IDENTITY, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY
WHAT IS IDENTITY?
IDENTITY - is the distinctive characteristics that defines an
individual or is shared by those belonging to a particular
group.
• IDENTITY can also change over the course of person's
lifetime. It is continuously shaped and reshaped
through rhe passage of time as well as the overall
context of one's life cycle, including his or her
activities within the society and interaction with other
people.
Why does identities are important?
 identities are important because they shape both
individual and group behavior as well as people's view
about other people and society.
 Learning one's self, culture, and society entails
knowledge about various identities and how these
shape people's views and behavior.
Culture
 is defined as a society's way of life, provides the basis
for forging identities.
 It allows people to understand themselves in relation
to others and provides lens through which they base
what is considered the “right way” of doings.
 These are the material and non- material aspects
associated with culture.
 clothes, music, and food are examples of material
things that comprise one's culture.
 Interpretations of other's behavior, especially the
bases of what we regard as “right” or “wrong”, are
examples of non-material dimensions of culture.
 Aside from what is generally regarded as Filipino
culture, there are other subcultures that exist in the
Philippines, depending on geographical origin,
religion and class among others.
 All societies have some form of subcultures.
WHAT IS SOCIETY?
 the term “SOCIETY” refers to a group of people living
in a community.
 According to McIver and Page, “It is a web of social
relationship, which is always changing”.
SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL
 The concept of identity is related to social, cultural,
and political change.
 People's individual and collective identities have
oftentimes transformed social order and paved the
way for lasting change.
 Rapidly-advancing technology also has profound
implications for socio-cultural and political change.
Because people know more about what is happening
elsewhere in the world, trends in clothing, hair style,
fashion style food choices, among others have also
been transformed.
 The phenomenon of international migration has laso
changed Filipino identities and beliefs.
ANTHROPOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
What is Social Science?
 The discipline under which identity, culture, society,
and politics are studied are collectively called the
social sciences.
 The social sciences are comprised of a wide array of
academic disciplines that study the overall functios of
society as well as the interactions among its individual
members and institutions.
 Some of the most prominent academic disciplines in
the social sciences are anthropology, sociology, and
political science.
What is anthropology?
 Anthropology is the systematic study of the
biological, cultural, and social aspects of man.
 It is derived from two Grek words, anthrops, which
means “man” and logos, which means “study” or
“inquiry”.
 It is a significant branch of knowledge because it
integrates elements from biological sciences and
humanities to fully comprehend the complex of
human species including their past practices and
social patterns, across diverse cultures.
 Edward Burnett Tylor
- an English anthropologist, the founder of cultural
anthropology. Tylor's ideas typify 19th-century cultural
evolutionism. In his works Primitive Culture and
Anthropology, he defined the context of the scientific study of
anthropology, based on the evolutionary theories of Charles.
Chapter 2: Understanding Culture and Society
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
• SOCIETY - is a group of individuals sharing a common
culture, geographical location, and government.
• Human beings are considered to be naturally inclined
to establish societies, since it is interacting with
others that they are able to ensure their survival by
establishing mutually beneficial relationships with
one another.
• Societies enable individuals to acquire necessary
survival skills, maximize their potential, and share
resources.
A society is characterized by the presence of the following
elements:
a. social solidarity, whereby members of the community live
together for mutual benefits;
b. shared identity and culture among members that serve as
basis for their patterns of action and behavior;
c. a common language;
d. a large population and the ability to sustain succeeding
generations of members;
e. definite geographical area;
f. political, economic, and social organization.
FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF SOCITIES
1. Hunting and Gathering
2. Horticultural and Pastoral Societies
3. Agricultural Socities
4. Industrial Socities
5. Post-Industrial Socities
Culture - is one of the important bases that define and
influence a society. Culture refers to the set of beliefs, ideas,
values, practices, knowledge, history and shared experiences,
attitudes, as well as material objects and possessions
accumulated over time and shared by the members of
society.
According to E.B Tylor culture is “that 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.
Two Primary Categories of Culture
1. Material Culture - is composed of the physical or tangible
objects produced, shared, and utilized within society such as
tools or implements, paintings, and other works of art,
architectural styles, weaponry and toys.
2. Non - Material Culture - consists of the intangible
properties and elements of society that influence the patterns
of action and behavior of its members. Examples of
nonmaterial culture include language, beliefs, values,
attitudes, ideas, and norms shared among members of
society.
Four vital cultural components of Societies
1. Symbols - refer to things that convey meaning or represent
an idea. They are essential in communication, shaping
thoughts and ideas, and defining a society's culture.
2. Language - is a set of symbols that enables members of
society to communicate verbally (spoken) and nonverbally
(written, gestures).
3. Values - are shared ideas, norms, and principles that
provide members of society the standards that pertain to
what is right or wrong, good or bad, desirable or undesirable.
4. Norms - are shared rules of conduct that determine specific
behavior among society members.
Various categories of norms according to their social
importance:
1. Folkways - are norms that may be violated without serious
consequences.
2. Mores - are norms with moral connotations.
3. Laws - are norms that are legally enacted and enforced.
• Socialization - refers to the lifelong process of forging
identity through social interaction. Language, as well
as social agents that teach aspects of culture to the
members of society, also contributes to the
socialization of the individual.
• Enculturation - refers to the process by which an
individual learns or acquires the important aspects of
his or her society's culture.
• Context - refers to particular circumtances of a
certain culture and is defined by location, weather,
time period and other cultures.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE ACCORDING TO THE THREE
DISCIPLINES
• Anthropology considers culture as the central focus of
its discipline. It studies the different cultures of
different societies. Anthropology examines and
provides explanations for the existence of different
cultural patterns as well as the similarities and
differences between different cultures
1. Relativistic Approach - considers cultures as equal. This
view holds that there are no “superior” and “inferior”
cultures, and each is unique in its own way.
2. Ethnocentric Approach - is the belief that one's native
culture is superior to other cultures. Ethnocentric societies
tend to have negative view of other countries and people.
• Enthnocentrism - diminishes or invalidates “other”
ways of life and creates a distorted view of one's own.
• Xenocentrism - is the preference for the products,
styles, or ideas of someone else's culture rather than
of one's own.
Sociology refers culture with overall context of social order.
There are different sociological perspectives that explains this
order.
1. Structural functionalism - operates on the assumption that
society is a stable and orderly system. Structural functionalists
consider culture as a glue that binds society together, leading
to social order.
2. Conflict theory - assumes that there is a constant power
struggle among the various social groups and institutions
within society. Conflict theorists study the culture of
“dominant classes” and analyze how this culture is imposed
on other classes. The effective domination of this class
facilitated by culture brings about social order.
3. Symbolic interactionism - views individual and group
behavior and social interactions as defining features of
society. Symbolic interactionists believe that culture provides
shared meanings to the member of society. The more
meanings are shared, the more society ensures social order.
• Political Science also examines cultures as a vital
aspect of society. Culture, together with political
socialization, is analyzed in order to explain political
behavior such as voting patterns and the behavior of
leaders.
• Culture is seen as an important element in building
social capital and could also lead to future conflicts
and division.
Chapter 3: Becoming a Member of Society
Socialization and Enculturation
“The human mind is nothing but a blank state or a tabula
rasa” - John Locke
Socialization
• refers to the lifelong process of social interaction
through which people acquire their identities and
necessary survival skills in society.
• This central process of social life helps people to
know what are the appropriate ways to think, feel,
and act.
• process of socialization makes the person gradually
become self-aware and knowledgeable human being,
and learn the ways, values, rules, and culture of his or
her society.
• it is also important in politics, and a citizen develops
and acquires political ideas, values, attitudes, beliefs
and opinions through political socialization
Internalization
• refers to the process of accepting the social norms,
attitudes, roles and values transmitted by people and
social groups within society as one’s own.
“If people failed to play their expected roles or behaved
“strangely”, there is incomplete or inadequate socialization” -
Talcott Parsons
Interpretevist Sociologist sees socialization as an interactive
process between individuals and other members of society.
“Socialization is a two-way process between the individual
and the larger groups in society such as social organizations
and institutions.”- William Wentworth
3 significant aspects of socialization
Social context - refers to the paritcular circumstances of a
society and consists of its culture, language and the social
structures that define social class, ethnicity, and gender.
Content - refers to ideas, beliefs, behavior, and other
information that are passed on by members of society o the
individual.
Process - refers to the methods of interaction that enable the
content to be given to the person undergoing socialization.
Results
• refers to the outcomes of socialization, evident when
individuals begin to practice the behaviors, attitudes
and values that society considers necessary for
themto function effectively as its members.
Anthropologists view socialization in terms of becoming
familiar with one’s own culture, and use the term
enculturation to describe the process of being socialized into
a specific culture.
• it is a process that helps individuals become
functional members of society.
“One must undergo a process of learning culture “in all its
uniqueness and particularity””. - Margaret Mead
“Consider enculturation as both a conscious and unconscious
conditioning process whereby a person, as a child and an
adult, achieves competence in his or her culture, internalizes
it and becomes thoroughly enculturated” - E. Adamson
Hoebel
Agents of Socialization and Enculturation
• social groups that people come in contact and
interact with throughout their lives.
• teaches people essential knowledge to participate
successfully in society.
Family
• Primary agent of socialization
• Defines the identity of an individual
Schools
• teaches competitiveness, cooperation, conformity,
innovation, punctuality, orderliness, and respect for
authority.
• teaches students to value self-improvement and
hardwork
• Venue for political socialization
Peer Groups
• reinforce acceptable behaviors introduced by the
family and school
• refer to people who share the same interests or
characteristics
• provides a certain degree of independence to an
individual
Mass Media
• Powerful agent of socialization
• forms of communication includes books, magazines,
newspapers, other print materials, radio, television,
and movies.
• Source of information regarding events in society.
Pluralist Model
• portrays media as an ideological marketplace
Market Model
• suggests that media reflects the views of the general
public.
• Media presents what they think the people want
Dominant-ideology Model
• bias that links between media and the political and
social elite.
Elite-values Model
• bias that links to the personal views of media
professionals
Religion and State
• both are considered as the ultimate sources of
Deviance
• a behavior that elicits a strong negative reaction from
group members.
Emile Durkheim
Anomie - a condition where social control becomes
ineffective due to the loss of shared values and sense of
purpose in society.
Robert Merton
Structural Strain Theory - tensions and strains between
socially-approved goals and an individual’s ability to meet
them will lead to deviance.
ex: force to commit crime
Subcultural view – an emergence of deviant behavior within
certain groups in society.
Labeling theory – believes that there is actually no deviance
in society.
Conflict Perspective – analyzes deviance in the framework of
competing interests between social groups.
Broken Window Theory – an order to discourage deviance
HUMAN DIGNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Human Dignity refers to the idea that a person has the innate
right to be valued, respected, and treated well.
Human Rights are legal, social, and ethical principles that
consider the human person as deserving of liberties and
protections by virtue of his or her human dignity.
• founded on natural rights, which are universal and
inalienable, and are not contingent on laws, customs,
beliefs, or values of a particular culture.
Human rights are considered to have the following
characteristics:
• Universal because they belong to all human beings
regardless of race, religion gender, and other
characteristics.
• Fundamental since they cannot be taken away from
any human being.
• Indivisible as various rights are interrelated and given
equal importance.
• Absolute since they cannot be qualified and are
considered basic necessities for living a genuine life.
A major legal instrument that upholds the recognition of
human rights is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
which was drafted by the United Nations Commission on
Human Rights in 1948.
Chapter 4 HOW SOCIETY IS ORGANIZED
• A group is where people have the chance to interact
with other people and think of themselves as
belonging together. The group exists as long as
individuals are interested in belonging to it. Each
society is made up of smaller groups and associations
that are built on social class, personal interest, or
common goals.
Muzafer Sherif, a well-known social Psychologist, proposed to
define a social group as a number of individuals interacting
with each other with respect to:
Common motives and goals
An accepted division of labor, i.e. roles
Established status (social rank, dominance) relationships
Accepted norms and values with reference to matters
relevant to the group
Development of accepted sanctions if and when norms were
respected or violated
According to Charles Horton Cooley, a primary group is a
small social group whose members share personal and lasting
relationships.
There are some primary groups:
Family – families spend a significant amount of time together,
allowing the members to support, comfort and encourage
one another. Families are connected for a lifetime and are
significant to each member’s personal growth.
Friends – They often spend a lot of time experiencing
different adventures together, chatting about personal stories
and simply enjoying each – others’ company.
Love Relationships – A couple in a love relationship is first
brought together as a result of a mutual physical and
emotional attraction. They spend a significant amount of time
together, whether that involves learning about one another
or collectively sharing new experiences.
GROUPS WITHIN SOCIETY: SECONDARY
Secondary groups are large clusters of people who have a
mutually shared purpose, often aiming to complete tasks.
They are much less likely to be an influence to an individual’s
identity.
Examples of secondary groups are:
School/Class – A classroom consists of students and a
teacher, in which the teacher is in charge of creating a
structure and environment that help the students learn.
Much less of being emotional with each other.
Workplace or Place of Employment – The goal of the
structured environment in the workplace is to fulfill a
predetermined assignment.
IN - GROUPS AND OUT GROUPS
An in – group is a group wherein people feel that they are
part of the social group group. It is a social category or group
with which you identify strongly. On the other hand, the out –
group is the complete opposite. It is where a social group
with which an individual does not identify to be part of. It is a
social category or group with which you do not identify.
There are lot of factors which create the identify if a n
individual is in the in – group or out – group. These are some:
Race: Asians vs. Caucasians
Culture: Filipinos vs. Chinese
Gender: Males vs. Females
Age: Teenagers vs. Senior Citizens
Religion: Muslims vs. Infidels
REFERENCE GROUPS
• A reference group to which we compare ourselves. It
serves as a standard to which we measure our
behaviors and attitudes. Reference groups are used in
order to guide our behavior and attitudes and help us
to identify social norms.
• Reference groups are used in order to evaluate and
determine the nature of given individual or other
group’s characteristics and sociological attributes It is
a group to which the individual relates or aspires to
relate themselves psychologically. It acts as a frame of
reference if an individual want to be part of the
norms of the group.
Informal reference groups – It is based on the groups shared
interests and goals. Members react on a personal level.
Examples are family and friends.
Formal reference groups – have a specific goal or mission.
Examples are Employee Union.
Membership reference groups – groups that are in
agreement with in regards to attitude, norms, and behaviors.
Disclaimant reference groups – group we do not agree with
in regards to attitudes, norms, and behaviors.
Aspirational reference group – a group an individual doesn’t
belong to but aspires to become a part in the future.
Dissociative reference group – a group an individual doesn’t
belong to and disapproves of inn regards to attitudes, norms,
and behaviors.
NETWORKS
The social network is a theoretical construct useful in the
social sciences to study relationships between individuals,
groups, organizations, or even entire societies. It is a social
structure exists between actors (individuals and
organizations).
Social networks where divided into three levels of analysis:
Micro, Meso, and Macro.
Micro – smallest level of analysis of social networks. It
explains that a social network typically starts with an
individual.
The micro level is divided into 4 levels.
Dyadic Level – Social relationship starts with two individuals.
Triadic Level – Social relationship starts with three
individuals.
Actor Level – The smallest unit of analysis in a social network
is an individual in their social setting.
Subset Level – May focus on distance and reachability,
cliques, cohesive subgroups, or other group actions or
behavior.
Meso – level of analysis begins with a population size that
falls a between the micro– and macro– levels.
Examples of Meso level of analysis are:
Organizations – group of people that has distributive task for
a collective goal.
Scale Free Networks – a scale-free network is a network
whose degree distribution follows a power law, at least
asymptotically In network theory a scale-free ideal network is
a random network with a degree distribution that unravels
the size distribution of social groups.
Macro – it analyses generally trace the outcomes of
interactions, such as economic or other resource transfer
interactions over a large population.