Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives on Culture and Society

Anthropological Perspectives:

* Unilineal Evolutionism states that new cultural forms emerge from the past that pass through similar
stages of development. Human societies evolved through a series of stages – savagery, barbarianism,
and civilization.

* Cultural Diffusionism asserts that culture originates from one or more culture centers, which are
results of borrowed elements of the new culture.

* Historical Particularism believes that each group of people has its own unique culture influenced by its
history, geography, and environment.

* Anthropological Functionalism believes that cultural elements and practices are interrelated and
interdependent and persist because they have a purpose.

* Anthropological Structuralism conveys that cultural phenomena and practices have a relationship to
one another by which human organize and structure their experiences.

* Cultural Materialism considers the idea that culture is influenced by technology, resources, economic
values, and the utilization of things.

Sociological Perspectives:

* Functionalism views society as an organized network cooperating groups operating orderly to

generally accepted norms.

* Conflict Perspective sees the social environment in a continuous struggle which is in contrast with
Functionalism.

* Symbolic Interactionism deals with patterns of behavior in large units of society such as organization,
communities etc.

* Evolutionism explains how human groups came to exist, grow and develop.

Society:

- It is derived from the Latin word ‘societas’, which means ‘companion’ or ‘associate’. Thus, society
refers to all people, collectively regarded as constituting a community of related, interdependent
individuals living in a particular place, following a certain mode of life. (Ariola, 2012)

- According to Kornblum as cited in Baliao & Parcon (2011), society refers to a population of people that
is organized in a cooperative manner to carry out the major function of life including reproduction,
sustenance, shelter, and defense.

- Robertson (cited in Baliao & Parcon, 2011) defines society as a poplation that occupies the same
territory which is subject to the same political authority and participates in a common culture.

Culture:

- According to Zulueta (2006), the rem culture haw two notions:

  It may refer to the individual’s taste inclination, and interest in the “fine arts’
 It is referred to as being civilized

- Culture is a complex whole which encompasses beliefs, practices, values, attitudes, laws, norms,
artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and shares as a member of society (E.
B. Tylor 1920 [1871]).

Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives on Society:

- Since the study of anthropology deals with culture, it perceives society as a group of people sharing a
common culture within a territory (Banaag, 2012). While sociologist views society as an association
organized by men with a territory (Banaag, 2012).

Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives on Culture:

- Baliao & Parcon (2011) states that culture, in anthropological perspective, is a unique character of
every human society which includes how we think, act, and what we own.

- Banaag (2012) implies that culture, in sociological perspective, is viewed as the imprint made by
people.

Aspects of Culture:

- Aspect here is defined as a part or feature of culture which has the following characteristics: dynamic,
flexible, & adaptive; shared & contested through time; learned through socialization or enculturation;
patterned social interactions; and integrated and at times unstable.

 Artifacts – Objects made by human beings, either hand-made or mass produced

 Arts and Recreation – Arts, Music, Drama and literatures, Games and Sports, and Use of Leisure
Time
 Clothes – The people usually wear in the community
 Customs and Traditions – The things we do
 Food – The staple food that the people in the community often eat
 Government – The one that implement rules, keep peace and order, and address conflicts in the
community.