Understanding

Culture,
Society, and
Politics
The Social Sciences and the Three
Faces of the Social
Competency
Discuss the nature, goals and
perspectives in/of anthropology,
sociology, and political science.
Day 1
Introduction
In our modern world, it is important to
pay attention to the interplay of culture,
politics, and society. In this module,
you will be able to learn these
elements that are essential in
understanding human behavior and
social groups against the backdrop of
globalization and industrialization. As a
student, you are an integral member of
society that is expected to value roles
in society, apply the knowledge
learned in school, and translate gained
ideas into actions beneficial to nation
building.
What is your own interpretation regarding the images
shown? Write your answers in the box provided.

Society Culture Politics

     
Key Terms
• Culture •Gender
• Society •Socio-economic Status
• Politics •Ethnicity
• Sociology •Religion
• Anthropology •Exceptionality
• Political Science •Nationality
Discussion
Society and its broader sense
involves social (i.e., actions and
interactions), cultural (i.e., practices
and traditions) and political (i.e.,
power relations) realities. As formal
and systematic studies of society,
these three facets are referred to as
the “social sciences,” also known in
academia as “disciplines.” These
disciplines may be likened to a lens,
which changes the way the wearer
sees things in terms of color, focus,
and details. In other words, they
change a person’s perspective.
Culture
Culture
Generally defined as the
sum of individual’s way of
life, ranging from food he or
she eats, the clothes he
she wears, and the house
where he or she lives.
Two Types of
Culture:
1. Material
2. Non – Material
Material
Culture that includes fads and
fashion trends, manners, and
taboos as well as scientific
knowledge and technology
that manifest through tangible
aspects, such as architectural
and engineering wonders,
advancement in medicine, and
breakthrough in transportation
and communication.
Non – Material
Non – material things are
the norms and values as
well as the intangible
aspects of his or her
existence: music, dance,
poetry, and other forms of
expressions that showcase
his or her creativity and
artistry.
Process Questions:
1. How would you describe Filipino
culture?
2. What are some of the things from your
culture that you are proud of?
3. What are some of the things about
your culture that you don’t like?
Society
Society
an organized group or groups of
interdependent people who share a
common territory, language, and
culture, and who act together for
collective survival and well – being.
The ways that people depend upon
one another can be seen in different
social features, such as their
economic, communication, and
defence system.
Politics
Politics
refers to the “theory, art,
and practice of
government.”
Political Institution
the institution that sets up social
norms and values as to who will
possess “the monopoly of
legitimate use of physical force
within a given territory,” how that
power is acquired and
maintained, and how that power
is organized and exercised,
comprises the state (Weber:
216)
The Government
it is a concrete example of
political institutions. It
exercises power specially
in relation to governance
and decision – making.
Power
is a status granted to
individuals or institutions
to properly run the
government and
implement the rule of
the law in the society.
 The Three
Branches of
Philippine
Government
Process Questions:
1. Will there be a society without culture? Why? Why not?
2. Based on the press briefings that are being shown on
television and in different social media platforms, name
personalities who are part of the Executive, Legislative,
and Judiciary branch of the Philippine government that
you see most often and explain their function during the
time of Covid 19 in the Philippines.
3. How does Covid 19 affects our society today?
Enrichment Activity
Conduct an interview with your parents or relatives. Ask and
list five cultures and traditions your parents/relatives passed on
to you and still being practiced today.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Day 2
Pre Assessment Activity:
“Culture and Colour”
Fill in the table below with information about your own culture. Discuss
practices that are being accepted / not accepted in your community.
Sociology
Sociology
is the study of human social life,
groups and societies. It is a dazzling
and compelling enterprise, having as
its subject matter our own behaviour
as social beings. The scope of
sociology is extremely wide, ranging
from the analysis of passing
encounters between individuals in the
street up to the investigation of world-
wide social processes". Anthony
Giddens ("Sociology", 1989).
Anthropology
Anthropology
is the systematic study of
humanity, with the goal of
understanding our evolutionary
origins, our distinctiveness as a
species, and the great diversity
in our forms of social existence
across the world and through
time.
Three Subfields of
Anthropology
1. Sociocultural Anthropology
2. Biological Anthropology
3. Archaeology
Sociocultural
Anthropology
Sociocultural anthropologists
interpret the content of particular
cultures, explain variation among
cultures, and study processes of
cultural change and social
transformation.
Biological
Anthropology
Biological anthropologists study a variety
of aspects of human evolutionary biology.
Some examine fossils and apply their
observations to understanding human
evolution; others compare morphological,
biochemical, and physiological
adaptations of living humans to their
environments; still others observe
behavior of nonhuman primates (monkeys
and apes) to understand the roots of
human behavior.
Archaeology
Archaeologists study the material
remains of present and past
cultural systems to understand
the technical, social, and political
organization of those systems
and the larger culture
evolutionary process that stand
behind them.
Political
Science
Political Science
is the study of politics and
power from domestic,
international, and comparative
perspectives. It entails
understanding political ideas,
ideologies, institutions, policies,
processes, and behavior, as
well as groups, classes,
government, diplomacy, law,
strategy, and war.
Gender
Gender
it is the socially –
constructed characteristics
of being male or female.
Activity: My Biology,
My Destiny
Write a 5 to 10 sentence paragraph
describing how your gender (male or
female) maybe the reason for the
kind of social person you are today.
Highlight the significant opportunities
that have been afforded to you, as
well as the constraints you constantly
encounter as you navigate the social
world.
 Socio-
Economic
Status
Socio-Economic
Status
refers to the category of
persons who have more or
less the same socio-
economic privileges in a
society. These privileges
are due to inherited wealth
and/or the occupational
status of the breadwinner in
the household. (Panopio,
etc.: 327).
Three Types of
Social Classes in the
Philippines
1. Upper Class
2. Middle Class
3. Lower Class
1. Upper Class
Consists of elite families.
They are considered the
most productive in terms or
resource generation and
oftentimes very successful
in their respective fields of
interests and endeavors –
be it in agriculture,
industry, business, and
government.
Two General Types of
Elite
New Rich (Nouveau Riche) –
those who have humble
beginnings and often experienced
rags-to-riches turn of fortunes.
Traditional Upper Class – is made
up of descendants of powerful
elite families who acquired their
wealth through inheritance or
birthright.
2. Middle Class
composed of small business
and industry operators mostly
owners and managers,
professionals, office workers,
and farm owners with income
sufficient enough to provide a
comfortable and decent living.
Filipino overseas workers, who
contribute greatly to the
remittance economy, are also
included in this category.
3. Lower Class
composed of farm
employees, skilled and
unskilled artisans, service
workers, and people who
maybe unemployed or
underemployed or those
who belong to indigent
families or informal sectors.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity
is the expression of the set
of cultural ideas held by a
distinct ethnic or
indigenous group.
Ethnic Group

refers to people who collectively

and publicly identify themselves as
distinct and unique based on
distinguishable cultural features
that set them apart from others,
such as language, shared ancestry,
common origin, customs, and
traditions (Haviland, et. al.: 313)
Eight Major Ethno – Linguistic
Groups in the Philippines (2000
census of NSO)

1. Tagalog (28.1%)
2. Cebuano (13.1%)
3. Ilocano (9%)
4. Bisaya (7.6%)
5. Ilonggo/Hiligaynon (7.5%)
6. Bikol (6%)
7. Waray (3.4%)
8. Others (25.3%)
Religion
Religion
an organized system of ideas about
the spiritual sphere or the
supernatural, along with associated
ceremonial or ritualistic practices
by which people try to interpret
and/or influence aspects of the
universe otherwise beyond human
control. (Haviland, et. al.: 554)
Religions in the Philippines
• Catholics (82.9%) – comprised of Roman
Catholic (80.9%) and Aglipayan (2%)
• Islam (5%)
• Evangelical (2.8%)
• Iglesia ni Kristo (2.3%)
• Other Christian denominations, mostly
Protestant groups (4.5%)
• Others (1.8%)
• Unspecified (0.6%)
• No religion at all (0.1%)
Exceptionality
Exceptionality
refers to the state of being
intellectually gifted and/or having
physically or mentally challenged
conditions concerning
personality/behavior, communication
(learning disability, speech
impairment, and hearing problems),
intellect (mild intellectual and mental
development disabilities), physical
appearance (blind – low vision), or a
combination of more than one
specific exceptionality or disability
(MinEd: 2).
Nationality /
Citizenship
Nationality /
Citizenship
is the legal relationship
that binds a person and
a country. It gives people
a sense of identity and
belongingness.
Enrichment Activity
Direction:
1. Refer to the Figure 1 below.
2. Write your name inside the circle.
3. Write the following information of
yourself in the 4 spaces:
a. gender
b. socioeconomic class
c. ethnicity
d. religion
Enrichment Activity
Direction:
Based on the output from the previous activity, you will
be asked to discuss it based on the following questions:

1. How does your gender, socioeconomic class,

ethnicity, and religion make you similar or different from
others?

2. What do you think are the impacts of the similarities

and differences to every individual?

3. Do these similarities and differences affect the life of

the whole community? Why?
Day 3
Pre-Assessment Activity

Refer to the statements + pictures and compare the

appropriateness of the following society standards to
Filipino culture.
Pre-Assessment Activity

1. Touching person’s
head
Pre-Assessment Activity

2. Asking someone’s
age
Pre-Assessment Activity

3. Buying someone
shoes as a gift
Pre-Assessment Activity

4. Talking with mouth

full
Pre-Assessment Activity

5. Taking off shoes

when entering a house
Pre-Assessment Activity

6. Girls wear pink; boys

wear blue
Pre-Assessment Activity

7. Eating with bare

hands
Pre-Assessment Activity

8. Divorce
Pre-Assessment Activity

9. Same Sex Marriage

Pre-Assessment Activity

10. Arranged Marriage

Norms
Norms
are in the form of rules,
standards, or
prescriptions that are
strictly followed by
people who adhere on
certain conventions and
perform specific roles.
Norm of Appropriateness
or Decency
This norm includes the
manners and behaviors
that show a person’s
refinement and civility. In
some society, norm of
decency also includes the
use of appropriate words
and gestures that convey
politeness and courtesy.
Example: For Westerners, it is improper for a person to be
too close or near a guest when having a
conversation. This western belief is opposed to
the practice of many Asian countries that value
proximity as a sign of intimacy and friendliness.
Example: British perceives blue as the hue of royalty;
Indians have it pink; the Chinese penchant for
something red signifies luck.
 1.
Enumerate three Norm
of Appropriateness that
you observed in your
community: (You can 2.
ask your parents /
guardians for reference)

3.
Norm of
Conventionality
are beliefs and practices
that are acceptable to
certain cultures but can
be inimical to other
cultures.
Example: Bagobo inhabitants of Davao bury their dead
within their neighborhood.
Example: Members of the Igorot tribe of Mountain
Province in northern Philippines have long
practised the tradition of burying their dead in
hanging coffins, nailed to the sides of cliff faces
high above the ground.
Example: Muslim believers are prohibited to eat pork.
Example: Hindus are not allowed to eat beef
Example: Sikhs maintain Kesh (uncut hair)
 1.
Enumerate three Norm
of Conventionality that
you observed in your
community: (You can 2.
ask your parents /
guardians for reference)

3.
Individuals or groups can shape the
norms and values of their society
through the concrete application of their
beliefs, norms, and values in their
everyday lives. Though the process of
experimenting and appropriating these
norms and values in society, one can
gain wisdom at looking into the
significance of norms and values
whether as sets of laws or rules or
guiding principles that regulate actions
or as social mechanisms that warrant
approval or recognition in the
community.
 Conformity
and Deviance
 Conformity
it is the obedience to the norms
that make a person acceptable
in a particular society, group, or
social setting. The concept of
conformity was also used by
Robert Merton (1957) to refer
to acceptance of cultural goals
and the legitimate or approved
means of achieving them.
 Deviance
is a behaviour that
violates the standards
of conduct or
expectations or social
norms of a group or
society.
 2 Types of Deviance
1. Formal Deviance – includes actions that
violate enacted laws, such as robbery, theft,
graft, rape, and other forms of criminality.

2. Informal Deviance – refers to violations

to social norms that are not codified into law
such as pricking one’s nose, belching loudly,
and spitting on the street, among others.
Taboos
 Taboo
It is a prohibition of social actions based on false
beliefs that performing such actions is either too
scared, or too dangerous for the human race.
Disregarding taboo is generally considered a deviant
act by the society. Taboo is putting a person or a
thing under temporary or permanent prohibition,
especially as a social custom. Through these
practices may be a case-to-case basis since what
one society views as deviant may be seen by other
societies as normative, traditional, or desirable. In
the same way cultural food and food habits vary;
cultural and religious food prohibitions are also
differ to some extent (Meyer-Rochow 2009).
Example:
Muslims and Jews
abstain from eating
pork, as pigs considered
as “unclean”. These
types of meat, however,
are widely consumed by
members of other
cultures and religion.
Example:
Drinking alcoholic
beverages are not
allowed in many
religious faith and
sectarian
denominations.
Example:
The consumption of dog
and cat meat are deviant
among Western countries.
This practice is directly
opposite to some
subgroups in Africa and
Asia who widely utilize
these animals as food or
food offerings during rituals.
Example:
Small animals like rodents and
even insects are perceived as
pests and disease carriers in
many Western cultures.
However, insects are common
fare in many parts of Asia and
Africa. Insects are even popular
staples in South East Asia such
as crickets in the Philippines,
black spiders in Cambodia, and
black beetles and cockroaches
in Thailand.
Example:
Chewing gum in
Singapore is
prohibited
Example:
Abortion
Example:
Smoking is banned
for Sikhs.
Example:
It is considered bad
luck for a building to
have a 13th floor in
the United States or
a 4th floor in China.
Example:
Cambodians believe
that you should not
take a photo of three
people.
Example:
Never wear red to a
funeral in China or
write a person’s
name in red in
Korea.
Example:
Filipinos believe that
you should not go
straight home after
attending a wake
Example:
In Philippines, avoid
addressing elders by
their first names.
Example:
Don’t step over
anyone lying down
or sitting on the floor
– go around.
I want you to share some of your food /
cultural taboos that you observed in
your community.
Day 4
Assessment
I. Modified True or False:
Write TRUE if the statement is correct but if it’s false, change the underlined word or group of words to make the whole
statement true.

____________________ 1. The Executive branch of the

government evaluates the law.

____________________ 2. Descendants of powerful elite

families who acquired their wealth through inheritance or
birthright.belong to New Rich (Nouveau Riche) type of elite.

____________________ 3. Ethnicity is the expression of the set

of cultural ideas held by a distinct ethnic or indigenous group.
I. Modified True or False:
Write TRUE if the statement is correct but if it’s false, change the underlined
word or group of words to make the whole statement true.

____________________ 4. Archaeologists interpret the content

of particular cultures, explain variation among cultures, and study
processes of cultural change and social transformation.

____________________ 5. Sociology is the study of human

social life, groups and societies.

____________________ 6. Norm generally defined as the sum of

individual’s way of life, ranging from food he or she eats, the
clothes he she wears, and the house where he or she lives.
I. Modified True or False:
Write TRUE if the statement is correct but if it’s false, change the underlined
word or group of words to make the whole statement true.

____________________ 7. Socio-economic Status refers to the

category of persons who have more or less the same socio-economic
privileges in a society.

____________________ 8. Middle Class composed of small business

and industry operators mostly owners and managers, professionals,
office workers, and farm owners with income sufficient enough to
provide a comfortable and decent living.

____________________ 9. Citizenship is the legal relationship that

binds a person and a country.
I. Modified True or False:
Write TRUE if the statement is correct but if it’s false, change the underlined
word or group of words to make the whole statement true.

____________________ 10. Formal and Informal

culture are the two types of culture.

____________________ 11. Cebuano dominates the

Ethno-Linguistic groups in the Philippines.

____________________ 12. Not talking while there is

food in mouth is an example of Norm of
Appropriateness.
I. Modified True or False:
Write TRUE if the statement is correct but if it’s false, change the underlined
word or group of words to make the whole statement true.

____________________ 13. Indigent families are part of the

middle class.

____________________ 14. Religion is an organized system of

ideas about the spiritual sphere or the supernatural, along with
associated ceremonial or ritualistic practices by which people try
to interpret and/or influence aspects of the universe otherwise
beyond human control.

____________________ 15. Senator Manny Pacquiao is under

the executive branch of the Philippine government.
II. Identify whether the following statement concludes human
as: A. Social Being, B. Cultural Being, or C. Political Being.
Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

__________ 1. We always belong to the group

and interact with people.

__________ 2. We carry our ancestors’ traditions

and beliefs.
II. Identify whether the following statement concludes human
as: A. Social Being, B. Cultural Being, or C. Political Being.
Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

__________ 3. Our rights and privileges are

limited because we are governed by rules and
laws of our society.

__________ 4. Our power is inherent in the rights

guaranteed and protected by our State.
II. Identify whether the following statement concludes human
as: A. Social Being, B. Cultural Being, or C. Political Being.
Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

__________ 5. We relate with our childhood

friends, neighbors, and classmates.

__________ 6. We speak the language of our

parents, practice faith and the distinct way of life of
our community.
II. Identify whether the following statement concludes human
as: A. Social Being, B. Cultural Being, or C. Political Being.
Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

__________ 7. We create or showcase the arts and heritage of

our people and transmit some, if not all, of these to the next
generation.

__________ 8. We become citizens, we elect our leaders, we

pay taxes, we receive welfare and support from the government
because our Constitution and our laws tell it so.
II. Identify whether the following statement concludes human
as: A. Social Being, B. Cultural Being, or C. Political Being.
Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

__________ 9. We will be having our co-workers or

colleagues in office, professional peers here and abroad.

__________ 10. We are always in company with others

like our parents and siblings.
 III. Check box whether the following statement gives the
significance of studying: Culture, Society or
Politics
 
CULTURE SOCIETY POLITICS
     
11. Broadens our perspective on how we value
diverse culture.
     
12. Gives meaning to the importance of
“bayanihan.”
     
13. Educates us on the significance of
exercising our right of suffrage.
     
14. Describes why we are belong to a certain
community.
     
15. Provides a wider context on how the
government works.
IV. Essay:
Food or what people around the world eat as food,
mirrors cultural diversity. Balot for example, is a delicacy
in the Philippines. Write a short essay arguing that ballot
is a unique cultural icon of the Filipinos. Compose your
essay on the space provided below.
References:
Books:
CONTREAS, Antonio P. PhD., DELA CRUZ Arleigh Ross D. PhD., ERASGA Dennis S. Phd.,
FADRIGON Cecile C. PhD. Cand. Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics The Padayon Series
Phoenix Publishing House
MADRID Randy M. PhD., SANTARITA Joefe B. PhD. Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics
Vibal Group Inc.

Websites:
https://www.sociologyguide.com/
https://www.assignmentpoint.com/arts/sociology/achieved-status.html
https://sociology.unc.edu/undergraduate-program/sociology-major/what-is-sociology/
https://anthropology.ucdavis.edu/undergraduate/what-is-anthropology
https://www.polisci.northwestern.edu/undergraduate/
http://www.c3teachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/NewYork_3_Cultural_Diversity.pdf
References:
https://www.harmony.gov.au/get-involved/schools/lesson-plans/lesson-plan-culture-race-ethnicity
https://www.sociologygroup.com/taboo-meaning-examples-types/
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-taboo.html
https://www.sociologygroup.com/taboo-meaning-examples-types/
https://www.facebook.com/rapplerdotcom/photos/a.1073826739304775/1073889422631840/?
type=1&theater
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/superstitions-and-taboos-many-filipinos-still-
believe-in/
https://www.academia.edu/38141121/Understanding_Culture_Society_and_Politics_12.docx

Link of Video (Link you might want to visit to watch video related to our discussion)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKPlvbXO2CE