UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
always describes human, human behavior and
human societies around the world.
It is a branch of sociology. It describes human,
human behavior and human societies and it examines
all societies around the world.
Cultural anthropology studies, human societies
and elements of cultural life.
An example of cultural anthropology is the
Linguistic anthropology focuses on language
in a certain society.
-Goal: understand the origin of human evolution
and the diverse forms of its existence throughout time
study of human social relationships and
institutions
-Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging
from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from
the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs
of a common culture, and from social stability to radical
change in whole societies.
-PURPOSE/ GOAL: to understand how human
action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by
surrounding cultural and social structure
-deals with humans and their interactions.
-It is a branch of sociology; it essentially deals
with the large-scale actions of humans and group
mentality it is a discipline that deals with several aspects
such as the study of state and government.
-the study of power relationships and competing
interests among states around the world.
-culture, cultural relativism, fieldwork, human
diversity, holism, bio-cultural focus.
Four main perspectives of Anthropology
1. CROSS- CULTURAL OR COMPARATIVE
EMPHASIS
2. EVOLUTIONARY/HISTORICAL
EMPHASIS
3. ECOLOGICAL EMPHASIS
4. HOLISTIC EMPHASIS
-introduces the discipline of
Sociology
-explores what sociologists do.
THREE MAJOR THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE
OF SOCIOLOGY
1. FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE- societies
are thought to function like organisms, with various
social institutions working together like organs to
maintain and reproduce societies.
2. CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE- sees social life as
a competition, and focuses on the distribution of
resources, power, and inequality.
3. SYMBOLIC INTERACTION PERSPECTIVE
- is used to analyze and explain objects of
social study, and facilitate organizing sociological
knowledge.
studies the tendencies and actions of people
that cannot be easily quantified or examined.
-is more focused than most social sciences.
- an example is the study of democracy as a form of
government and why is democracy considered the best
form of government
 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
refers to the differences in social behaviors that
different cultures exhibit around the world.
1. RELIGION- a system of beliefs and practices as well
as systems of actions directed toward entities which are
above men
- comes from the latin word RELIGARE means TO
BIND TOGETHER
-an organized system of ideas about the spiritual sphere
or the supernatural
2. ETHNICITY- the expression of the set of cultural
ideas held by a distinct ethics or indigenous group.
3. NATIONALITY- legal relationship that binds a
person and a country. It allows the state to protect and
have jurisdiction over a person.
-differences among the individuals based on
social characteristics and qualities.
-are the complex differences ( class, race, culture, age,
ability, sex, etc.)
- can create discrimination among individuals based on
their social characteristics
1. GENDER- is the socially-constructed characteristic
of being male or female.
-serve as a guide on how males and females think and act
about themselves
LGBTQi
TRANSGENDER- people are those psychological
self ( gender identity) differs from the social expectations
for the physical sex they were born with.
QUEER/ QUESTIONING- a person who is attracted
to multiple genders
INTERSEX- a set of medical conditions that feature
congenital anomalies of the reproductive and sexual
system
2. SOCIO- ECONOMIC STATUS - it refers to the
category of person who have more or less the same
socio- economic priveleges.
• UPPER CLASS- Wealthy with inherited family
fortunes or assets/investments
- may have significant political and societal
influence
- luxurious lifestyles, expensive homes, and
possessions
• MIDDLE CLASS- comfortable standard of
living but not extremely wealthy
- more financial security and stability than
lower-class
-reliant on salaries, savings, and benefits from
employment
- vulnerable to economic downturns or
instability
• LOWER- CLASS -living below the poverty
line with very limited financial means
- low-paying job or unemployment
- inadequate access to healthcare, edication, and
healthy foods
- struggle to afford basic necessities
- reliant on government assistance programs
-limited opportunities for upward economic
mobility
 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
3.EXCEPTIONALITY- refers to the state of being
intellectually gifted and/or having physically or mentally
challenged conditions
1. SUBCULTURES- a segment of society that shares a
distinctive pattern of mores, folkways, and values that
may differ from the pattern of the larger society.
- a culture within a culture
2. COUNTER CULTURE- a group whose values and
norms place it at odds with mainstream society or a group
that actively rejects dominant cultural values and norms.
3. HIGH CULTURE/ POPULAR CULTURE
HIGH CULTURE- used in a number of different ways
in academic discourse, whose most common meaning is
the set of cultural products, mainly arts, held in the highest
esteem by culture.
-is a culture practiced and patronized by the upper classes
of the society.
EXAMPLES: classical music, opera, ballet, live theater
POPULAR CULTURE- based on the tastes of ordinary
people rather than an educated elite.
- a culture practiced or patronized by the middle and
working classes of the society.
EXAMPLES: rock concerts, spectator sports, movies,
soap operas, situation comedies
IDEAS CULTURE- is the way people describe the
standard of behavior-the blueprint which provides the
directions and guidelines in relating with others or doing
things
REAL CULTURE- refers to how one behaves in an
actual situation within the context of what may be
regarded as acceptable by the other members of society.
1. BELIEFS- state or habit of mind where trust or
confidence is placed in someone or something.
ASPECTS OF BELIEFS:
1. TRUST AND CONFIDENCE- having
faith or confidence in the existence of
something
2. ACCEPTED TRUTH- encompasses ideas
or opinions that are considered true
3. CONVICTION- about the truth of a
statement or the reality of
being/phenomenon
2. PRACTICES- habits and ways of doing things
that are established in a society and are practiced
in the same way by all its inhabitants
3. TRAITS- quality that sets one person or thing
off from another a distinguishing quality( as of
personal character)
4. VALUES- fundamental beliefs that guide our
choices and actions
INFLUENCE ON BEHAVIOR
• DECISION-MAKING- values help us choose
the path that aligns with our core beliefs
• SELF-IDENTITY- values form the basis of
how we see ourselves as individuals
• INTERPRETATION OF THE WORLD-
values affect how we interpret the world around
us
• DYNAMIC NATURE- values evolve over
time through experiences, relationships, and
reflect
 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
5. ATTITUDES- are evaluative judgments
formed towards objects, people, or ideas
3 MAIN COMPONENTS
1. COGNITIVE COMPONENTS- reflects or beliefs
and thoughts related to the attitude
2. AFFECTIVE COMPONENTS- involves emotions
and feelings associated with the attitude
3. BEHAVIORAL COMPONENTS- represent our
behavioral response to the attitude
IMPACTS ON BEHAVIOR
• CONSISTENCY
• ATTITUDE CHANGE
• SOCIAL NORMS ANND CULTURAL
INFLUENCES
6. NORMS- culture have rules for acceptable behaviors
in social situations
Examples; etiquette, greetings, use of formal vs
informal language
2 TYPES OF NORMS
1. FORMAL NORMS
2. INFORMAL NORMS ( FOLKWAYS AND
CUSTOMS)- the standards of behavior that are
considered less important but still influence how
we behave
7. LAWS- standards of behavior considered the most
important in any society
specific behavioral standards or rules in a
society.
SOCIAL NORMS- specific rules dictating how people
should act in a particular situation, values are general
ideas that support the norm
FOUR TYPES OF NORMS
1. FOLKWAYS- related to everyday social behavior
that is followed out customs, traditions, or routine.
2. MORES- failure to conform to them will result in a
much stronger social response from the person or
people who resent your failure to behave
appropriately
3. TABOOS- behaviors, practices, or topics
considered profoundly offensive, repugnant, and
acceptable by a society or cultural group
4. LAWS ( LEGAL NORMS)- an expression of a
very strong moral norm that exist to control people’s
behavior explicity
overarching principles that determine what is
considered good or desirable
-beliefs that we have about what is important, both to us
and to society as a whole
EXAMPLES: honesty, respect, responsibility, fairness,
and kindness
SYMBOLS- signs, gestures, images, or objects that carry
complex meanings
-flags, tattoos, clothing styles trophies
LANGUAGE- verbal and non-verbal communication
-reflects cultural concepts, identities and worldwide
shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors,
and material objects that characterize a group and are
passed on from generation to generation
-consist of intangible aspects
-shapes society by informing social roles and institutions
refer to group of people that follows or shares
some cultures
-consist of tangible aspects
-stabilizes culture by embedding rituals, traditions, and
norms into social structures
CULTURE AND SOCIETY ARE INDEPENDENT
one of the founder of modern
Anthropology
- characterize culture as a “complex whole” which
encompasses beliefs, practices, traits, values, attitudes,
laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and
everything that a person learns and shares as a member of
the society
 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

The differences in cultural

- suggest that culture cannot be simply broken down into practices, beliefs, and norms that exist between societies
a set of characteristics around the world and within societies. There is wide
cultural variation across human populations.
-means that an understanding of a part can only be
achieved in relation to other parts of the system CULTURAL DIVERSITY- refers to the differentiation
of culture all over the world
-no culture can exist without social interaction in society
meanwhile, society cannot exist in the absence of people CULTURAL RELATIVISM- culture can only be
who have learned to live and work together understood based on its own standards and values, and
should not be judged against the standards of other
CULTURE SOCIETY cultures.
- refers to the beliefs, -refers to the network of
customs, arts, institutions, social relationships and -attempt to judge behavior according to its cultural
and other products of institutions that connect context
human work and thought people and organize social
Ferraro and Andretta as mentioned by Custodio
that characterize a life.
advocate that cultural relativism is more culturally
community or society. -families, communities,
-language, rituals, cuisine, businesses, government, relative approach in understanding human group. They
music, literature, social media education, etc said that one can build emotional resilience by
norms, etc. -society and social understanding one’s culture by not necessarily mean to
-cultural values and norms interactions reproduce and offend them but be guided by their own cultural norms.
shape social institutions transform culture over time
ADVANTAGES OF CULTURAL RELATIVISM
and behavioral patterns - provide stability,
-provides shared meanings organization, and 1. IT PROMOTES COOPERATION
identities and purposes that continuity to patterns of 2. RESPECT AND EQUALITY IS
allow people to coordinate human life. ENCOURAGE
action and make sense of
3. IT PRESERVE HUMAN CULTURES
the world.
4. CULTURAL RELATIVISM CREATE
SOCIETY WITHOUT JUDGEMENT

1. CULTURE IS SOCIAL BECAUSE IT’S THE ETHNOCENTRISM- view one's own culture as
PRODUCT OF BEHAVIOR inherently superior to other cultures.
2. CULTURE VARIES FROM SOCIETY TO
SOCIETY - leads to cultural misunderstandings since other cultures
3. CULTURE IS SHARED are judged according to the standards of one's own culture
4. CULTURE IS LEARNED rather than their own.
5. CULTURE IS TRANSMITTED AMONG
-Ethnocentrism can be so strong but when confronted
MEMBERS OF SOCIETY
with all of the differences of a new culture, one may
6. CULTURE IS CONTINUOUS AND
experience culture shock.
CUMULATIVE
7. CULTURE IS GRATIFYING AND IDEALISTIC XENOCENTRISM- beliefs that one’s culture is
inferior compared to others.
 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

-people are highly influenced by the culture or many • FOR SURVIVAL- no man is an island
culture outside the realm of their society • FEELING OF GREGARIOUSNESS- the
desire of people to be with other people
CULTURE SHOCK- the feeling of being disoriented,
• SPECIALIZATION- professionals
uncertain, out of place, or even fearful when immersed in
organize themselves into societies or
an unfamiliar culture.
associations to promote and protect their
CULTURE VARIATION- refers to the rich diversity own professions
in social patterns tat different human group exhibit around
the world.
- the variation in human conditions promotes diversity in
cultural traditions.
Note: We must remember that cultural variation or 1. It is a social system.
diversity do not only occur between people’s cultures 2. It is relatively large.
coming from different countries, but also between people 3. It socializes its members and those from
with different practices within the same country. without
CULTURAL UNIVERSAL- patterns or traits that are 4. It endures, produces and sustains its
globally common to all societies. members for generation.
5. It holds its members through a common
culture.
6. It has clearly-defined geographical
territory.
SOCIETY- a group of people with common territory,
interaction, and culture
1. It provides a system of socialization
- defined society as group of people who share a common
territory and culture 2. provides the basic needs of its members
-it is a group of people living together in a definite 3. It regulates and controls people’s behavior.
territory, having a sense of belongingness, mutually
interdependent of each other, and follow a certain way of 4. It provides the means of social
life. participation
-derived from the Latin term “societas”, from socius, which5. It provides mutual support to the member
means companion or associate.
TWO TYPES OF DEFINITION OF SOCIETY
1. THE FUNCTIONAL DEFINITION- society is
defined as a complex of groups in reciprocal SOCIETIES- organized in particular patterns, patterns
relationships, interacting upon one another, enabling that are shaped by arrange of factors.
human organisms to carry on their life-activities.
-Sociologists and anthropologists (experts who study
2. THE STRUCTURAL DEFINITION- society is
early and tribal cultures) identified different types and
the total social heritage of folkways, mores, and
classification of societies
institutions; of habits, sentiments and ideals
a A. ACCORDING TO ECONOMIC AND MATERIA
THE FOLLOWING ARE REASONS WHY SYSTEM
PEOPLE LIVE TOGETHER AS A SOCIETY:
 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

1. PRE-CLASS SOCIETIES- characterized by

5. INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES- These socities are
communal ownership of property and division of characterized
labor. by the following:
2. ASIATIC SOCIETIES- people are economically(a)self people elect their representatives to protect
sufficient but their leaders are despotic and powerful.
their individual initiatives;
3. ANCIENT SOCIETY- characterized by private land
ownership. (b) freedom of belief, religion, production of

4. FEUDAL SOCIETIES- The aristocrats (feudal lords) industrial goods exist;

owned the wealth of the country due to their ownership
of big tracts of lands. The peasants worked on the lands
of the feudal lords with only few benefits received by
them.
5. CAPITALISTS SOCIETIES – existed in societies
where two classes of people appeared.
- The bourgeoise (property owners) who owned the
capital and the means of production and the ploretariat
(the laborers or workers) who are compelled to work for
the capitalists or sell their small properties to the
capitalists
6. DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES- characterized by free
enterprise where people are free to engage in any lawful
business for profit or gain
B. ACCORDING TO EVOLUTIONARY VIEW
(c) disputes and grievances are settled through peaceful
arbitration; and
(d) business organization appear where cooperative
efforts between management and labor are based on
contractual agreement.
6. POST- INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES- These are
characterized by:
(a) spread of computer machines and the existence of
information and communication;
(b) inventions and discoveries in medicines, agriculture,
business whether in physical and natural sciences
emerged; and
(c) pollution, diseases, calamities are prevalent as a result
of the use of advanced technology

1. SIMPLE SOCIETIES- predominantly small, C. ACCORDING TO PEOPLE’S SUBSTINENCE-

nomadic and leadership is unstable. 1. FOOD GATHERING SOCIETIES- people survived
2. COMPOUND SOCIETIES- Two or more simple from day to day through hunting larger animals,
societies merged to form a new and bigger society. collecting shellfish and vegetable gathering.

3. DOUBLY COMPOUND SOCIETIES- completely 2. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES- people planted

integrated, more definite in political and religious seeds as a means of production for substinence.
structure and more complex division of labor. 3. PASTORAL SOCIETIES- Most of the people are
4. MILITANT SOCIETIES- These are characterized by nomadic who follow their herds in quest of animals for
the following: food and clothing to satisfy their needs

(a) the existence of military organization and military 4. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES- In the early
rank; agricultural societies, people used plow than hoe in food
production.
(b) individual lives and private possessions are at the
5. INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES- characterized by the use
disposal of the State; and of machines as means of food production.
(c) individual activities such as recreation, movements,
satisfaction of biological needs, and production of goods
are totally regulated by the State.
 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

6. POST- INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES OR HOMO ERECTUS (THE UPRIGHT MAN)-

INFORMATION SOCIETIES- characterized by the manlike specie could walk straight with almost
spread of computer technology, advances in this the same brain with modern man. Made refined
technology are made by highly-trained computer stone tools for hunting and weapons for
specialists who work to increase the capabilities of protection of their enemies.
computers and the internet.
DISSOLUTION OF A SOCIETY
1. when the people kill each other through civil
revolution;
2. when an outside force exterminates the members of HOMO SAPIENS( THE THINKING MAN)-
the society; had similar physical descriptions with modern
3. when the members become apathetic among man.
themselves or have no more sense of belongingness;
4. when a small society is absorbed by a stronger and -largely dependent on hunting, fishing, and
larger society by means of conquest or territorial agriculture
absorption;
5. when an existing society is submerged in water
killing all the people and other living things in it; or
(60 when the people living in such a society
voluntarily attach themselves to another existing
society.

HOMONIDS ( MAN LIKE PRIMATES)

HOMO HABILIS( HANDY MAN) – apelike men who
first used stone tools as weapons and protection of their
enemies
-recognized as the FIRST TRUE HUMAN
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

COMPONENTS OF CULTURE
MAJOR ELEMENTS:
1. MATERIAL CULTURE- physical objects a society
produces
1.a TECHNOLOGY- combination of objects and rules

2. NON- MATERIAL CULTURE- consists of elements

shared by the members of a society. Considered carriers
of culture