SH1661

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.
Example: from Animism to Monotheism i.e. Roman Catholic or Islam

· Cultural Diffusionism asserts that culture originates from one or more culture centers, which are
results of borrowed elements of the new culture.
Example: Filipino culture is influenced by Western civilization brought by the coloniza tio n
of Western countries i.e. Spain.

· Historical Particularism believes that each group of people has its own unique culture influe nced
by its history, geography, and environment.
Example: Filipino people are influenced by superstitious beliefs, which originate from their
ancestors.

· Anthropological Functionalism believes that cultural elements and practices are interrelated and
interdependent and persist because they have a purpose.
Example: Filipinos’ actions are influenced strongly by their religion.

· Anthropological Structuralism conveys that cultural phenomena and practices have a relations hip
to one another by which human organize and structure their experiences.
Example: Father and Son; Husband and Wife

· Cultural Materialism considers the idea that culture is influenced by technology, resources,
economic values, and the utilization of things.
Example: Pork is prohibited in the Muslim diet.

SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
· Functionalism views society as an organized network cooperating groups operating orderly to
generally accepted norms.
Example: To be able to produce more productive graduates in the community, the governme nt
must pour money into education.

· Conflict Perspective sees the social environment in a continuous struggle which is in contrast with
Functionalism.
Example: Rich versus poor

· Symbolic Interactionism deals with patterns of behavior in large units of society such as
organization, communities, etc.
Example: Why does an individual in the community avoid eye contact when talking to a
stranger?

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· Evolutionism explains how human groups came to exist, grow, and develop.
Example: Before people use telephones to communicate with one another, now with the
advancement of technology, many of us use cellphones as a means of
communication.

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, interdepende nt
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 includ ing
reproduction, sustenance, shelter, and defense.
· Robertson (cited in Baliao & Parcon, 2011) defines society as a population that occupies the same
territory which is subject to the same political authority and participates in a common culture.

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 view society as an association
organized by men with a territory (Banaag, 2012).

CULTURE
· According to Zulueta (2006), the term culture has two notions:
o It may refer to the individual’s taste, inclination, and interest in the “fine arts.”
o 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 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 enculturatio n;
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

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· Government – The one that implement rules, keep peace and order, and address conflicts in the
community
· Knowledge – The psychological result of perception, learning, and reasoning
· Language – The mental faculty or power of vocal communication
· Religion – A strong belief in a supernatural power that control human destiny
· Shelter – A structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
· Tools – Objects used to improve the performance of a task
· Values – The morals that we live by

ORIENTATIONS IN VIEWING OTHER CULTURES

As Banaag (2012) explains, in cultural relativism, culture only has meaning when taken into context.
This means, it is wrong to compare, apply, and/or judge one’s own culture from another culture.
Example: A cultural relativist would say that the Japanese think they are the smartest people
because that’s their standpoint.

· Ethnocentrism is the perception of one’s own culture as superior compared to other cultures.
Example: Filipinos are outstanding workers all around the world.

· Xenocentrism is the perception of one’s own culture as inferior compared to other cultures
(Banaag, 2012).
Example: Philippines is only a Third World country.

References:
Arcinas, Myla M. (2016). Understanding culture, society, and politics. Quezon City, Philippines:
Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.
Ariola, Mariano M. (2012). Sociology and anthropology with family planning. Manila, Philippines:
Purely Books Trading & Publishing Corp.
Baliao, Maria Elisa D. & Cristabel Rose F. Parcon. (2011). Society and culture in a changing world.
Manila, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc.
Banaag, Lee Mark T. (2012). Socio–anthro an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to the study
of society and culture. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Books Atbp. Publishing Corp.
Quizlet Inc. (2016). 12 Aspects of culture. Retrieved from https://quizlet.com/18587230/12-aspects-
of-culture- flash-cards/
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