relations of men and groups to the state itself, and with the relations of
a state with other sovereign states abroad (Palispis, 2009). It emphasizes the use of power, interest,
influence, and diplomacy which is important in creating a well-ordered society. Political scientists
analyze how people attain political position in society, how they maintain their position, and the
outcomes of their policy implementation within a definite social territory.
According to Ricardo Lazo, a professorial lecturer in Political Science, the primary goal of
political science is citizenship education. It requires the students to understand and appreciate the
duties and obligations of being members of a society. The following are also some of the importance
of political science as a field of study:
● provides students the knowledge and understanding of a government, with all its component
curricula like public law, political theory, public administration, political philosophy, and political
dynamics;
● inculcates the objectives and underlying principles of the state that should be abided by the
officials and its citizens;
● prepares the students for future career paths, be it in legal profession, government service,
politics, teaching, etc.
● educates us on the importance of exercising rights and maximizing our political participation to
sustain, maintain, or change a society;
● examine the power-relations in the society and how these affect the recognition and affirmation
of our identity, rights, and duties as citizens;
● provides a bigger context on how the government works and how rules, regulations, and laws
help in maintaining social order, cohesion, unity; and
● gives us an overview of political leadership, duties and responsibilities of public servants.

Process Questions:
1. How are culture, society, and politics interrelated with one another?
__________________________________________________________________________
2. How do anthropology, sociology, and political science contribute to the better understanding of
the man’s environment and experiences?
__________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the relevance of understanding culture, society, and politics during pandemic?
__________________________________________________________________________
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 Lesson Concept, Aspects and Changes in/of
Culture and Society
3
Most Essential Learning Competency
● Analyze the concept, aspects and changes in/of culture and society
What is it?
Religious functions, concerts, sports games, and political rallies can have very large crowds.
When you attend one of these events, you may know only the people you came with. Yet you may
experience a feeling of connection to the group. You are one of the crowd. You cheer and applaud
when everyone else does. You pray, sing, boo, and yell along with them. You move out of the way
when someone needs to get by, and you say “excuse me” when you need to leave. You know how to
behave in this kind of crowd.

A key insight of sociology is that the simple fact of being in a group changes your behavior.
Why do we feel and act differently in different types of social situations? Why might people of a single
group exhibit different behaviors in the same situation? These are some of the many questions
sociologists ask as they study people and societies.

According to sociologists, a society is a group of people whose members interact, reside in a

definable area, and share a culture. While anthropologists whose job is to study culture define culture
as everything that gives a society its identity, which would include language, beliefs, values, customs,
norms, laws, cuisine, symbolic meanings and material objects within a society.

Different societies have different cultures; a

culture represents the beliefs and practices of a group,
while society represents the people who share those
beliefs and practices. Almost every human behavior, from
shopping to marriage to expressions of feelings, is
learned. Behavior based on learned customs is not
necessarily a bad thing – being familiar with unwritten
rules helps people feel secure and confident that their
behaviors will not be challenged or disrupted. However,
even the simplest actions – such as commuting to work,
ordering food from a restaurant, and greeting someone on
the street –show a great deal of cultural propriety.

Material culture refers to the objects or belongings

of a group of people (such as automobiles, stores, and
the physical structures where people worship).
Nonmaterial culture consists of the ideas, attitudes, and
beliefs of a society. Material and nonmaterial aspects of
culture are linked, and physical objects often symbolize
cultural ideas. A metro pass is a material object, but it
represents a form of nonmaterial culture (namely capitalism, and the acceptance of paying for
transportation). Clothing, hairstyles, and jewelry are part of material culture, but the appropriateness
of wearing certain clothing for specific events reflects nonmaterial culture. A school building belongs

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to material culture, but the teaching methods and educational standards are part of education’s
nonmaterial culture.

Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC These material and nonmaterial aspects of culture can vary
1https://tinyurl.com/y6oqu2f9 subtly from region to region. As people travel farther afield,
moving from different regions to entirely different parts of the world, certain material and nonmaterial
aspects of culture become dramatically unfamiliar. As we interact with cultures other than our own, we
become more aware of our own culture – which might otherwise be invisible to us – and to the
differences and commonalities between our culture and others.

When people talk about culture in the sense of civilization or refinement, they are really talking
about “high culture,” which is different from the sociological concept of culture. High culture refers to
elite goods and activities, such as high fashion or couture, museum-caliber art, and classical music.
Commonly, people may refer to others as being “cultured” if they know about and take part in these
activities. Someone who uses culture in this sense might argue that classical music is more refined
than music by working-class people, such as jazz or the indigenous music traditions of aboriginal
peoples. Popular (or “pop”) culture, by contrast, is more mainstream and influenced by mass media
and the common opinion. Popular culture tends to change as tastes and opinions change over time,
whereas high culture generally stays the same throughout the years. For example, Mozart is
considered high culture, whereas Britney Spears is considered pop culture; Mozart is likely to still be
popular in 100 years, but Britney Spears will likely be forgotten by all but a few.

In 18th and 19th century Europe, the term “culture” was equated with civilization and
considered a unique aspect of Western society. Remnants of that colonial definition of culture can be
seen today in the idea of” high culture “.
During the Romantic Era, culture became equated with
nationalism and gave rise to the idea of multiple
national cultures.

Today, social scientists understand culture as a

society’s norms, values, and beliefs; as well as its
objects and symbols, and the meaning given to those
objects and symbols.

What is particularly fascinating about cultures is

that each culture, no matter where it is located, shares
at least five basic characteristics. This means the
Mayan culture, which is now extinct, shared at least five
basic characteristics with present-day Filipino culture.
The five basic characteristics that all cultures share are Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2 Negritos of the Philippines
that they are learned, shared, based on symbols, https://tinyurl.com/y6yfvbpn
integrated, and dynamic.
Early colonial definitions of culture equate culture and civilization
and characterized aboriginal people as uncivilized and
● Culture is learned. It is not biological; we do uncultured.
not inherit it. Much of learning culture is unconscious. It takes a while for culture to be acquired
and developed. We learn culture from families, peers, institutions, and media. The process of
learning culture is known as enculturation.

● Culture is shared. Because we share culture with other members of our group, we are able to
act in socially appropriate ways as well as predict how others will act. Despite the shared nature
of culture, that does not mean that culture is homogeneous (the same).

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 ● Culture is based on symbols. A symbol is something that stands for something else. They
only have meaning when people in a culture agree on their use. Language, money, and arts
are all symbols. Language is the most important symbolic component of culture.

● Culture is integrated. This is known as holism, or the various parts of a culture being
interconnected. All aspects of a culture are related to one another and to truly understand a
culture, one must learn about all of its parts, not only a few.

● Culture is dynamic. This simply means that cultures interact and change. Because most
cultures are in contact with other cultures, they exchange ideas and symbols. All cultures
change, otherwise, they would have problems adapting to changing environments. And
because cultures are integrated, if one component in the system changes, it is likely that the
entire system must adjust.

Activity 1

How do you describe your present generation? What cultural

traits and practices do you share?

The culture of a society is not stagnant, it is always evolving. Social and cultural change has
been constant throughout the history of mankind. In the last millennia, the world went through countless
changes especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. Global processes of social and cultural changes
continue to affect people and nations in a variety of ways. In the last decade or so, the world faced
contemporary issues such as climate change, migration, advanced technology, the age of the internet,
educational system, health issues, and many more. These are far more different than the earlier
concerns of the world such as wars, anarchy, famine and such.

In the context of changing the globalized world, transformation will always be permanent. Such
changes occur because of factors such as innovations, diffusions, acculturation and assimilations.

● Innovation: Discovery and Invention - An innovation refers to an object or concept’s initial

appearance in society—it is innovative, because it is markedly new. There are two ways to
come across an innovative object or idea: discover or invent it.

● Diffusion and Globalization: The integration of world markets and technological advances of
the last decades allowed for greater exchange between cultures through the processes of
globalization and diffusion. Increased communications and air travels have further opened
doors for international business relations, facilitating the flow not only of goods but also of
information and people as well. Access to television and the Internet has brought the lifestyles
and values portrayed in U.S. or Korean sitcoms into homes around the globe. Twitter feeds
from public demonstrations in one nation have encouraged political protesters in other
countries. When this kind of diffusion occurs, material objects and ideas from one culture are
introduced into another.

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 ● Acculturation and Assimilation: It is a process of cultural contact and exchange through
which a person or group comes to adopt certain values and practices of a culture that are not
originally their own, to a greater or lesser extent.
For example, when the Korean culture or K-Pop Culture came into contact with the Filipino
culture, a group of Filipinos abandons their practices, type of clothing, language, manner of
speaking and values to adapt to it. Thus, “acculturation” is a second-culture acquisition.
Second-language learning is a good example of acculturation at the individual-level

ACTIVITY 2

Interview your grandparents, parents and relatives who

belong to the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s generation. Ask them
about what makes their generation unique.

Social change refers to any significant alteration over time in behavior patterns and cultural
values and norms. By “significant” alteration, sociologists mean changes yielding profound social
consequences. Examples of significant social changes having long term effects include the industrial
revolution, the abolition of slavery, and the feminist movement. Changes to technology, social
institutions, population, and the environment, alone or in some combination, create change.

● Technology - some would say that improving technology has made our lives easier. Imagine
what your day would be like without the Internet, the automobile, or electricity. Of course, there
are drawbacks. The increasing gap between the technological haves and have-nots––
sometimes called the ‘digital divide’––occurs both locally and globally. Further, there are added
security risks: the loss of privacy, the risk of total system failure, and cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying is an electronic aggression that can happen twenty-four hours a day, it can reach
a child (or an adult) even though he or she might otherwise feel safe in a locked house. The
messages and images may be posted anonymously and to a very wide audience, and they
might even be impossible to be traced. Finally, once posted, the texts and images are very
difficult to delete. Its effects range from the use of alcohol and drugs to lower self-esteem,
health problems, and even suicide

● Social Institutions - each change in a single social institution leads to changes in all social
institutions. For example, the industrialization of society meant that there was no longer a need
for large families to produce enough manual labor to run a farm. Further, new job opportunities
were in close proximity to urban centers where living space was at a premium. The result is
that the average family size shrunk significantly.

● Population – its composition is changing at every level of society. Births increase in one nation
and decrease in another. Some families delay childbirth while others start bringing children into
their folds early.

● Environment - we know that individuals and the environment affect each other. As the human
population moves into more vulnerable areas, we see an increase in the number of people
affected by natural disasters, and we see that human interaction with the environment
increases the impact of those disasters.

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 In a nutshell, there are numerous and varied causes of social change. Four common causes,
as recognized by social scientists, are technology, social institutions, population, and environment. All
four of these areas can impact when and how society changes, and they are all interrelated: a change
in one area can lead to changes throughout.

Modernization is a typical result of social change. Modernization refers to the process of

increased differentiation and specialization within a society, particularly around its industry and
infrastructure.

It may be said that social change refers specifically to alterations in social relationships among
people in groups, whereas cultural change refers to change in both material and non-material cultural
elements. It may be said that social change and cultural change are inextricably linked. It is very difficult
to draw a line of demarcation between the two. At certain places both concepts overlap.

What is the relationship between

assimilation and acculturation? Give 3
examples.

How can technology, social

institutions, population, and the
environment bring about social
change?

How did you respond to these

changes? How did it affect your life in
terms of your personality, your family
and your community?

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 Lesson Importance of Cultural Relativism in
4 Attaining Cultural Understanding

Most Essential Learning Competency

● Explain the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural understanding.

What is it?
Cultural relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and values are dependent on their cultural
context and should be treated as such. A key component of cultural relativism is the concept that
nobody, not even researchers, comes from a neutral position. The way to deal with our own
assumptions is not to pretend that they do not exist but rather to acknowledge them and use the
awareness that we are not neutral to inform our conclusions. In a way, cultural relativity is a belief that
it does not matter whether cultures are either equal or different, because equality and similarity do not
necessarily translate to real or imagined inferiority or superiority of cultures. As an attitude, cultural
relativism promotes greater appreciation of the cultures one encountered along the way. As a
behavior, cultural relativism is a good way to rehearse the norms and values of society, a requirement
that one must subscribe to regardless of his or her cultural origin.

Cultural relativism is also a research method. Social scientists strive to treat cultural differences
as neither inferior nor superior. That way, they can understand their research topics within the
appropriate cultural context and examine their own biases and assumptions at the same time. This is
a method whereby different societies or cultures are analyzed objectively without using the values of
one culture to judge the worth of another. We cannot possibly understand the actions of other groups
if we analyze them in terms of our motives and values. We must interpret their behavior in the light of
their motives, habits, and values if we are to understand them.
Cultural relativism means that the function and meaning of a trait are relative to its cultural
setting. A trait is neither good nor bad in itself. It is good or bad only with reference to the culture in
which it is to function. For instance, fur clothing is good in the Arctic but not in the tropics. In some
hunting societies which occasionally face long period of hunger, to be fat is good, it has survival value
and fat people are admired. In our society, to be fat is known to be unhealthy and fat people are not
admired.

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 The concept of cultural relativism does not mean that all customs are equally valuable, nor
does it imply that no customs are harmful. Some patterns of behavior may be injurious everywhere,
but even such patterns serve some purpose in the culture, and the society will suffer unless a substitute
is provided. The central point in cultural relativism is that in a particular cultural setting, certain traits
are right, because they work well in that setting while other traits are wrong, because they would clash
painfully with parts of that culture.

Appreciation of other cultures may come about for two complementary reasons. First the
acquisition of sufficient knowledge about the culture in question, and second, the direct exposure to
other cultures. The first may happen in indirect ways such as reading about the practices and rituals
of other cultures, while the second may take place because of travel or immigration. In both cases,
individuals personally come in contact with the people representing another culture and see the
performance of a different set of practices.

Cultural relativism is the ability to understand a culture on its own terms and not to make
judgments using the standards of different cultures. Using the perspective of cultural relativism leads
to the view that no culture is superior to another culture when compared to the systems of morality,
law, politics and the likes. It is a concept of cultural norms and values deriving their meaning within a
specific social context. This is also based on the idea that there is no absolute standard of good or
evil, therefore every decision and judgment of what is right and wrong is individually decided in each
society.

The concept of cultural relativism also means that any opinion on ethics is subject to the
perspective of each person within their particular culture. Overall, there is no right or wrong ethical
system. In a holistic understanding of the term cultural relativism, it tries to promote the understanding
of cultural practices that are familiar to other cultures such as eating insects, genocides, or genital
cutting.

Importance of Understanding Cultural Relativism

The whole concept involves interpreting beliefs and activities from within the terms of governing
culture. It is very important, especially in the volatile circumstances of today, to understand the concept
of relativism in essence. The principle of cultural relativism was first established and explained by
Franz Boas in the first half of the twentieth century. Anthropologists began effectively using the term
and summarizing the understood synthesis around the involvement of the concept specific to certain
methodologies and epistemological claims. However, the ethical stance in the application of meaning
to beliefs and activities observed is a matter of debate. The German philosopher Immanuel Kant
strongly propagated that human beings are not capable of assimilating knowledge of the world directly
or without a medium. He believed that all our experiences are universally structured perceptions, in
accordance to the concerning time and space. The idea of cultural relativism is best understood as
ethnocentrism or the group being the center of everything, including the rostrum for judging other
groups.

On the other hand, humans have salvaged distinct cultural forms of life over the recent past
and yet at the same time, there is a strong scientific intention for the refusal to accept the perception
of homogenization. Cultural relativism, many times, takes the form of ethnocentrism, where we believe
that our understanding of known art is most beautiful and our values are the most virtuous. It cannot
be denied that the known culture does mediate and limit our perception of things. Culture needs to be
understood as that which is beyond food, art and music, and religion. It is the complete sum of our
mental and physical reactions and activities.

Cultural relativism is an attitude and focuses on the importance of the local understanding of
the meaning of particular beliefs and activities. Cultural relativism brings about a comparison and
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contrast of cultures in a systematic manner. This systematic manner was employed previously to
classify artifacts and biological organisms, taking the evolution from the crudest to the most refined. It
is very necessary to be aware of the diversity of cultures around the world and the tremendous range
of variations. Cultural relativism is a tool for unbiased critique, a reflection of our known ways. It helps
us to re-examine and correct our assumptions and bias on cultures and people of the world. The
critical function of cultural relativism is to admit that the ground for judgement on other cultures comes
from a kind of illusion.

Process Questions:
1. What did you learn about cultural relativism?
2. How is our culture related to the other cultures in the world?
3. Is it important for us to study cultural relativism? Why?

Activity: Study the statements below. Write your FIRST NAME if the statement is TRUE. Write F if
the statement is FALSE and underline the word or group of words that make the sentence incorrect.
Write your answer on the space provided.
1. Cultural relativism means that the function and meaning of a trait are not relative to its cultural
setting. ________
2. Cultural relativism brings about a comparison and contrast of cultures in a chaotic manner.
________
3. Cultural relativism is a tool for unbiased critique, a reflection of our known ways. ________
4. It is necessary to be aware of the diversity of cultures around the world. ________
5. Boas Franz was the first one to explain the principle of cultural relativism. ________

14
 Lesson The Significance of Cultural, Social,
5 Political, and Economic Symbols and
Practices
Most Essential Learning Competency
● Analyze the significance of cultural, social, political, and economic symbols and practices.

What is it?
Examine the picture. What does the picture show? How does it explain man’s development?

Man, as the most important component of society, goes through evolutionary changes that help him
adapt to his environment. Man’s adaptation started the formation of society as well as cultural development which
is essential for survival. Evolution is a natural process of biological changes occurring in a population across
successive generations (Banaag, 2012). It helps us identify and analyze man’s physiological development which
is important in his subsistence. The evolution of man became an important concern in the emergence of different
societies. Early man’s development serves as an avenue in analyzing the progress of our society.

The origins of modern humans can be explained by studying the biological, social, and cultural evolution.
Biological evolution explains the physical transformation of modern humans from hominids into thinking modern
humans or Homo sapiens sapiens. Aside from biological evolution, modern humans also underwent social and
cultural evolution. Humans developed and modified their culture through time as response to the threats and
challenges posed by their environment. The culture of humans also included the social and political evolution of
modern man.

Biological evolution refers to the changes, modifications, and

variations in the genetics and inherited traits of biological
populations from one generation to another. Evolution is diverse
and it occurs in different levels of the biological population.
Cultural evolution or sociocultural evolution refers to changes or
development in cultures from a simple form to a more complex
form of human culture. Sociocultural evolution happens as a
result of human adaptation to different factors like climatic
changes and population increase. Biological evolution is based
on the theory of evolution that was introduced by Charles
Darwin. He introduced the concept of evolution to explain the
origins of modern humans. Darwin wrote:

“Species are not immutable, but those belonging to

what are called the same genera are lineal
descendants of some other and generally extinct
species, in the same manner as the acknowledged
varieties of any one species”
(Ember, Ember, & Peregrine, 2002).

15
 Biologica
Anthropolog l Political
y Science

EVOLUTIONAR
Y

PROCESS
Cultura Socia
l l

Sociolog
y
Fig. 1. The Tripartite evolution of humans: biological, cultural, and social

The Biological and Cultural Evolution of Modern Humans

Species Characteristics
Humanlike creatures that can walk erect during the prehistoric times.
4 categories of hominids: Sahelanthropus, Ardipithecus,
Australopithecus, and Homo
Hominids
Sahelanthropus, Ardipithecus, Australopithecus had both apelike
and humanlike characteristics; while, Homo had biological and
cultural characteristics of a modern human
Species with a brain of a Broca’s area which is associated with
speech in modern humans and was the first to make stone tools.
The ability to make and use tools is a unique quality to humans such
Homo Habilis
that the species is recognized to be the first true human.
The species name means “Handy Man”.
Lived about 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago, scavenging food
The species’ name means “Upright Man” with a body proportionate
similar to that of modern humans.
Lived 1.89 to 143,000 years ago
Homo Erectus
Adapted to hot climates and mostly spread in Africa and Asia.
They were the first hunters with improvised tools such as axes and
knives, and were first to produce fire.
The species means “Wise Man” that appeared from 200,000 years
Homo sapiens ago.
The present race belongs to this species.
Subspecies known as the Cro-Magnon characterized to be
anatomically modern humans and lived in the last Ice Age of Europe
Homo sapiens
from 40,000 to 10,000 years ago.
sapiens
They were the first to produce art in cave paintings and crafting
decorated tools and accessories.

16
Man’s Cultural Evolution
Cultural Period Time Frame Cultural Development
Use of simple pebble tools
Traditionally coincided Learned to live in caves
with the first evidence of Discovered the use of fire
Paleolithic Age
tool construction and Developed small sculptures; and
(Old Stone Age)
use by Homo some 2.5 monumental painting, incised designs and
million years ago. reliefs on the walls of the caves.
Food-collecting culture.
Stone tools were shaped by polishing or
grinding.
Settlement in permanent villages.
Neolithic Age Occurred sometime Dependence on domesticated plants or
(New Stone Age) about 10,000 BCE animals.
Appearance of such crafts as pottery and
weaving
Food-producing cultures

Types of Societies
Types of Human
Characteristics
Societies
The earliest form of human society.
People survived by foraging for vegetable foods and small game,
Hunting & Food
fishing, hunting larger wild animals, and collecting shellfish.
Gathering Societies
They subsisted from day to day on whatever was available.
They used tools made of stones, woods and bones.
People learned to use human muscle power and hand-held tools
to cultivate fields.
Classified as subsistence farming and surplus farming.
Subsistence farming: involves only producing enough food to feed
the group. The settlements are small. Neighborhood is solid.
Political organization is confined in the village. Authority is based
Horticultural Societies
on positions inherited by males through the kinship system.
Surplus farming: practiced in thickly populated and permanent
settlements. There was occupational specialization with prestige
differences. Social stratification was established. The community
tended to be structured by kinship relations that are male
dominated.
It relied on herding and the domestication of animals for food and
clothing to satisfy the greater needs of the group.
Most pastoralists were nomads who followed their herds in a
Pastoral Societies never-ending quest for pasture and water.
It was organized along male-centered kinship groups.
It was usually united under strong political figures. However,
centralized political leadership did not occur.
The societies were characterized by the use of plow in farming.
Creation of the irrigation system provided farming enough surplus
Agricultural Societies for the community.
Ever-growing populations came together in a broad river valley
system.

17
 Those who controlled access to arable land and its use became
rich and powerful since they could demand the payment of taxes
and political support.
By taking the bulk of agriculture surplus, the political leaders could
make bureaucracies implement their plans and armies to protect
their privileges.
Social classes became entrenched, and the state evolved.
It is characterized by more than just the use of mechanical means
of production.
It constitutes an entirely new form of society that requires an
immense, mobile diversity specialized, high-skilled and well-
coordinated labor force.
Creates a highly organized system of exchange between suppliers
Industrial Societies of raw materials and industrial manufacturers.
Industrial societies are divided along class lines.
Industrialism brought about a tremendous shift of populations.
Kinship plays a smaller role in patterning public affairs.
Industrial societies are highly secularized.
The predominant form of social and political organization in
industrial societies is the bureaucracy.
It depends on specialized knowledge to bring about continuing
progress in technology.
It is characterized by the spread of computer industries.
Post-Industrial
Knowledge and information are the hallmarks of this society.
Societies
It resulted in the homogenization of social relations among
individuals and the interaction between humans and the natural
environment.

Process Questions:
1. What makes human beings an important component in the development of early society?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. How do early societies differ from one another?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

18
 Lesson The Context, Content, Processes, and
6 Consequences of Socialization
Most Essential Learning Competency
● Explain the context, content, processes, and consequences of socialization.

What is socialization?

Socialization is a form of interaction by which people acquire personality and learn the way of
life of their society. It is considered as the essential link between the individual and society. In fact,
socialization allows the individual to learn the norms, values, languages, skills, beliefs, other patterns
of thoughts, and actions that are essential for social living (Robertson, 1987).

Goals of Socialization:
● To teach impulse control and help individual develop conscience;
● To prepare for social roles such as occupational roles, gender roles, and the roles of
institutions, such as marriage and parenthood; and
● To cultivate shared resources of meaning and value–-people learn to identify what is most
important and valued within a particular culture.

Functions of Socialization:
● personality and role development – we develop our sense of identity and belongingness
through socialization;
● skills development and training – social skills such as communication, interpersonal, and
occupational skills are developed;
● values formation – individuals are influenced by the prevailing values of social groups and
society;
● social integration and adjustment – socialization allows us to fit-in an organized way of life by
being accustomed including cultural setting;
● social control and stability – bind individuals to the control mechanisms set forth by the society’s
norms

Major Aspects of Socialization

A. Context
● It is like the theater or stage in which socialization occurs;
● It includes culture, language, and social structures such as the class, ethnic, and gender
hierarchies of a society;
● It includes social and historical events, power and control in social life, and the people and
institutions with whom individuals come in contact in the course of their socialization.

1. Biological Context
Biological features are regularly suggested as sources of human behavior. Socio-
biologists suggest that some human capacities may be "wired into" our biological makeup, e.g.
newborn babies move their heads back and forth in burrowing or "rooting" motions looking for
milk; they have powerful, grasping fingers that cling tightly to other human fingers or bodies;
19
 and they move so as to maximize body contact with their caregivers. These suggest that infants
are born wanting human contact.

2. Psychological Context
Emotional States and the Unconscious
The primary factor in the psychological context of socialization is the psychological state of the
person being socialized. Psychological states include feelings such as fear, anger, grief, love,
and happiness or a sense of emotional deprivation. One or more of these emotions might very
well inhibit or promote socialization of a particular kind. Fear may make it difficult for young
children to socialize in school, whereas people in love may learn quickly what makes their loved
ones happy. Emotions can also influence how individuals perceive the content of socialization,
whether in becoming a member of a family group or a religious sect. Knowing something about
the feelings of the people involved (the psychological context) helps explain the results of the
socialization process.
Cognitive Development Theories
A number of psychologists emphasize the series of stages through which humans progress.
Although emotional concerns can be involved, these theorists focus
on cognitive (intellectual) development, which occurs in a systematic, universal sequence
through a series of stages. Cognitive development theorists see children as increasingly trying
to make sense of their social worlds as they grow up. Children try to see patterns in the way
things happen.

3. Content and Process

● Content refers to what is passed from member to novice such as ideas, beliefs, behaviors, and
other information that are passed on by the member of society to the individual.

● Processes are those interactions that are conveyed to new members, how they are to speak,
behave, think, and even feel. Below are the processes of socialization:
a. The primary process – happens during childhood and is very important, because it sets
the groundwork for all future socialization. It occurs when a child learns the attitudes, values,
and actions appropriate to individuals as members of a particular culture and is mainly
influenced by the immediate family and friends. Example: if a child sees his or her mother
expressing a discriminatory opinion about a minority group, then that child may think this
behavior is acceptable and can continue to have this opinion about minority groups.

b. Secondary process - learning what is the appropriate behavior as a member of a smaller

group within the larger society which includes behavioral patterns reinforced by socializing
agents of society. This is where children and individuals require different behavior from the
home. Example: children must act according to school rules; new teachers have to act in a
way that is different from pupils and learn the new rules from people around them.
c. Resocialization – happens when an individual or a group is brought in contact with a new
culture, which requires them to leave behind their old identity and take up a new one. During
this process, they are required to learn the norms, values, and ways of life into the new
environment or the setting which they are brought in contact with. This requires, as the first
step, for the individual to give up or forget their previous values and at times even their
identity and adopt the one specific to their environment. This process is often deliberate and

20
 intense. Example: transition from schooling to working; adapting to the new normal lifestyle
because of pandemic
d. Reverse socialization – happens when the younger generation transfers knowledge to the
older generation. This occurs mostly in industrial societies where technological change is
rapid. Example: a teenager teaching his or her mother to use a smartphone.
4. Consequences or Outcomes
● Consequences or outcomes may be defined as what happens later, after someone has been
exposed to particular content and processes.
● New members may learn the behaviors, attitudes, and values that old members hoped they
would learn.
● For example, learning a language involves the ways vocabulary and grammar can be
combined. One gains a sense of rules and values fundamental in a society's culture.
Process questions:
1. How does socialization help form a well-functioning society?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Can a society evolve without the process of socialization? Why?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. How do biological and psychological factors of socialization shape one’s personhood? Why?

21
Lesson Norms and Values to be Observed in
7 Interacting with Others in Society
Most Essential Learning Competency
● Identify norms and values to be observed in interacting with others in society
What is it?

The society at times appears to be chaotic, as when a mob riots, or when there is a hysterical
rush from an impending crisis; but soon, order is restored, and the society gets going. Indeed, order
rather than disorder is the rule of the world. Social order as it is called is obtained through regulation
of human behavior according to certain standards.

All societies provide for these standards specifying appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
The standards which regulate behavior have been termed social norms. The concept of norms is a
central one in sociology.

Have you ever wondered why most people who live in a certain country think and behave in
similar ways and why people from one country or culture are so different from people of another
culture? The difference has to do with cultural norms. A set of norms is a society’s standards of
acceptable behavior. Norm refers to attitudes and behaviors that are considered normal, typical or
average within that group. Norms are explicit and implicit rules and conventions which are followed by
individuals in their social relations with others.

Norms are of great importance to society. It is impossible to imagine a normless society,

because without norms behavior would be unpredictable. The standards of behavior contained in the
norms give order to social relation. Interaction goes smoothly if the individuals follow the group norms.
If there were no normative order, there could be no human society. Man needs a normative order to
live in society, because human organisms are not sufficiently comprehensive or integrated to give
automatic responses that are functionally adequate for society.

Man is incapable of existing alone. His dependence on society is not derived from fixed innate
responses to mechanical social stimuli but rather from learned responses to meaningful stimuli. Hence
his dependence on society is ultimately a dependence upon a normative order.

Further, a social norm operative in one social system may not be operative in another. Thus,
Mohammedan societies permit polygyny, but Christians do not. Likewise, norms do not apply equally
to all members of a society or to all situations. They are adjusted to the position people hold in the
society and to the occupations they practice. Thus, what is proper for a woman is not always proper
for a man, or what is proper for a doctor may not be proper for a teacher. Therefore, conformity to
norms is always qualified in view of the socially defined situations in which they apply.

A norm implies a sense of obligation. It lays down a standard of behavior which one ought to
follow. Many of the problems of personality as well as society are mostly the problems of non-
conformity to norms. Conformity to norms is normal. So far, the examples in this module have often
described how people are expected to behave in certain situations—for example, when buying food or
boarding a bus. These examples describe the visible and invisible rules of conduct through which
societies are structured, or what sociologists call norms. Norms are defined as how to behave in

22
 accordance with what a society has defined as good,
right, and important, and most members of the society
adhere to them.

Formal norms are established, written rules.

These are behaviors worked out and agreed upon in
order to suit and serve the most people. Laws are
formal norms, but so are employee manuals, school
entrance exam requirements, and “no running” signs at
swimming pools. Formal norms are the most specific
and clearly stated of the various types of norms, and
they are the most strictly enforced. But even formal
norms are enforced to varying degrees and are
reflected in cultural values.

For example, money is highly valued in the Philippines, so monetary crimes are punished. It’s
against the law to rob a bank, and banks go to great lengths to prevent such crimes. People safeguard
valuable possessions and install anti theft devices to protect homes and cars. A less strictly enforced
social norm is driving while intoxicated. While it is against the law to drive drunk, drinking is for the
most part an acceptable social behavior. And though there are laws to punish drunk driving, there are
few systems in place to prevent the crime. These examples show a range of enforcement in formal
norms.

There are plenty of formal norms, but the list of informal norms—casual behaviors that are
generally and widely conformed to—is longer. People learn informal norms by observation, imitation,
and general socialization. Some informal norms are taught directly—“Mag mano ka sa lola” or “Use
your spoon and fork”—while others are learned by observation, including observations of the
consequences when someone else violates a norm. Although informal norms define personal
interactions, they extend into other systems as well. In the Philippines, there are informal norms
regarding behavior at fast food restaurants. Customers line up to order their food, they do not sing
loudly as they prepare their condiments. Informal norms dictate appropriate behaviors without the need
of written rules.

All societies have cultural norms. Even though norms influence every facet of our lives,
including what we value, our attitudes, and how we behave, we are often unaware that we are
influenced at all. There are four kinds of norms in society:

● Folkways or customs – norms without any moral underpinnings. It directs appropriate

behavior in the day-to-day practices and expressions of a culture. For example, when we fall
in line while boarding an MRT or LRT train, what appropriate clothes we wear on a given
occasion, whether to shake hands or kiss on the cheek or say “mano po” when greeting another
person. Because of the frequency in doing them, we tend not to be conscious anymore in
executing these common folkways. Folkways mark the distinction between rude and polite
behavior, so they exert a form of social pressure on us to act and interact in certain ways.

● Mores - are norms that embody the moral views and principles of a group. Violating them can
have serious consequences. People who violate mores are seen as shameful. They can even
be shunned or banned from some groups. Mores exact a greater coercive force in shaping our
values, beliefs, behavior, and interactions than do folkways. For example, in the Philippine
setting, having an extramarital relationship is prohibited or living with your partner outside
marriage. This practice is certainly frowned upon by society.

23
 However, mores are not fixed. Like folkways, they are subject to change, though more slowly,
through time.

● Taboos – these are norms prohibiting individuals against practices that are extremely
“immoral” or “unacceptable” in society. Bestiality or having sex with animals is taboo. Having
incestuous relationship in most societies consider it as taboo.

● Laws - are written norms legislated by a law-making body, which may carry punishments as a
consequence for violators.

ACTIVITY 1

Can you identify more taboos and mores in Philippine

society? Enumerate at least 5 of them.

Let’s talk about values.

A hungry Hindu man will let
himself starve rather than The answer to that question is simple, if you understand his
slaughter and eat a cow, cultural values. The Hindus, who make up over 80% of India's
even though there are old population, believe that cows are sacred and should not be
cows roaming all over his slaughtered. From the outside, a group's cultural values are often
village, blocking the streets difficult to understand. For members inside the group, cultural values
for cars to pass. To the are the core principles and ideals upon which the entire community
average adult American man, exists.
who eats over 25 kilos of beef The most crucial element of culture is its values. These
each year, this seems
illogical. If you have been
significantly define people of what they are and what they could be as
hungry for months, then you members of a given society without which nothing else may
should eat the cow! There are differentiate them from lower forms of animals. Values guide man’s
behavior
old cows and action as
roaming all he/she
over relates himself/herself to most situations in life.
India, no one else owns the
cows, In ouryou
and example,
know how thetocultural value that the Hindu man believes is to respect your ancestors and
slaughter
your a cow!
gods. One of theWhat's
customs that acts as an outward sign of this value is to allow cows to have a
stopping
natural the Hindu
death, ratherman
than from
slaughtering them. This custom, taken with all of the other customs that his
killing the cow?
community practices, represents a larger picture of Hindu culture.

Values signify the importance attached to anything or any person. Values help shape society
by suggesting what is good or bad. However, values may either be subjective or objective. Values
often suggest how people should behave, but they don’t accurately reflect how people do behave.
Values portray an ideal culture; the standards society would like to embrace and live up to. But ideal
culture differs from real culture, the way society is, based on what occurs and exists. Living up to a
culture’s values can be difficult. Teenagers for instance, especially in today’s generation, are taught
from both home and school to value their virginity or “celibacy”. However, the number of unplanned
pregnancies among teens reveals that not only is the ideal hard to live up but the value alone is not
enough to spare teenagers from the potential consequences of having sex.

24
 One way societies strive to put values into action is through rewards, sanctions, and
punishments. When people observe the norms of society and uphold its values, they are often
rewarded. A boy who helps an elderly woman board a bus may receive a smile and a “thank you.” A
manager who raises profit margins may receive a quarterly bonus. People sanction certain behaviors
by giving their support, approval, or permission, or by instilling formal actions of disapproval and
nonsupport. Sanctions are a form of social control, a way to encourage conformity to cultural norms.
Sometimes people conform to norms in anticipation or expectation of positive sanctions: good grades,
for instance, may mean praise from parents and teachers

The Filipino values can best be seen from the aspects of personal and social relationships.
Personally, Filipinos value their honor and status more than anything else. Many of them take care of
their honor (karangalan) rather than wealth. In decision making, Filipinos usually consult and take into
consideration the consensus of the family members as the feelings of those who are to be affected.

With these features of values, it is not difficult to see how the Filipino culture is being defined
and made known by a set of values.

Here are some examples of Filipino values:

● Religiosity – spiritual life and practices are common to Christians,

Muslims, and other Filipinos who belong to different religious
groups.
● Utang na loob (a sense of gratitude not a debt of gratitude) –
returning favor or doing good to the person who helps you.
● Bayanihan – the act of a group of neighbors helping one another
shown when calamity strikes.
● Pakikipagkapwa – It is the good intention to be with others, to
help them and to grow together as individuals as kapwa.

To sum it up, culture is the interface of the past and the present
that influence how people move forward into the future. It is the identity of societies, where way
of life is a result of their histories, stories, experiences, knowledge, beliefs, and traditions.
Values on the other hand, are the bases of people’s choices and are defined as a belief or ideal
shared by a group or a community regarding what is good or bad, desirable or undesirable,
acceptable or unacceptable.

Having a set of values that is shared within a society provides a common ground where
greater cohesion can be cultivated. Hence, culture is the background while shared values are
the guiding principles by which policies and programs must be developed in order to give flesh
to inclusive, sustainable, and people-centered development.

25
Process Questions

Why is globalization considered a threat to Describe how the pandemic could affect the norms
one’s norms and values? and values in interacting with others in society.

As a senior high school student, which ___________________________________________

norms and values do you consider hard to ___________________________________________
apply in real life? Why?
___________________________________________
What is your opinion about the new norms ___________________________________________
and how is it affecting you as a Senior High
___________________________________________
School student?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Is this the new normal after the pandemic?
___________________________________________

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

___________________________________________

26
Lesson Forms and Functions of Social Organization
8
Most Essential Learning Competency
● Analyze the forms and functions of social organization.

What is it?

Social organization
Social organization refers to the systems of obligation-relations which exist among and
between the groups constituting a given society. It is a system of relationship between persons and
among groups with regards to the division of activity and the functional arrangement of mutual
obligations within society. A broad institutional interrelationship in a society. It is a kinship structure of
a culture or society especially as constituted in a stabilized network of rules of descent and residence.
Social organization has the nature and functioning of obligation-relations as it operates among the
various groups constituting a society.

Sociology

social groups political

organizations

SOCIAL

Political
Anthropology Science
cultural
institutions

Figure 1: The society organized social groups, cultural institutions, and political
organizations

Social relationships and patterns of interactions become institutions the moment they start
being governed by formal and informal agreements or by strong traditional norms. Examples of
agreements are written laws and contracts. They may dictate the concrete forms of arrangements
within the limits of specific interests and goals. The term organization here does not exclusively refer
27
to types of association. Instead, it pertains to patterns of arrangements shaped and conditioned by
the overarching concerns that they aim to address. Three forms of social organization patterns will be
highlighted in this discussion. Social groups, cultural institutions, and political organizations. They
represent sociology, anthropology, and political science, respectively.

When individuals aggregate physically in a given

space, they do not necessarily make a social group. They are
just a collection of warm bodies who happened to be together
in one space or who may happen to share a set of common
characteristics. Social aggregate is a simple collection of
people who happen to be together in a particular place but do
not significantly interact or identify with one another.
Whereas, social categories are people who share common
characteristics such as gender or occupation but do not
necessarily interact or identify with one another.
But when the relationship starts to go beyond the mere
co-presence or co-category, a group starts to emerge. This
situation suggests that groups are not just a collection of
beings but they have common interests that necessitate the
interaction with each other across time and space.

Social Group
Social group is a collection of people who
Social regularly interact with each other and share similar
characteristics and a sense of unity on the basis of
shared expectations concerning behavior and share
a sense of common identity. With these
qualifications as to what constitutes a group, will
better describe the categories of groups based on
standards.
A true group exhibits some degree of social
cohesion and is more than a simple collection of
individuals, such as people waiting at the bus stop
or people waiting in a line. Characteristics shared
by members of a group may include interests,
values, representations, ethnic or social
background, or kinship ties. Social groups are also
characterized by collectivity, interaction, mutual
awareness, reciprocity and “we feeling”.
Source: Classification of groups according to Charles H.
https://tinyurl.com/yysukkzr
Cooley are the following:
Primary Group is a small social group whose members share close, personal and enduring
relationships. Primary groups are marked by the members’ concern for one another and shared
activities and culture. Examples include families, childhood friends and highly influential social groups.
They are typically small scale, with intimate relationships and are usually long lasting. The members
of primary groups feel a strong personal identity with the group. Its functions include developing the
personality, satisfaction of total needs of the individuals like fulfilling physical, emotional, psychological,
social and spiritual needs of the individual, group members provide love, security, belongingness and
companionship to one another. Socialization process initiates within the primary group.
Secondary group has the opposite characteristics of a primary group. It can be small or large,
and they are mostly impersonal and usually short term. These groups are typically found at work and
28
school. An example of a secondary group is a committee organized to plan a holiday party at work.
Members of the committee meet infrequently and for only a short period of time. Although group
members may have some similar interests, the function of the group is about the task instead of the
relationships. Sometimes secondary groups become pretty informal, and the members get to know
each other fairly well.
Reference group is a group which we compare ourselves, such as those of college freshmen.
We use reference groups in order to guide our behavior and attitudes and help us to identify social
norms. It can also be called an identity association group since their creation is fueled by a person’s
desire to provide character connection.
Process Questions:
1. How is a group organized?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. How are you influenced by a certain group?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. Is it possible for an individual to have no group?
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Cultural Institutions
Roles and practices in cultural heritage institution

Source: https://tinyurl.com/y2um2pfg

Cultural institutions have an acknowledged mission to engage in the conservation,

interpretation and dissemination of cultural, scientific, and environmental knowledge. They promote
activities meant to inform and educate citizens on associated aspects of culture, history, science and
the environment. Examples of cultural institutions are museums, libraries, historical or botanical
societies and community cultural centers. Cultural institutions play a vital role in the maintenance,
conservation, revitalization, interpretation, and documentation of heritage, and in facilitating citizens’
interaction and engagement with heritage. As such, cultural institutions are important actors in the
promotion of cultural understanding, intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity, and in the
transmission of culture across generation.
29
Political Organization
A group of persons organized to seek or exercise power in governmental or public affairs, by
supporting candidates for office or by lobbying for action and mobilizing support for bills or
governmental policies. Human beings are considered social animals, being such, they have a natural
tendency to join groups. However, considering that individuals have different interests, the tendency
towards conflict is as natural as the tendency to join social groups. Thus, there is a need to establish
a political system where power structures are defined to ensure that conflicts are managed. It is in this
regard that it is important to understand how individuals have organized themselves into social and
political groups or communities.
In studying any society, we can observe various social groups and institutions, each with its
specific functions. It does not matter whether the institutions are related to business, religion, the legal
system, or families. They all have functions. For instance, the primary function of the legal system is
likely to be the maintenance of the social order in the society. The functions of different institutions
may overlap and are likely to be interrelated in complex ways. Manifest functions are those that are
obvious and easily discovered even by strangers; while, latent functions are those that are less
apparent and more difficult to uncover.

Activity: My Group as a Mirror of Myself

Directions: Choose one group where you were part of and made a significant impact on you. Describe
the group in column A then enumerate the impacts it had on you as a social person in column B.

A. The Group B. The lasting impacts on me as a social

person
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

References:
Lesson 1

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Ederlina D. Balena, Dolores M. Lucero, and Arnel M. Peralta. Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics. Quezon City: Educational Resources Corporation, 2016.
Antonio P. Contreras, Arleigh Ross D. Dela Cruz, Dennis S. Erasga, and Cecille C. Fadrigon. The
Padayon Series: Understanding Culture, Society & Politics. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House,
2016.
Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics Teacher’s Guide First Edition. Department of Education.
2016
Lesson 2
Balena, Ederlina D., Dolores M. Lucero, and Arnel M. Peralta. The Rationale of Studying
Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology. Essay. In Understanding Culture, Society, and
Politics, 8–10. Quezon City, NCR: Educational Resources Corporation, 2016.
Santarita, Joefe B., and Randy M. Madrid. The Essence of Anthropology, Political Science, and
Sociology. Essay. In Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics, 19–20. Quezon City, NCR:
Vibal, 2016.
UCSP 2 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDYING CULTURE SOCIETY POLITICS. Accessed August 7,
2020. https://www.scribd.com/presentation/440038558/UCSP-2-SIGNIFICANCE-OF-
STUDYING-CULTURE-SOCIETY-POLITICS.
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics. Scribd. Scribd. Accessed August 7, 2020.
https://www.scribd.com/document/342985393/Understanding-Culture-Society-and-Politics.
Lesson 4
● http://www.davidagler.com/teaching/bioethics/ethicaltheories/Handout2_CulturalRelativism.pdf
● https://courses.lumenlearning.com/culturalanthropology/chapter/cultural-
relativism/#:~:text=Cultural%20relativism%20is%20the%20ability,part%20of%20one's%20own%20culture.
● https://socialmettle.com/cultural-relativism
Lesson 5
Ederlina D. Balena, Dolores M. Lucero, and Arnel M. Peralta. Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics. Quezon City: Educational Resources Corporation, 2016.
Antonio P. Contreras, Arleigh Ross D. Dela Cruz, Dennis S. Erasga, and Cecille C. Fadrigon. The
Padayon Series: Understanding Culture, Society & Politics. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House,
2016.
Lesson 6
Balena, Ederlina D., Dolores M. Lucero, and Arnel M. Peralta. The Rationale of Studying
Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology. Essay. In Understanding Culture, Society, and
Politics, 36-37. Quezon City, NCR: Educational Resources Corporation, 2016.
Contreras, Antonio P., Arleigh Ross P. Dela Cruz, Dennis S. Erasga, and Cecile B. Fadrigon.
Enculturation and Socialization. Essay. In Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics, 115–
116. Quezon City, NCR: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc., 2016.
Santarita, Joefe B., and Randy M. Madrid. The Essence of Anthropology, Political Science, and
Sociology. Essay. In Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics, 56. Quezon City, NCR:
Vibal, 2016.
Persell, Caroline Hodges. Introsocite: Introduction to Sociology. An Introduction to Sociology, 2008.
https://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/introtosociology/Documents/PersellSocializatio
nReading37.htm.
Group, S., 2020. Resocialization: Meaning, Examples And Overview. [online] Sociology Group:
Sociology and Other Social Sciences Blog. Available at:
<https://www.sociologygroup.com/resocialization-meaning/> [Accessed 11 August 2020].

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