LESSON 5

CHARACTERISTICS/ ASPECTS OF SOCIETY AND CULTURE

IN THIS LESSON….

 Demonstrate understanding on the various

characteristics of society
 Demonstrate understanding on the various
characteristics of culture
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SOCIETY

A group of people living together is considered to be a society if it has the following

characteristics. These are:

1. SOCIETY IS A COMPLEX WHOLE. As a complex whole, it is a social

system consisting of individuals socially interacting with each other. A change in
one group of individual will affect the stability of the other parts of the whole
system (pars pro toto)
2. SOCIETY IS RELATIVELY LARGE. Being a complex whole, the people
must be socially integrated to be considered relatively large than if the people are
individually scattered. Thus, the people in a family, clan, tribe, neighborhood,
community are socially integrated to be relatively large in scope. This may vary
across cultures (e.g. Jewish Knesset concept)
CONT…

3. SOCIETY SOCIALIZES ITS MEMBERS. Since most of society’s members

are born into it, they are taught the basic norms and expectations. Those who
come from other societies, before being accepted as functioning members, are
socialized and taught the basic norms and expectations of such society. (Point of
discussion: How does one become a member of a society- The case of Ethiopian
Jews)
4. SOCIETY ENDURES, PRODUCES AND RESTRAINS ITS MEMBERS
FOR GENERATIONS. For society to survive, it must have the ability to
produce, endure and sustain its members for at least several generations. For
instance, if a society cannot assist its members, during their extreme conditions
of hunger and poverty, that society will not survive long (Point of discussion:
Japan’s demographic winter)
CONT…

5. SOCIETY HOLDS ITS MEMBERS THROUGH A COMMON

CULTURE. The individuals in a society are held together because
that society has symbols, norms, values, and patterns of
interactions, vision and missions that are commonly shared by
members of such society.
6. SOCIETY HAS CLEARLY-DEFINED GEOGRAPHICAL
TERITORY. The members in a society must live in a certain
specific habitat or place and have a common belongingness and
sense of purpose. (Point of discussion: The Jewish diaspora and
Holocaust)
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE

 Since culture is a design, a recipe, or a roadmap for living that guides the behavior
of members in a society, it has the following characteristics:
1. Culture is learned and acquired. Culture is not instinctive nor a part of
biological equipment of man. It is acquired through the senses and experience
(i.e. nature vs. nurture)
2. Culture is shared and transmitted. To continuously preserve culture, it is best
to share to other people or transmit it to the next generation. Culture is
transmitted through language (oral, written, or symbolic)
CONT…

3. Culture is cumulative. Certain features of culture have been retained today and
are modified and innovated to make them new updated. Thus, man’s
modification and innovation are learned from already existing culture in the past.
4. Culture gratifies human needs. Culture continues to exist if it satisfies human
needs biologically and psychologically. An individual is likely to follow and
observe cultural techniques that satisfy his needs.
5. Culture is integration. By integration, it means that there is a tendency for
individuals to fully appreciate those elements in culture that are best for them
and these are very often integrated in their personality and become a part of their
behavior, thus becoming ingrained and difficult to remove.
Sharpen your mind

1. Why is your family considered a society?

2. Assuming there are only three (3) of you residing in Scarborough
Shoal, do you consider yourselves a society? Defend your answer.
3. Assuming that you transfer your residence to another place (e.g.
province or region), what characteristics of culture is applicable in
this situation or setting? Support your answer.
4. After graduating from senior high school, where do you want to
take your college degree and why?