D E F I N I N G C U LT U R E

AND SOCIETY FROM

THE PERSPECTIVE
OF ANTHROPOLOGY
AND SOCIOLOGY
 Humans studying humans.
Promotes a holistic study of HUMANS.
Research time frame, which ranges from the evolution of
humans as a species to our current development
Also defined as “the study of people- their origins, their
development, and contemporary variations, wherever and
whenever they have been found on the face of the earth.
- these points of inquiry are addressed by the five sub
disciplines of Anthropology:
ARCHAELOGY, CULTURAL, LINGUISTIC,
What makes us different?

Environment and history are two of

the primary factors that shape the
behavior of human groups. This
behavior, which serves as an adaptive
tool for the varied stimuli projected by
the environment, is influenced by
beliefs, practices, and material
possessions.
 Human Cultural Variation

–It refers to the differences in social

behaviors that different cultures exhibit
around the world.
Ethnicity

Nationality
 Ethnicity
• It is the expression of the set of cultural ideas held
by distinct ethics and indigenous group.
• Ethnic groups are smaller cultural (within a nation)
that share specific environments, traditions, and
histories that are not necessarily subscribed by the
mainstream culture.
• 80 indigenous ethnic group and 100 tribal groups.
 Nationality

• Is the identity that is tied to being part of a nation or

a country, i.e. “a group of people who share the
same history, traditions and language” and who
inhabits a particular territory delineated by a
political border and controlled by a government.
• It is the legal relationship that binds a person and a
country.
SOCIAL DIFFERENCES
The differences among the individuals on the basis of
social characteristics and qualities.

Gender Socioeconomic class

Political Identity Religion

Exceptionality
 Gender

Female Male
Sex
GENDER
• “Refers to socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities,
and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for
men and women.”
• Gender becomes a basis of one’s identity, as social norms
allow for their acceptance or neglect by the majority of the
population.
• LGBTQi (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer,
Intersex)
 GENDER VS SEX
• One’s sense of self a • It is biological
masculine or feminine
regardless of external
• It refers to a person
genitalia based on their
• Socially constructed anatomy
characteristics • bodies
• Personality characteristics
 GENDER CATEGORIES
• Heterosexual - sexually attracted to a person of the opposite
sex
• Homosexual - person who sexually attracted to a person of the
same sex like
Lesbian- a female attracted to female and Gay a male person who
sexually attracted with another male
• Bisexual (individuals who attracted to both sexes or “silahis”)
GENDER CATEGORIES
• Asexual - totally incapable of being attracted to any sex
• Pansexual - individuals who accommodate all type of gender.
there are people whose gender identities do not match their
biological identity as male or female refers to Transgender
• Transsexual is an individual who believes that the discord
between their internal gender and the gender role that they have
to perform can be addressed through medical sexual
reassignment.
 GENDER CATEGORIES
• Polysexual - individuals who are attracted to more than one gender and/or form
of gender expression, but not to all.
• Queer - an umbrella term to refer to all LGBTQ+ people. It is also a non-binary
term used by individuals who see their sexual orientation and/or gender identity
as fluid.
• Intersex is a general term used for a variety of situations in which a person is
born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't fit the boxes of “female”
or “male.” Sometimes doctors do surgeries on intersex babies and children to
make their bodies fit binary ideas of “male” or “female”.
SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS
• It refers to the category of persons who have
more or less the same socio-economic privileges.
• Upper class, middle class, lower class
• Filipino social class: mahirap, medyo mayaman,
sakto lang, mayaman, and the like.
next
Socioeconomic
Percentage Occupation
Class

wealthy industrialists with big

Upper 10% corporations and owners of large
plantation or haciendas

professionals, skilled and semi-skilled

Middle 20%
workers in offices, factories, or farms

Lower 70% laborers and unskilled workers

Socioeconomic Class in Contemporary Filipino Society

According to Zaide (2005)
 POLITICAL IDENTITY
• A social category refers to the set of attitudes and
practices that an individual adheres to in relation to
the political systems and actors within his or her
society.

• Political parties
–Ang Ladlad, Kabataan Partylist
 RELIGION
• The belief in supernatural has been one of the universal
preoccupations of humans as early as 60,000 years ago.
• is a system of beliefs and practices as well as systems of
actions directed toward entities which are above men.
• An organized system of idea about spiritual sphere or the
supernatural.
• Monotheistic
• Polytheistic next
 EXCEPTIONALITY
is a concept that describes
how an individual’s specific
abilities and functioning—
physical, intellectual, or
behavioral— are different
from the established average
gifted or typical qualities.
 • Disability - is a term that refers to the
interaction of an individual's health
condition with environmental factors that
cause difficulties or hindrances in
performing activities and interacting with
others.

• Communication (learning disability, speech impairment, and

hearing problems)
• Intellect (mild intellectual and mental development
disabilities)
• Physical appearance (blind or low vision)
Or combination of more than one specific exceptionality/disability
Culture refers as a “complex whole which
encompasses beliefs, practice, values,
attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols,
knowledge, and everything that a person
learns and shares as a member of society.”
SYMBOLS ATTITUDES

CULTURE
VALUES BELIEFS

KNOWLEDGE

PRACTICES

ARTIFACTS
LAWS
NORMS
 CLASSIFICATION OF CULTURE
Material Culture
 Visible and tangible part
culture
 Material object or physical
representation (furniture,
buildings, gadgets, clothes,
etc.)
 Components of culture which
are created /produced, changed
and utilized
Non-material Culture
 Non-tangible or without physical
representation
 Cognitive non-material culture (ideas,
concepts, philosophies, design, etc.)
-Product of the mental and intellectual
functioning and reasoning of the human
mind
 Normative non-material culture
-Includes all the expectations, standards,
and rule for human behavior
• Feast is periodic religious observances commemorating an event
or honoring a deity, person or thing. In the Philippines, feast is
one of the traditions among Christian-Catholics. It became part
of Filipino culture that passes from generation to generation.
And until now Filipinos are still celebrating it.
CULTURE - Is everything that a person learns and
shares as a member of a society.

Six characteristics:
 CULTURE IS LEARNED
Enculturation, Acculturation, Deculturation
 CULTURE IS SHARED
 CULTURE AFFECTS BIOLOGY
 CULTURE IS ADAPTIVE
 CULTURE IS MALADAPTIVE
 CULTURE CHANGES
ELEMENTS OF CULTURE
• Beliefs- conceptions or ideas of people have about what is true in the
environment around them.
• Values- describe what is appropriate or inappropriate in a given society
or what ought to be.
• People- live in culture wherein symbols are used to understand each
other
• Language- a shared set of spoken and written symbols
• Technology- refers to the application of knowledge and equipment to
ease the task of living and maintaining the environment.
• Norms- are specific rules/standards to guide to appropriate behavior.
 FORMS OF NORMS
• Folkways- aka customs, they are norms for everyday behavior that
people follow for the sake of tradition or convenience.
- Customary patterns that specify what is socially correct and
proper in everyday life. They are repetitive or the typical habits and
patterns of expected behavior followed within a group of community.
• Mores- They are strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior
(what is right or wrong behavior).
• Taboos- Norms that are society hold so strongly that violating it
results in extreme disgust. Ex: One Taboos in Islam is eating
pork.
• Laws- Codified ethics, formally agreed, written down and enforced
by an official law enforcement agency
ASPECTS/CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
1. Dynamic, Flexible, and Adaptive
 Culture constantly changes and adapts to the current state of the
society. It continuously restores itself whenever customs are not fit
in the current situation anymore. It does not remain stagnant.

2. Shared and Contested

Culture is learned and acquired through different interactions with
people. Culture is a shared learning experience. Because culture
constantly changes, we get to share the learning process with other
people.
3. Learned through socialization or enculturation
 Culture is not biological, but learned as interact in the society.
4. Patterned social interaction
 Culture has the capacity to define and control human behaviors.
5. Integrated- or holism
 Various parts of culture are interconnected or interlinked
6. Transmitted through socialization/enculturation
 As we share culture with others, we are able to pass it on the
new member of society
7. Requires language and other forms of communication
 In the process of learning and transmitting culture, we need
language and symbols to communicate with other society.
In a ½ sheet of paper.
Cite at least two (2) Anthropological issues/ concern in
the Philippines. Give your solution to solve those issues.
(5 points each)
Group Activity 1.
Gender-Based Issues in Filipino Society
Purpose - This activity aims to identify gender-based issues in
the Philippines and make you think of possible gender-
sensitive solutions to these problems. This is also to dig deeper
into the concept of gender and its implication for society,
culture, and politics.
Instructions:
Provide three issues in Filipino society that are related to
gender. Write a brief description of the issue by explaining its
nature, identifying the parties involved, and describing how it
affects society. Lastly, suggest a solution to minimize the
effects of the issues you identified.
ISSUE DESCRIPTION SOLUTION
10 pts.
10 pts.

10 pts.

Total: 30 points