II.

UNDERSTANDING
CULTURE AND By: John Reyes

SOCIETY
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.
A SOCIETY IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE PRESENCE OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:
a) SOCIAL SOLIDARITY
b) SHARED IDENTITY AND CULTURE
c) COMMON LANGUAGE
d) A LARGE POPULATION AND THE ABILITY TO SUSTAIN SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS OF
MEMBERS
e) DEFINITE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA
f) POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
5 MAJOR TYPES OF SOCIETIES
ACCORDING TO HOW THEY
CHANGED AND DEVELOPED
OVER TIME
CULTURE
IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BASES THAT DEFINES AND
INFLUENCE A SOCIETY. CULTURE REFERS TO THE SET OF BELIEFS,
IDEAS, VALUES, PRACTICES, KNOWLEDEGE, HISTORY, AND SHARED
EXPERIENCES, ATTITUDES, AS WELL AS MATERIAL OBJECTS AND
POSSESSIONS ACCUMULATED OVER TIME AND SHARED BY THE
MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
2 PRIMARY CATEGORIES OF CULTURE:
MATERIAL CULTURE
NONMATERIAL CULTURE
Though individual societies have varying histories, experiences, identities and
organizations, all of them have four vital cultural components:
1. SYMBOLS – refers to things that convey meaning or represent an idea.
2. LANGUAGE – It is a set of symbols that enables members of society to
communicate verbally and nonverbally.
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.
5. FOLKWAYS – are norms that may be violated without serious consequences.
6. MORES – are norms with moral connotations.
7. LAWS – are norms that are legally enacted and enforced.
The process of culture and identity formation within society is facilitated through
socialization and enculturation.
SOCIALIZATION – refers to the lifelong process of forging identity through social
interactions.
ENCULTURATION – refers to the process by which an individual learns or acquires the
important aspects if his or her society’s culture.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
ACCORDING TO THE THREE
DISCIPLINES
ANTHROPOLGY considers culture as the central focus of its discipline. It studies
the different cultures if different societies. Anthropology examines and provides
explanations for the existence of different cultural patterns as well as the similarities
and difference between different cultures.
TWO MAJOR VIEWS WITH REGARD TO HOW CULTURES SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED IN COMPARISON TO OTHERS:
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.
ETHNOCENTRIC APPROACH is the belief that one’s native culture is superior
to other cultures. Ethnocentric societies tend to have a negative view of other
countries and people.
Ethnocentrism diminishes or invalidates “other” culture
ways of life and creates a distorted view of one’s own. As a
result, this could affect individual behavior and
relationships with other cultures. Extreme form of
ethnocentrism have led to wars or colonization.
Xenocentrism is the belief that their culture is inferior to
others.
Cultural relativism recognize and accepts the cultural
differences between societies. This view believes that every
aspect of a culture can justified by the context in which the
culture has been formed.
SOCIOLOGY relates culture with overall context of
social order. There are different sociological perspective
that explain this order.

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.
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.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM views individual and group behavior and
social interactions as defining features of society. Symbolic interactionists
believes that culture provides shared meanings to the members of society.
POLITICAL SCIENCE examines culture as a vital aspects of society.
Culture, together with political socialization, is analysed in order to explain
political behavior of leaders. Culture is seen as an important element in
building social capital and could also lead to future conflicts and division.
Political science also looks into the decline of cultural domination by
Western countries and subsequent rise of multiculturalism, an ideology
that acknowledges and promotes cultural diversity within society.
Multiculturalism entails the establishment of political groups and
institutions comprised of people from diverse cultures. This view
challenges the idea of nation-state and the advancement of nationalist and
ultranationalist policies.
The idea of multiculturalism in contemporary political discourse and in
political philosophy is about how to understand and respond to the
challenges associated with cultural and religious diversity. 
ASSESSMENT
Instructions: Form groups of five members. Have a group discussion on the
following questions. Present your ideas and reflections in class.
1. Is there a single Philippine culture or are there different cultures in the
Philippines?
2. Is the Philippine culture superior or inferior to other cultures? Explain.
3. What are the contributions of other cultures to the Philippine culture? Did they
endanger or enrich the evolution of Philippine culture?
4. What are the threats and challenges to Philippine culture? What can you do about
them?
5. What is the best way to manage conflicts based on cultural differences in the
Philippines?
 III. BECOMING A
MEMBER OF SOCIETY
 AN ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHER
THAT SAID THAT HUMAN MIND AT BIRTH
IS NOTHING BUT A BLANK STATE, OR
TABULA RASA.
IT PREPARES NEW MEMBERS OF SOCIETY
AND TRAINS THEM TO THINK, FEEL, AND
ACT IN APPROPRIATE WAYS.
SOCIALIZATION IS CONSIDERED THE
CENTRAL PROCESS OF SOCIAL LIFE, AND IS
ALSO A PROCESS OF MEMBER
RECRUITMENT AND REPLACEMENT.
 THE PROCESS OF SOCIALIZATION
ENBALES A PERSON TO GRADUALLY
BECOME A SELF-AWARE AND
KNOWLEDGEABLE HUMAN BEING,
AND LEARN THE WAYS, VALUES,
RULES, AND CULTURE OF HIS OR HER
SOCIETY.
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.

Society is seen as the primary factor responsible for how

individuals learn to think ang behave.

Inadequate Socialization – This means the members of

society have not yet fully acquired and learned what is
expected of them.
On the other hand, interpretivist sociologists, see
socialization as an interactive process between
individuals and other members of society. This view
gives importance to the independence of the individuals
and their capacity to define their own personal views
and ideas. They then engage other members of society
in an effort to integrate their own views, belief, and
ways into society.
This phenomenon shows how a segment of society can
gradually gain acceptance in society through constant
interaction with other, more mainstream members of
society.
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
AND ENCULTURATION
A vital part of the socialization and enculturation
processes are the social groups that people come in
contact and interact with throughout their lives.
These groups are called participants or agents of
socialization and enculturation, and consists of
persons, groups, and institutions that teach people
essential knowledge to participate successfully in
society.
THE FAMILY
SCHOOLS
PEER GROUPS
MASS MEDIA
MAJOR SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL EVENTS
CONFORMITY, DEVIANCE, SOCIAL CONTROL
HUMAN DIGNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS