Cultural and Society as Anthropological and Sociological Concepts

Reporter #2 (Angela Jane Dullas, Kenji Koike)

A society reflects the people who share a culture’s beliefs and

practices, whereas a culture is a group’s set of values and behaviors.
Without the other, neither culture nor civilization could exist.

Key Points:
Anthropology. Anthropology is the analysis of how humans evolved
as well as how individuals behave, adapt, interact, and socialize in various
settings
Culture. Culture is a set of people’s way of life. It entails symbols,
languages, ideals, and standards
Society. Society is a community or a set of people joined together and
engaged with one another over time.
Sociology. Sociology is defined as the research of human societies
and how they communicate.

Defining Culture and Society

Society, in this context, refers to a group of people sharing a common

culture within a defined territorial-boundaries. Likewise, every human
society is organized in such a way that there are rules of conduct, customs,
traditions, folkways, and mores, and expectations that ensure appropriate
behavior among members (Palispis, 2007 p. 254). Thus, every society is
unique in terms of culture.

According to Palispis, Epitacio S. (2007), culture is a composite or

multifarious areas that compromise beliefs, practices, values, attitudes,
laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person
learns and shares as a member of society.
Therefore, culture is:
 A product of human interaction
 A social heritage that is complex and socially
 Provides socially acceptable patterns for meeting biological and
social needs.
 A distinguishing factor
 An established pattern of behavior
 Cumulative
 Meaningful to human beings
Types of Culture

Material Culture
These are the practical objects that people use to identify their
civilization.

Examples: Technological tools, food, architectural structures,

fashion and accessories, money

Non-Material Culture
These are the notions people have about their culture that are
not physical or tangible.

Examples: Ideas, behavior, gesture, religion, language and symbols

Elements of Culture

Knowledge. It refers to any information received and perceived to be

true.

Example: “If you don’t wear sunscreen, you will be sunburned”

Beliefs. The perception of accepted reality. Reality refers to the

existence of things whether material or non-material.

Example: “The earth is round”

Social Norms. These are established expectations of society as to

how a person is supposed to act depending on the requirements of the
time, place, or situation.

Different forms of Social Norms:

Folkways. The patterns of repetitive behavior which becomes

habitual and conventional part of living.

Example: Harana

Mores. The set of ethical standards and moral obligations as

of reason that distinguishes human acts as right or wrong or
good from bad.

Example: Pagmamano

Values. Anything held to be relatively worthy, important,

desirable, or valuable.

Example: Living an honest, and respectable life.

Technology. The practical application of knowledge in

converting raw materials into finished products.

Example: Artificial Intelligence

Aspects of Culture

Since culture is very complex, there are important aspects of culture

that contribute to the development of man’s social interaction.
 Dynamic, flexible, and adaptive
 Shared and contested
 Learned through socialization and enculturation
 Patterned social interactions
 Integrated and at times unstable
 Transmitted through socialization
 Requires language and other forms of communication

Ethnocentrism and Material Culture

There are two important perceptions on cultural variability namely

ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.

Ethnocentrism
 It is a perception that arises from the fact that cultures differ and
each culture defines reality differently.
 Judging another culture solely by the values and standards of
one’s own culture.
Material Culture
 The attempt to judge behavior according to its cultural context.
 The principle that an individual person’s beliefs and activities
should be understood by others in terms of that individual’s own
culture.