Module 4- Society

BECOMING a MEMBER of SOCIETY

At the end of the unit, you are expected to:
1. Analyze the different forms of interaction present in society
2. Interpret the key sociological theories regarding the possibility of society
3. Identify aspects of culture
4. Explain the development of one’s self and others as a product of socialization and
enculturation.
5. Identify the context, content, processes, and consequences of enculturation and
socialization.
6. Identify the social goals and the socially acceptable means of achieving these goals.
7. Promote protection of human dignity, rights, and the common good.

Formative Assessment: What makes society possible? Answer the question by writing down
concepts or key words on the boxes provided.

What makes society

possible?

 Ponder upon:
- How does society shape the lives of people inside it?
 -Sight concrete examples or scenario in our society that you think helps shape the
lives of the people in society?
- What does the culture play in our society?
 As you go through with this unit, concepts related to society and culture will be explained
further. So, happy reading and learning

Notes are included in this section for your perusal

TOPICS:
A. Classical Perspectives explaining What Makes Society Possible
B. Socialization and Enculturation
C. Conformity, Deviance, and Social Control
D. Groups Within Society
Definition of SOCIETY:
1. As a Concept
- Just like other terms in the social sciences, the word ‘society’ was coined by social
scientists to facilitate their exploration of social phenomena. It is a tool to grasp the
complexity of phenomena it represents and a means to explore its many other
dimensions hidden by its normative use.
- As a concept, society represents an ideal type, which depicts the form, process,
dynamics of the social reality it embodies.
2. As a FACTICITY
- Society is seen as the outcome of multiple interactions of people upon which
succeeding interactions are made meaningful and possible. The definition simply
means that society only exists if there are people interacting and interactions
constitute the process that defines society.

Society likens to a DEITY. A deity or God is supposed to possess the tripartite (i.e.
three- fold) powers reserved for Him alone- omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence
(all- powerful, all- knowing and everywhere). The analogy of society to a God suggests
the immense power of society to make or unmake lives of people. Society is all- powerful
because its ‘agents’ control and runs the machinery of social control. It is all- knowing
because its ‘library’ keeps all possible knowledge and collects the memories of the
people who form it. It is everywhere because its ‘spies’ are scattered in the four corners
of the land.
 Teacher’s Note:
 The tripartite powers of society are even more evident in its effects on our daily and
routine actions and behavior. Suffice it to say, everything that we do, think, and are
capable of doing and thinking all emanate from society. Every single action of ours is
controlled by society. What we eat, how to eat it, how to love, when to die, or how to die
are all within the domain of the society. If in case we decided not to follow its whims and
commands, it has the capacity and legitimate authority to punish us, even take away our
lives. Society is present even in the most personal fibers of our individual lives, in falling
in love for example, and even the way we chose to die. In other words, society robs us of
our freedom and free will. Just like wen eating in restaurants, we can only order what is
on the menu, no more, no less. This pessimistic rendition of society of society is not bad
at all bad news. It is rather good news because by knowing how society behaves, we
can find ways to at least lighten the load it puts on us and pursue our individual agenda
and purpose in life. Knowing what we cannot expect in life given the limitations imposed
by our social locations, we can find ways to at least lighten the load it puts on us and
pursue our individual agenda and purpose by our social locations, we can find
alternative routes to pursue our dreams and aspirations.
 On a more practical note, limitations imposed to us by society are also forms of
opportunity. If we know a person’s culture, we have all the ways and means to know a
person’s culture, we have all the ways and means to know so much about food
preference, language, places the person wants to visit, etc., even if we were only given
limited information about him or her. Predictability of actions and behavior is the ultimate
practical fruit of our enslavement to our society.

WHAT MAKES SOCIETY POSSIBLE: THREE THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES

The three classical theories of the origin of society are (1) structural- functional, (2) the conflict
theory, and (3) symbolic interactionism. These theories are called by different names, but their
basic assumptions about the “possibility” of society remains the same. The basic questions they
ask is not historical in nature; rather its inquiries about the nature of the processes that created
the possibilities of human interaction. The question is: “What makes society possible?”
1. STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM AND SOCIAL ORDER
- Simply functionalism is a perspective in sociology first used by Emile Durkheim and
later developed by Talcott Parsons, Herbert Spencer, and Robert Merton.
- Robert Merton sees society as complex whole whose parts work together to promote
solidarity and stability.
- Parsons proposed that any identifiable structure (e.g., roles, families, religions, or
states) could be explained by the function it performed in maintaining the operation
of society as whole.
- English philosopher and biologist Herbert Spencer likened society to a human body.
He argued that just as the various organs in the body work together to keep the
entire system functioning and regulated, the various parts of society work together to
keep the entire society functioning and regulated. It follows the structure of
Adaptation, Goal, Attainment, Integration and Latency.
 Adaptation- A system must cope with external situational constraints.
  Goal Attainment- A system must define and achieve its primary goals.
 Integration- A system must regulate the interrelationship of its component
parts.
 Latency (pattern maintenance)- A system must furnish, maintain, and renew
both the motivation of individuals and the cultural patterns that create and
sustain the motivation.
2. SOCIAL CONFLICT THEORY
- The Marxist- inspired perspective on the question of society looks at the other side of
the issue. Instead of putting importance to social order, the conflict perspective sees
society as an arena. Social actors are gladiators fighting for their very lives. The
winner takes the rewards and is assured of freedom.
- Resources and their scarcity make up the bone of contention in every conflict
situation. However, the conflict approach does not take the usual assumptions about
the nature and ethos of conflict. Rather than emphasizing competition, which is very
clear in the metaphor of “arena” and “gladiators”, this view sees conflict as something
positive and advantageous.
- Conflicts brings about a new set of relations and interactions, which produces new
dynamism in society. So, the answer to the questions “What makes society
possible?” the conflict theory invokes the social processes rather than functions and
interdependence.
- Example: It is the reality in the Philippines that the conflict theory really occurs even
before; one example is the reign of Marcos government. During that time, there is a
conflict between the government especially in the military and the Filipino citizens
who fights for their freedom’; the government dominates the rights of the Filipino
citizens especially in the hand of military forces. Filipino citizen loss their affection in
the government because of getting their freedom of speech that is why many
massive protests occurred that time and a significant and peaceful revolution was
done during that time. There are a lot of inequality in the Filipino citizens during that
time where many people were gone and just found dead without attaining justice for
their lives. Although this time, we have already the 1987 constitution whereas
showed to us that we have the dominance over the military and the government will
take the responsibility of common good of Filipino people. Due to the conflict that
arise they were able to remove Marcos from his position and people were able to
gain democracy again.

3. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM and MEANING- MAKING

- Unlike the previous two theories, symbolic interactionism does not deal with either
order or conflict. Instead, it explores the issues of meaning- making and why this is
crucial in understanding order or conflict as processes that brought
about society.
- Humans as social beings have the capacity to generate meaning from their
surroundings, be it social or otherwise. Meaning is important because it is the basis
of actions towards or against specific elements of the environment. Meaning cannot
be derived easily as it is lodged on and ascribed to symbols- anything that can stand
as representation of something. Symbols, like meaning, are interpreted
intersubjectively by social actors. The constellations of meaning assigned to an
 object, event, or person become the basis of social interactions, and they are
constitutive of events and social phenomena.
- Thus, society is thought to be socially constructed through human interpretation.
People interpret one another’s behavior, and it is these interpretations that form the
social bond. These interpretations are called the “definition of the situation.”
- Example: Why would young people smoke cigarettes even when all objective
medical evidence points to the dangers of doing so? The answer is in the
definition of the situation that people create. Studies find that teenagers are
well informed about the risks of tobacco, but they also think that smoking is
cool, that they will be safe from harm, and that smoking projects a positive
image to their peers. So, the symbolic meaning of smoking overrides the facts
regarding smoking and risk.

ENCULTURATION and SOCIALIZATION

Socialization
- The conditioning process that begins in childhood and involves internalizing symbols,
rituals, expectations, rules and requirements not only related to the society as a
whole but also for every specific required speech and behavior within the whole.
- Is a lifelong process of learning and relearning where individuals develop a self-
concept and prepare for roles which in turn shape his or her personality.
- There are three theories that can best explain how humans develop their concept of
self as a result of socialization:

A. The “looking- glass self”

- Developed by Charles Horton Cooley in 1922.
- The theory explained how a child develops the ability to grasp the role and attitudes
of other persons and visualize himself or herself through the eyes of others,
acquiring what he or she calls the “social self”.
- According to Cooley, this process has three steps. First, we imagine how we
appear to another person. Sometimes this imagination is correct, but may also
be wrong since it is merely based on our assumptions. Second, we imagine
what judgments people make use of us based on our appearance. Lastly, we
imagine how the person feels about us, based on the judgments made of us.
The ultimate result is that we often change our behavior based on how we feel
people perceive us.
- This theory is also applicable to how individuals act, dress, talk and react to
situations in accordance to how other people see or think of them.

B. The “I” and the “Me”

- George Herbert Mead also believed that one’s sense of self is developed through
social interaction
- There are three stages: the preparatory stage, the play stage, and the game
stage. During the “Preparatory Stage”, the child sees himself or herself in the
image of his/ her parents. Usually, prekindergarten children think and act like
the people they often see. But at this phase, the child does not engage yet into
social interaction. During the “Play Stage”, children ages five and eight
 assume the role of others. From simple imitation, they start to act out roles
and interact with other children. At this phase, children do not simply mimic
social interactions but they are capable making them. The final phase, “Game
Stage”, is what Mead also calls as the period of “generalized others” with
reference to the society as a whole. At this stage, children understand that
they should not only act based on what they see from others but what the
society expects from them. They also can understand multiple roles or sub-
identities each one must take in a society.
C. The Mask, the Performance, and the Front
- In his book, The Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life, Canadian Sociologist
Erwing Goffman showed dramaturgical approach as to how certain social processes
can create an impact on self and the role expectations on an individual.
- His work was inspired by a line in one of Shakespeare’s play, “All the world is a
stage and the actors must play their roles.”
- He compared the behavior of the people in society to acting on stage. There is a
Front, Back and an Off- stage. There is also the so-called script which refers to the
social expectations and the presentation of a role that may lead to being impressed
or not by the personal qualities ascribed to them.
- The front stage is where the actor formally performs and adheres to conventions that
have meaning to the audience. The actor knows he or she is being watched and acts
accordingly. He or she may wear several masks according to the role one has to live
up to until it becomes his or her second nature, becoming part of his personality.
- The back stage is where the actor may behave differently than when in front of the
audience on the front stage. This is where the individual truly gets to be himself or
herself and get rid of the roles that he or she plays when in front of other people.
- Finally, the off- stage is where individual actors meet the audience members. This
process is often described as an “audience segregation” which “allows the team,
individual actor, and audience to preserve relationships in interaction and the
establishments to which the interactions belong.”
FORMS of SOCIALIZATION
1. Primary Socialization- is the process whereby people learn the attitudes, values, and
actions appropriate to individuals as members of a particular culture. Sociologist Talcott
Parsons and psychologist Robert Bales argued that the family is considered a prime
socializing institution. They believe that human personalities are made, not born, and
described families as “factories which produce human personalities.” They saw the
family as a system that was responsible for creating the personality of individuals who
would then be able to fit into the system of the whole society. The principal function of
the family is to socialize children into being full members of society through interaction.
2. Secondary Socialization- refers to the process of learning the appropriate behavior as
member of a smaller group within the larger society. It is usually associated with
teenagers and adults, and involves smaller changes than those occurring in primary
socialization, such as entering a new profession, or relocating to a new environment or
society. If the family is the primary system of socialization, then school and education
system is marked as secondary mode of socialization.
3. Developmental Socialization- is the process of learning behavior in a social institution
or developing one’s social skills.
4. Reverse socialization- is deviation from the desired behaviors or enculturation,
especially of the younger generation. It involves both adult and children.
5. Anticipatory socialization- refers to the processes of socialization in which a person
“rehearses” for future positions, occupations, and social relationships.
6. Resocialization- refers to the process of discarding former behavior patterns and
accepting new ones as part of transition in one’s life. This occurs throughout the human
life cycle. It can be an intense experience, with the individual experiencing a sharp break
with their past, and needing to learn and be exposed to radically different norms and
values.
AGENCIES of SOCIALIZATION
1. Family
Responsible for the formative years in a child’s life. The family inducts the child into the
culture of a group serving as main link between the child and his society. Medina (1991)
claims that the family acts as the social laboratory which prepares the child for life in a
bigger society. Here the child gains his/ her first experiences of love, affection, kindness
sympathy, courtesy, or the opposite of those which in turn affects an individual’s
personality.

2. Peer Group
As a child continues to socialize, he or she may find other children from his or her
neighborhood, close relatives, and classmates under the same age group. This informal
group is known as a peer group. Peer group reaches its peak during adolescence but
may continue even during adulthood. Peer groups emerged with the decline of parental
authority. This peer group will be the role model and source of values and attitude when
the individual learns to develop self- sufficiency, as their outlook in life differ from those
of their parents.

3. The Church
Is a social institution responsible for the formation of the spiritual and moral needs of a
child. The norms of conduct and codes of behavior set forth by the religious organization
are being taught to a child through informal teaching by his or her family and formal
teaching by the Church or the school.

4. The School
A child spends most of his or her waking hours at school than home. This is where
formal learning takes place. Schoolmates, teachers and the environment itself can have
lasting impacts on a child’s socialization. It is in this environment that a child is taught to
show love for his country, to be a responsible citizen, develop moral character, personal
discipline, scientific, technological, and vocational efficiency. A child gains knowledge
and discipline that will eventually prepare him for his or her societal roles.

5. Mass Media
A child’s exposure to radio, television, the Internet, and social media not only serves as
a form of entertainment but also to inform, educate, and develop his or her behaviors
and attitudes in relation to how he or she interacts with the previous agencies
mentioned.
6. The Workplace
Is a venue where employees are socialized/ encultured according to their role
expectations. They received formal training through orientation, training programs, and
seminars. They were also taught in accordance to the values being espoused by the
brand/ organization they were working for.
STATUS and ROLES
Status and roles are important concepts in socialization because the behavior of young
members of society are controlled by assigning them certain status which they will enact. As
Georg Simmel, one of the founders of sociology, once pointed out, before we can deal with
anyone, we need to know who the person is.
 Linton (1936), and American sociologist, defined status simply as a ‘position’ in a social
system, such as a child or parent. Status refers to a social position that a person holds.
A person’s status can either be ascribed or achieved, given or accomplished,
respectively. Each of us holds many statuses at once.
 The term status set refers to all the statuses a person holds at a given time. For
example, a teenage girl is a daughter to her parents, a sister to her brother, a student ats
school, and a spiker on her volleyball team.
 Sociologists classify statuses in terms of how people attain them. An ascribed status is a
social position a person perceives at birth it takes on involuntary later in life. Examples of
ascribed statuses include being a son, a Filipino, a teenager, etc. By contrast, achieved
status refers to a social position a person takes on voluntarily that reflects personal
identity and effort. Achieved status in the Philippines include: honor student, boxing
champion, nurse, software writer, and thief. It should be remembered that in real world,
most statuses involve a combination of ascription and achievement. That is, people’s
ascribed statuses influence the statuses they achieve. People who achieve the status of,
say, a lawyer are likely to share ascribed benefit of being born into relatively well- off
families. By the same token, many fewer desirable statuses, such as criminal, drug
addict, or unemployed worker, are more easily achieved by people born into poverty.

ROLE
 Refer to the behavior expected of someone who holds a particular status. Therefore, a
person holds a status and performs a role. For example, if you have the status of a
student, you must perform the roles of attending classes and completing assignments.
 Robert Merton introduced the term role set to identify several roles attached to a single
status. And it is expected that in some social situations, people may experience what
sociologist called role strain- conflict among the roles connected to two or more statuses.
Role strain results from the competing demands of two or more roles that vie for our time
and energy.

ENCULTURATION and ACCULTURATION

ENCULTURATION
- For anthropologist, they would look at enculturation in the premise that we need it in
order to be civilized citizens of certain culture. We are taught since childhood, what
are acceptable behaviors, which vary in every society. Apart from what we are
taught, we also learn from people, situations, and experiences, how to handle a
problem. How to act or react, to be calm or angry, to think before we hurt others, and
speak in a sensible way- all of this comes from enculturation. It teaches us morals,
values, the language we communicate in, expectations and rituals among other
things in an informal and formal way.
SOCIALIZATION
 - Can be identified as the second and third socialization process of an individual. This
happens when two or more cultures meet and there is a possibility for cultural
interchange. When two cultures mix, there can be exchanges in beliefs, customs,
traditions, clothing style, food types, etc. This change could be visible and affects bith
cultures.
Difference between Enculturation and Acculturation

Enculturation Acculturation
Acquisition Acquisition of one’s culture Amalgamation of two cultures
Importance Essential requirement for Not an essential requirement
survival for survival
Order of cultural Very first familiarization Second or third familiarization
acquisition process to a particular culture of culture

CONFORMITY, DEVIANCE and SOCIAL CONTROL

 Common Reasons why People CONFORM
1. To gain acceptance from other group members;
2. To achieve goals that the group intends to reach;
3. To achieve personal goals that they can reach through membership (for example,
impressing another member to whom they are attracted);
4. To enjoy taking part in group activities;
5. To ensure the group’s continuation.

 There are also sociological theories that explain the concept of conformity:
1. Social Comparison Theory- people conform as a result of a psychological need to
evaluate themselves. According to Leon Festinger (1954), people conform for the
sake of correctness. There are different kinds of standards: the “physical reality” and
the “social reality” (beliefs about abilities and beliefs about opinions). Physical
realities refer to conformity of people based on what they see. The standard based
on social reality needs to find other people who can serve as standards against
which we can judge ourselves.
2. Cognitive Dissonance Theory- It posits that people are not so much influenced by
a need to be correct as they are influenced by a need to be consistent.
3. Reactance Theory- Jack Brehm is the main proponent of this theory in 1966 which
claimed that people need to feel as if they have freedom to control their behavior. If a
group threatens his freedom, individuals will be aroused to protect it. Thus, extreme
pressure from a group can backfire and lead to increased deviance.
DEVIANT BEHAVIOR
- “Wag kang pasaway:, being “pasaway” denotes deviance. Deviance refers to
violation of a norm. It is the opposite of conformity.
- Psychologists viewed deviance as a result of psychological disorder. Sociologists
were interested to know deviance at a group level, like how a deviant behavior came
to be and how it affects the society in general. Anthropologists on the other hand,
would like to know how the members of a society reaches a consensus about
deviance.
 1. THE FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE
The functionalist viewed deviance to have both positive and negative effects on the society.
They believed that deviance contribute to the smooth flow of operation within a society. Some of
the negative effects include:
1. It erodes trust.
2. If not punished or corrected, deviance can lead to nonconforming behavior of others.
3. It diverts resources, both human and monetary.
But despite the negative effects, society benefit from deviance because:
1. It clarifies norms.
2. It increases unity within a social group.
3. It promotes needed social change.
A1. Emile Durkheim’s Strain Theory and the Anomie
- He further explained structural strains in the concept of egoism and anomie. Egoism
occurs when people are not well integrated into society, that is when people lack ties
to their social group. Another source of structural strain is anomie. It is a situation
which people do not experience the constraint of social norms or the collective
conscience is not enough to affect individual behavior. Thus, when people are in a
state of anomie and experience egoism, Durkheim hypothesized that these people
are more likely to kill themselves.
B1. Robert K. Merton’s Typology of Behavior
- Merton expanded Durkheim’s research with the adoption of the concept of anomie.
He claimed that anomie or normlessness will not go away even after achieveing
industrialization because it is part and parcel of the structure of modern society. He
explained that anomie happens when the norms of the society does not match the
current social structure.

Adaption to Anomie Culture Social Structure Examples

Culturally Institutionally
emphasized goals available, Legitimate
means to Goal
Attainment
1. Conformity +accept +accept Business executives
2. Innovation +accept -reject Corrupt government
officials; large scale
syndicates, corporate
criminals
3. Ritualism -reject +accept A bureaucratic
government, a
religious fanatic
4. Retreatism -reject -reject Drug addicts,
alcoholics
5. Rebellion +/-reject old and +/- An armed rebel
substitute with a new group or people who
one would like to replace
 the social order with
the one they support

2. SYMBOLIC INTERACTION PERSPECTIVE

A2. Labeling Theory
- At some point in our lives, people have the tendency to break the rules, but to be
labelled by authorities and eventually the whole society as a deviant has significant
consequences in an individual’s behavior. It can lead him/ her to commit deviant
acts.
- Edwin Lemert used the terms primary and secondary deviance to explain how the
society branded an individual impacted the succeeding actions of the latter. He
stated that “primary deviation is assumed to arise in a wide variety of social, cultural,
and psychological contexts but has only marginal implications to the psychic
structure of the person concerned whereas the secondary deviation was committed
as a result of a social defense to the problems created by the societal reaction to
primary deviance…the stigma and the punishment can make the deviance become
the central facts of existence to those experiencing them altering the psychic
structure.
- Erving Goffman on social identity supported Lemert’s theory, he argued that a stigma
is “any attribute that discredits a person or disqualifies him or her from full social
acceptance.” The social stigma attached to a person can in turn affect his or her
social interaction because it would result to his/ her discredited identity ( that is being
publicly labeled and being treated as defiant) or even if he/she is lucky to hide
negative attributes, he/ she may still be prone to a discreditable identity (in danger of
feeling the full force of the social stigma) which therefore, makes it difficult for
him/her to be non- defiant.
B2. Differential Association Theory
- Proposed by sociologist Edwin Sutherland emphasizes the role of primary groups in
the transmission of deviance. Primary groups include families, peer groups or other
people that are closely knit with the individual. The more a person is exposed with
people who break the law, the higher the probability that he/she will commit crimes.
This theory has three factors in consideration:
- Age of exposure- the younger a person is exposed to deviant behaviors, the higher
the tendency that he/she will learn it quickly than older people.
- The role of significant others- if parents exposed their children in doing deviant acts,
the higher the possibility that a child copies what he sees from his/her parents.
- The ration of deviant against nondeviant individuals- since deviance is learned, if
more people were doing deviant behavior, it is easily learned by other non-deviants
as well.

3. CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
- The conflict theorist holds on to the Marxist perspective on the class struggle
between proletariat and the bourgeoisie even in the modern society. They assume
that because of social inequality, conflict arises and those who belong to the higher
 echelons of the society received a different treatment as to those who are on the
lower socio- economic status. Any behavior that does not fulfill the social
expectations of the powerful is then punished, exploited, and or stigmatized. Conflict
theory is used by scholars in social sciences to study inequality, with areas of
interest including race and ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality.
SOCIAL CONTROL
- according to Mannheim, social control is the sum of those methods by which a
society tries to influence human behavior to maintain a given order.
Purposes of Social Control
1. It helps in reestablishing the Old Social System- Social control is necessary to
maintain continuity and uniformity within the society. The practices and values by their
forefathers were given importance to some extent by the society while social progress is
also welcomed.
2. It promotes obedience to social decisions- Society takes certain decisions. These
decisions are taken in order to maintain and upheld the values of the society.
3. It regulates social behavior and establishes social unity- Social control creates a
feeling of solidarity in the minds of the people. If a certain group is known to be
disciplined, it does not only affect harmony and order within their society but also sends
a message to the others that their society is strong and that social control was seen to
achieve a desirable outcome. On the other hand, if social control is too rigid, some
groups may develop anti- social attitudes and pose danger to the organization of society.
4. It brings conformity in society- No two men are alike in their attitudes, ideas, interests,
and habits. Even children of same parents do not have the same attitudes, habits, and
interests. Men believe in different religion, dress and eat differently, and have different
ideologies, but “unity in diversity” will not be possible if the individual members of the
society do not conform. Social control is necessary to protect social interests and satisfy
common needs. If social control is removed and every individual is left to behave freely
society would be reduced to a state of lawlessness.
HOW SOCIETY IS ORGANIZED
A group is a unit of people who interact with some regularity and identify themselves as a unit.
In a stricter sense, it is a collection of people interacting together in an orderly way based on
shared expectations about one another’s behavior. As result of this interaction, members feel a
common sense of “belonging.” A group differs from an aggregate in the sense that the latter
does not interact and do not feel any shared sense of belonging. Passengers in a bus or a
crowd in the street are some examples of aggregates while businessmen in a corporate meeting
or students joining a science club are representations of groups. A group can be categorized
based on number, common interest, purpose, and level of interactions.
Types of Social Groups:
According to the Nature of Social Ties
1. Primary Group are those that are close- knit. They are typically small scale, include
intimate relationships, and are usually long lasting. According to Charles Cooley “it
involves the sort of sympathy and mutual identification for which we is the natural
 expression” which means that the members of primary groups feels a strong personal
identity with the group.
2. Secondary Group can be large or small and relationships are mostly impersonal,
businesslike, contractual, and usually short terms. Group composition is heterogenous
and is widespread. They tend to relate to others only in particular roles and practical
reasons.
3. Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft Similar to the primary and secondary groups is the
study developed by Ferdinand Tonnies which set out to develop concepts that could be
used as analytical tools for understanding why and how social world is organized.
Gemeinschaft, frequently translated as “community”, refers to individuals bound
together by common norms, often because of shared physical space and shared beliefs.
Familial ties represent the purest form of gemeinschaft, although religious institutions are
also a classic example of this type of relationship. Characteristics of these groups
include slight specialization and division of labor, strong personal relationships, and
relatively simple social institutions. Gesellschaft, frequently translated as “society”
refers to associations in which self- interest is the primary justification for membership. A
modern business is a good example of an association in which individual seek to
maximize their own self- interest, and in order to do so, an association to coordinate
efforts is formed. Characteristics of these groups include highly calculated divisions of
labor, secondary relationships, and strong social institutions.
According to Self- Identification
1. In- groups- The feeling of “we” as against “they” explains how groups can be part of an
in-group and an out- group, respectively. An individual develops a form of relationship
where he or she feels a sense of belongingness, solidarity, loyalty, camaraderie, and a
protective attitude towards other groups. An in- group can refer to a family, a “barkada”,
a class, a particular race, or an organization
2. Out- groups- Is a group in which we do not participate. It is a group toward which one
has the feeling of indifference, avoidance, dislike, antagonism, and even hatred. In plain
simple words, the in-group is our group while the out- group is somebody’s group.
3. Reference Groups- People may form opinions or judge their own behavior against
those of a reference group or a group used as a standard for self- appraisals. The
central aspect of the reference group is identification rather than actual membership.
Sociologists find reference groups as useful in attitudinal development of an individual
begins to internalize and anticipate his social roles as an adult.

When individuals became members of society, they each submit to the norms of the
society. As such, they are held accountable under the norms and laws of that society
 under which they seek protection. One of the dangers of becoming member of society is
one is forced to adopt and adapt to the standards of that society. This is necessary
surrender of some individual rights in exchange for being a beneficiary of the common
good. The pursuance of common good should not be a cause for the violation of the
rights of the individuals. Its in this context that the United Nations Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (UDHR) becomes a vital document. It outlines entitlements of all
individuals to human dignity and the rights we possess that are important elements in
pursuing the common good.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of
human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all
regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly
in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of
achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human
rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.
Preamble
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all
members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have
outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall
enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as
the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to
rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of
law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in
fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights
of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life
in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United
Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and
fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance
for the full realization of this pledge,
Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the
end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in
mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms
and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective
recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among
the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason
and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without
distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be
made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory
to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any
other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4.
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in
all their forms.
Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of
the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this
Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8.
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts
violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial
tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against
him.
Article 11.
 (1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved
guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his
defense.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did
not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was
committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time
the penal offence was committed.

Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or
correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the
protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each
state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14.
(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political
crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15.
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his
nationality.
Article 16.
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have
the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during
marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection
by society and the State.
Article 17.
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18.
 Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes
freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others
and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and
observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold
opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any
media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through
freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be
expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and
shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization,
through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization
and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his
dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23.
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable
conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself
and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other
means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and
periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25.
 (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of
himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary
social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability,
widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether
born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and
fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional
education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to
all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the
strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote
understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall
further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their
children.
Article 27.
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the
arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from
any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28.
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set
forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29.
(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his
personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations
as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the
rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and
the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and
principles of the United Nations.
Article 30.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any
right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights
and freedoms set forth herein.
 After reading the content of the UDHR give feedback or reaction by answering the question:
How does this Declaration of Human Rights benefit you or any member of your family or your
friends as members of the society?
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SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS TOO!

Using diagram, identify your specific status and roles.
1. My Status Set
2. My Role Set
My Group as a Mirror of Myself
From among the many groups that you have had, past and present, choose one that you think
had the most memorable impact. Describe the group in Column A, the enumerate the impacts it
had on you as a social person in Column B.
The Group Its lasting impacts on me as a social person
1.
2.

3.

4.

5.