UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

SOCIETY AND POLITICS

Lesson Culture and Society as
1 Anthropological and Sociological
Concepts
I. Objective/MELC:
1. Analyze the concept, aspects and changes in/of culture and society.
(UCSP11/12DCSIc-8)

II. Guide Questions:

1. What is culture and society?
2. What is the difference between material and non-material cultures?
3. What are the elements of culture?
4. What are the aspects of culture?

III. Discussion:
Great day everyone!
Today, we are going to discuss culture and society and how they are interrelated to
each other.
There are different ways of defining culture and society. Each definition is always
associated with man’s relationship to his environment. Hence, man’s social interaction serves
as an avenue for creating patterns of behavior that will guide the members of society to live
in an organized and orderly meeting. Society, in this context, refers to a group of people
sharing a common culture within a defined territorial boundary. Likewise, every human
society is organized in such a way that there are rules of conduct, customs, traditions,
folkways and mores, and expectations that ensure appropriate behavior among members
(Palispis, 2007 p.254). Thus, every society is unique in terms of culture.
Figure 1. Different cultures observed in the society

Shown above are the different cultures that can be observed in the society. Culture and
society cannot be separated in the sense that society is comprised of actors from different
cultures. Society is nothing without culture and culture will not perform without society.

Culture is a composite or multifarious area that comprises beliefs, practices, values,

attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and
shares as a member of society. Therefore, culture is:

 A product of human interaction.

 A social heritage that is complex and socially transmitted.
 Provides socially acceptable patterns for meeting biological and social needs
 A distinguishing factor
 An established pattern of behavior
 Cumulative
 Meaningful to human beings

Culture is a product of human interaction produced by the people in the specific area.
Cultural patterns such as language and politics make no sense except in terms of the
interaction of the people.
Culture is learned customs, codes, and rules of behavior that are constant across
generations.
Culture provides socially acceptable patterns for meeting biological and social needs
in the performance of acceptable behavior in the community for us to achieve peace and
order, harmony, and comfortable society to live in.
Culture encompasses the set of beliefs, moral values, traditions, language, and laws
held in common by a community. It means, culture in the specific community is the identity
of the individuals living in certain area.
Culture helps in understanding and predicting the human behavior and it provides
channels of interaction for individuals within the group. It defines the pattern of behavior for

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individuals so that he acts according to the behavior pattern prescribed and defined by
culture.
Culture is cumulative, this means that each generation changes. As societies evolve,
these changes are passed down to the next generation. Every human generation can discover
new things and invent technologies which the new cultural skills and knowledge are added on
what is learned in the previous generations.
Culture gives meaning to the life of an individual. Without culture, humans cannot
survive.

Types of Culture
Culture is composed of material and non-material elements. Material culture consists
of tangible things whereas non-material element consists of intangible things. (Banaag, 2012
p. 48)

Technological
Ideas Tools

Behavior, Non- Material Architectural

Languages Food Culture
gesture and material and symbols structures
habits culture

Fashion and
Religion Accessories

Figure 2: Types of culture and its example

Material culture consists of tangible things that can be touched, seen or recognized
whereas non-material culture consists of intangible things that could not be touched.

Elements of Culture
To understand culture, it is necessary to understand the different elements that
compose
it:

Knowledge
It refers to any information received and perceived to be true.

Beliefs
These are established expectations of society as how a person is supposed to act
depending on the requirements of the time, place, or situation.

Social Norms
The perception of accepted reality. Reality refers to the existence of things whether
material or non-material.

Indeed, social norms are very important in understanding the nature of man’s social

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relationship. In the social interaction process, each member possesses certain expectations
about the responses and reactions of another member (Palispis, 2007 pp. 4). Hence, it is very
essential to determine the different forms of social norms.

The patterns of repetitive behavior which becomes habitual and

conventional part of living.
Examples:
Folkways
- waiting and falling in line
- wearing appropriate dress
- raising your hand if you want to talk in a group of people

The set of ethical standards and moral obligations as dictates of

reason that distinguishes human acts as right or wrong or good from
Mores bad.
Example:
- not cohabiting with partner before marriage

Anything held to be relatively worthy, important, desirable, or

valuable.
Values Example:
- values that human treasures are honesty, love, happiness, and
integrity

The practical application of knowledge in converting raw materials

into finished products.
Examples:
Technology - making woods into furniture
- assemble steel into computer
- sewing fabrics into clothes

Aspects of Culture
Since culture is very complex, there are important aspects of culture that contribute to
the development of man’s social interaction.

Culture is dynamic, flexible, and adaptive. It changes all the time. It is constantly changing
because new ideas and new technologies are added, and old ways are constantly disregarded.
If the customs do not fit in the society anymore, it will be changed and the society adapts
customs that are fitted.

Culture is shared and contested. It is learned and acquired through interactions of people in
the society. Because of the constant changes of culture, we get to share the learning process
to other people.

Culture is learned through socialization or enculturation. By socialization, we learn the

different cultures that are practiced in the community. Enculturation is the process by which
you learn your own culture. We learn our culture through observation.

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Culture is Patterned social interaction. It is because there are laws need to be observed in
the society. Laws are very important in the community to make people comfortable. People
should cooperate and follow the rules and regulations in the community.

Culture is integrated and at times unstable. To keep the culture functioning, all aspects of
culture must be integrated. The language must be able to describe all the functions within
culture for ideas to be transmitted from one person to another. It is also unstable because
throughout history they have changed drastically.

Culture is transmitted through socialization. Whatever people observe or imitate in the

community, they will adapt it and become part of their culture.

Culture requires language to be able to understand. People in the community understand

their culture through verbal and non-verbal communications. Symbols help people to
understand their environment.

IV. Examples:
Product of human  written languages
interactions  governments
 buildings

A social heritage that is  giving gifts on occasions

complex and socially  greeting others when one enters a room
transmitted  shaking hands

Provides socially acceptable  prohibitions on cohabiting with a partner

patterns for meeting before marriage
biological and social needs  the practice of waiting fall in line
 raising your hand if you want to talk in a
group of people

A distinguishing factor  the people in the society can be identified

by the following:

 the way they speak/language

 how they dress themselves
 behavior

An established pattern of  this pattern of behavior depends on the

behavior culture of individuals based on:

 nationality
 ethnicity
 religion

Cumulative  culture changes because of information

added to previous generations

 keypad cellphones to smart phones

 manual plowing to tractors

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  typewriter to laptop

Meaningful to human  all that we have is all about culture

beings
 knowledge
 traditions
 beliefs

Types of Culture
Material Culture Non-Material Culture
buildings language
cars values
clothes and jewelries norms

Aspects of Culture

Dynamic, Because we are now more inclined to use computers and

flexible, and cellphones when playing games, children are not able to
adaptive play street games or outdoor games anymore. In language,
we have already new words related to internet like memes,
netizens, and others.
Shared and Culture is shared.
contested You have a classmate who grew up in the US and only
started living in the Philippines a few months. You help him
learn our culture by asking him to play outdoor activities
like patintero and to eat foods like adobo and sinigang.
Interacting with other people is a good way to share our
culture and get to know their culture.
Culture is contested.
In a matriarchal society, should a woman be allowed to lead
a religious group?
Learned through A child who observes the actions of his father, mother, or
socialization or siblings will do the same or act such activity that he learns
enculturation from them.
Patterned social By interacting with one another, people design rules for the
interaction community. Barangay ordinances is an example of laws
enacted for the betterment of the people in the barangay.
Integrated and at For instance, masculine and feminine roles were different
times unstable before and today.
Transmitted A child who attended school will acquire knowledge from
through his teachers. The knowledge he acquired be applied as he
socialization grows and that becomes his culture.
Requires When you see letter “H” along the hi-way, it means you are
language and near a hospital.

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 other forms of
communication

V. Generalization

Culture refers to a group or community which shares common experiences that shape
the way its members understand the world. Through culture, people and groups define
themselves, conform to society’s shared values, and contribute to society. Social and cultural
norms are rules or expectations of behavior and thoughts based on shared beliefs within a
specific cultural or social group.

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VI. Exercises:
Name: _____________________________________ Date: _____________
Grade Level and Section: ______________________ Score:____________

Activity 1
Directions. Read and analyze each of the following statements. Write T if the statement is
correct and F, otherwise. Write your answer on the space before the item.
________1. Culture changes overtime as people respond to challenges.
________2. Culture is configured in a unique way that shapes personality.
________3. Man’s social interaction serves as an avenue for creating patterns of behavior.
________4. Geographical space determines the appropriate culture for one specific society.
________5. Every human society is organized in such a way that they need to conform to
government policies.
________6. Culture as distinguishing factor refers to man’s ability to form ideas and use
them in his environment and experiences.
________7. Non-material culture consists of tangible things used by man in his everyday life.
________8. Technology refers to the practical application of knowledge in converting raw
materials into finished products.
________9. Folkways are guides or models of behavior which tell us what is proper, and
which are appropriate or inappropriate.
________10. Culture refers to a group of people sharing a common culture within a defined
territorial boundary.

Activity 2 (To be recorded)

Directions: Answer the following questions briefly and substantially.

1. Why is culture important in our society?

___________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________.

2. How are culture and behavior related? Give an example to justify your answer.

___________________________________________________________________________
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Activity 3 (To be recorded)
Directions: Create a slogan about your opinion or insight on the concepts, aspects, and
changes of culture and society. Make use of a long bond paper for your slogan. At
the back of your slogan, write 2-3 explanation about it.

Rubric for the Slogan

Category 5 4 3 2
Craftmanshi The slogan is The slogan is The slogan is The slogan is
p exceptionally attractive in terms acceptably distractive and
attractive in terms of neatness. Good attractive through it messy.
of neatness. Well- construction and may be a bit
constructed and not not very messy. messy.
messy

Creativity Slogan is Slogan is creative Slogan is creative The slogan does

exceptionally and a good amount and some thought not reflect any
creative. A lot of of thought was put was put into degree of
thought and effort into decorating it. decorating it. creativity.
was used to make
the banner.

Originality Exceptional use of Good use of new Average use of No use of new
new ideas and ideas and new ideas and ideas and
originality to create originality to create originality to create originality to
slogan. slogan. slogan. create slogan.

VII. References:
Ederlina D. Baleña, Dolores M. Lucero, Arnel M. Peralta. 2016. Understanding
Culture, Society and Politics. Quezon City: Educational Resources Corporation.

VIII. Answer Key:

Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 3

1. T 6. F Answers may vary. Answers may vary.
2. T 7. F
3. T 8. T
4. T 9. F
5. T 10. F

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