The Concept of Society come from other societies, before being accepted as

-Meaning and Nature of Society According to sociologist, functioning members, are socialized and taught the
a society is a group of people with common territory, basic norms and expectations of the society.
interaction, and culture. 4. It endures, produces and sustains its members for
-Arcinas (2016) in his book, Undertanding Culture, generations.
Society,and Politics, defined society as group of people -For society to survive, it must have the ability to
who share a common territory snd culture. It is a group produce, endure and sustain its new members for at
of people living together in a definite territory, having a least several generations. For instance, if a society
sense of belongingness, mutually interdependent of cannot assist its members during their extreme
each other, and follow a certain way of life. conditions of hunger and poverty, that society will not
-Society is derived from the Latin term “societas”, from survive long.
socius, which means companion or associate. Thus, it 5. It holds its members through a common culture.
refers to all people, collectively regarded as constituting -The individuals in a society are held together because
a community of related, interdependent individuals that society are held together because that society has
living in a definite place, following a certain mode of life symbols, norms, values, patterns of interaction, vision
(Ariola, 2012). and mission that are commonly shared by the members
of such society.
Definition of Society has Two Types 6. It has clearly-defined geographical territory.
Functional Definition -The members in a society must live in a certain specific
-defined as a complex of groups in reciprocal habitat or place and have a common belongingness and
relationships, interacting upon one another, enabling sense of purpose.
human organisms to carry on their life-activities and Major Functions of Society
helping each person to fulfill his wishes and accomplish 1. It provides a system of socialization.
his interests in association with his fellows. -Knowledge and skills, dominant patterns of behavior,
Structural Definition moral and social values, and aspects of personality are
-society is the total social heritage of folkways, mores transmitted to each members, especially to the young.
and institutions; of habits, sentiments and ideals. the family, the peer group, the school, the church and
other government and nongovernment organizations
Reasons people live together as a society (Ariola, play a role in the individual’s development.
2012): 2. It provides the basic needs of its members.
a. For survival -Food, clothing, shelter, medicine, education,
-No man is an island. No man can live alone. From birth transportations and communication facilities, among
to death, man always dependsn upon his parents and others must be provided by society to satisfy the basic
from others. needds of its members.
b. Feeling of gregariousness 3. It provides the basic needs of its members.
-This is the desire of people to be with other people, -Food, clothing, shelter, medicine, education,
esecially of their own culture. transportations and communication facilities, among
c. Specialization others must be provided by society to satisfy the basic
-Teachers, businessmen, students, physicians, nurses, needds of its members.
lawyers, pharmacists, and other professionals organize 4. It regulates and controls people’s behavior.
themselves into societies or associations to promote -Conformity to the prevailing norms of conduct ensures
and protect their own professions. social control. The police, armed forces, law
enforcement agencies and even the church and other
Characteristics of Society government and non-government organizations exist as
1. It is a social system means of social control. Peace and order are created
-Consists of individuals interacting with rach other. A through a system of norms and formal organizations.
system consists of sub-parts whereby a change in one 5. It provides the means of social participation. Through
part affects the other parts. Thus, a change in one group social participation, the individuals in a society learn to
of individuals will affect the stability of the other parts interact with each other, present and discuss their
of the system. concerns and solve their own problems or renew their
2. It is relatively large commitment and values. the people are give the
-The people must be socialy integrated to be considered opportunities to contribute to their knowledge and skills
relatively large than if the people are individually for the betterment of their family, neighborhood and
scattered. Thus, the people in a family, clan, tribe, community. religious organizations, civic organizations,
neighborhood, community are socially integrated to be people’s organizations (PO) and non-government
relatively large in scope. organizations (NGOs) do their part in community
3. It socializes its members and from those from without. developement.
-Since most of society’s members are born to it, they are 6 It provides mutual support to the members.
taught the basic norms and expectations. Those who
Dissolution of a Society Kluckhohn and Kelly
-There are several ways by which a society is dissolved: -Culture in general as a descriptive concept means the
(1) when the people kill each other through civil accumulated treasury of human creation: books,
revolution; (2) when an outside force exterminates the paintings, buildings, and the like; the knowledge of ways
members of the society; (3) when the members become of adjusting to our surroundings, both human and
apathetic among themselves or have no more sense of physical; language, customs, and systems of etiquette,
belongingness; (4) when a small society is absorbed by a ethics, religion and morals that have been built up
stronger and larger society by means of conquest or through the ages.
territorial absorption; (5) when an existing society is Herskovits
submerged in water killing all the people and other -Culture refers to that part of the total setting [of
living things in it; or (60 when the people living in such a human existence] which includes the material objects of
society voluntarily attach themselves to another existing human manufacture, techniques, social orientations,
society. points of view, and sanctioned ends that are the
Meaning and Nature of Culture immediate conditioning factors underlying behavior or
-It was E.B. Taylor who conceptualized the definition of in simple terms it is the “man made part of the
culture in 1860s. According to him, culture is a complex environment.
whole which consist of knowledge, beliefs, ideas, habits, Harris
attitudes, skills, abilities, values, norms, art, law, morals, -A culture is the total socially acquired life way or life-
customs, traditions, feelings and other capabilities of style of a group of people. It consists of the patterned,
man which are acquired, learned and socially repetitive ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that are
transmitted by man from one generation to another characteristic of the members of a particular society or
through language and living together as members of the segment of a society.
society (Arcinas, 2016). -The concept of culture as everything that people have,
Definitions of culture as mentioned in the book of thinks, and does as members of a society. This definition
David and Macaraeg (2010) entitled“ Socioloy: can be instructive because the three verbs correspond
Exploring Society and Culture to the three major components of culture.
Clifford Geertz -That is, everything that people have refers to material
-Culture is a historically transmitted pattern of meanings possessions; everything that people think refers to
embodied in symbols, a system of inherited conceptions those things they carry around in their heads, such as
expressed in symbolic form by means of which men ideas, values, and attitudes; and everything that people
communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge do refers to behavior patterns. Thus all cultures
about and attitudes towards life. comprise (a) material objects, (b) ideas, values, and
Roy D’Andrade attitudes, and (c) ways of behaving. – Gary Ferraro.
-Culture consists of learned systems of meaning, Characteristics of Culture
communicated by means of natural language and other Sociological Perspective
symbol systems, having representational, directive, and 1. Dynamic, flexible and adaptive
affective functions, and capable of creating cultural Culture is adaptive and dynamic, once we recognize
entities and particular senses of reality. problems, culture can adapt again, in a more positive
Leslie White way, to find solutions.
-Culture is an extrasomatic (nongenetic,nonbodily), 2. Shared and maybe challenged
temporal continuum of things and events dependent (Given the reality of social differentiation), as we share
upon symbols. Culture consists of tools, implements, culture with others, we are able to act in a appropriate
utensils, clothing, ornaments, customs, institutions, ways as well as predict how others will act.
beliefs, rituals, games, works of art, language, etc. 3. Learned through socialization or enculturation
Whitten and Hunter Culture is not biological, people do not inherit it but
-Culture consists in the shared patterns of behavior and learned as interact in society. Much of learning culture is
associated meanings that people learn and participate unconscious.
in within the groups to which they belong. 4. Patterned social interactions
Ward Goodenough -Culture as a normative system has the capacity to
-A society’s culture consists of whatever it is one has to define and control human behaviors. - Norms (for
know or believe in order to operate in a manner example) are cultural expectations in terms of how one
acceptable to its members. will think, feel, or behave as set by one’s culture.
Malinowski 5. Transmitted through socialization or enculturation
-Culture is an instrumental reality, and apparatus for the -As we share our culture with others, we are able to
satisfaction of the biological and derived need”. It is the pass it on to the new members of society or the
integral whole consisting of implements in consumers’ younger generation in different ways.
goods, of constitutional characters for the various social 6. Requires language and other forms of communication
groupings, of human ideas and crafts, beliefs and -In the process of learning and transmitting culture,
custom.
symbols and language are needed to communicate with culture is hereby transmitted to future generation
others in society (Arcinas, 2016). through learning (David and Macaraeg,
3. Technology
Perspective of Anthropologists
-refers to the application of knowledge and equipment
1. Learned - Culture is learned, as each person must
to ease the task of living and maintaining the
learn how to “be” a member of that culture - Culture is
environment; it includes artifacts, methods and devices
acquired by being born into a particular society in the
created and used by people (Arcinas, 2016).
process of enculturation. Through language, the cultural
4. Values
traits of society are passed on to younger members in
-are culturally defined standards for what is good or
the process of growing up and through teaching.
desirable. Values determine how individuals will
2. Symbolic - Culture is symbloic, as it based on the
probably respond in any given circumstances.
manipulation of symbols - Culture renders meaning to
-Filipinos are known for the following values: (a)
what people do. Beliefs, religion, rituals, myths, dances,
compassionate; (b) spirit of kinship and camaraderie; (c)
performances, music, artworks, sense of taste,
hard work and industry; (d) ability to survive; (e) faith
education, innovations, identity, ethnicity, and so on are
and religiosity; (f) flexibility, adaptability and creativity;
meaningful human expressions of what people do and
(g) joy and humor; (h) family orientation; (i) hospitality;
how they act.
and (j) pakikipagkapwa-tao.
3. Systemic and integrated
5. Beliefs
-Culture is systemic and integrated as the parts of
-refers to the faith of an individual ( David and Macaraeg,
culture work together in an integrated whole.
2010). They are conceptions or ideas of people have
4. Shared
about what is true in the environment around them like
- Culture is shared, as it offers all people ideas about
what is life, how to value it and how one’s belied on the
behavior - Since culture is shared within exclusive
value of life relate with his or her interaction with others
domains of social relations, societies operate differently
and the world. These maybe based on common sense,
from each other leading for culturalvariations.
folk wisdom, religion, science or a combination of all of
5. Encompassing
these (Arcinas, 2016).
-Culture covers every feature of humanity. Around the
6. Norms
world, people as members of their own societies
-are specific rules/standards to guide for appropriate
establish connections with each other and form
behavior (Arcinas, 2016). These are societal
relationship guided by their respective.
expectations that mandate specific behaviors in specific
IMPORTANCE AND FUNCTIONS OF CULTURE
situations (David and Macaraeg, 2010). Like in school,
In the book of (David and Macaraeg, 2010), the
we are expected to behave in a particular way. If violate
following functions of culture were given emphasis:
norms, we look different. Thus, we can be called as
(1) it serves as the “trademark” of the people in the
social deviants.
society;
-For example, Filipino males are expected to wear pants,
(2) it gives meaning and direction to one’sexistence;
not skirts and females are expected to have a long hair
(3) it promotes meaning to individual’s existence
not a short one like that of males. Social norms are
(4) it predicts social behavior
indeed very essential in understanding the nature of
(5) it unifies diverse behavior
man’s social relationship. They are of different types and
(6) it provides social solidarity
forms According to Palispis (2007), as mention by
(7) it establishes social personality
Baleña (2016), in the social interaction process, each
(8) it provides systematic behavioral pattern
member possesses certain expectations about the
(9) it provides social structure category
responses of another member. Therefore, it is very
(10) It maintains the biologic functioning of the group
important to determine the different forms of societal
(11) it offers ready-made solutions to man’s material
norms.
and immaterial problems
Types of Norms
(12) it develops man’s attitude and values and gives him
a. Proscriptive norm defines and tells us things not to do
a conscience
b. Prescriptive norm defines and tells us things to do
Elements of Culture
Different Forms of Norms
1. Symbols
a. Folkways are also known as customs
-refers to anything that is used to stand for something
(customary/repetitive ways of doing things); they are
else. It is anything that gives meaning to the culture.
forms of norms for everyday behavior that people
People who share a culture often attach a specific
follow for the sake of tradition or convenience.
meaning to an object, gesture, sound, or image. An
b. Mores are strict norms that control moral and ethical
example of which are the feasts we are celebrating.
behavior; they are based on definitions of right and
2. Language
wrong (Arcinas, 2016). They are norms also but with
-known as the storehouse of culture ( Arcinas, 2016). It
moral understones (David and Macaraeg, 2010). For
system of words and symbols used to communicate with
example, since our country Philippines is a Christian
other people. We have a lot of dialects in the Phillipines
nation, we are expected to practice monogamous
that provide a means of understanding. Through these,
marriage. 3. Convergence takes place when two or more cultures
c. Laws are controlled ethics and they are morally are fused or merged into one culture making it different
agreed, written down and enforced by an official law from the original culture.
enforcement agency (Arcinas, 2016). They are 4. Fission takes place when people break away from
institutionalized norms and mores that were enacted by their original culture and start developing a different
the state to ensure stricter punishment in order for the culture of their own.
people to adhere to the standards set by society (David 5. Acculturation refers to the process wherein
and Macaraeg, 2010). individuals incorporate the behavioral patterns of other
Two Components of Culture cultures into their own either voluntarily or by force.
1. Material culture consists of tangible things (Banaag, Voluntary acculturation occurs through imitation,
2012). It refers to the physical objects, resources, and borrowing, or personal contact with other people.
spaces that people use to define their culture. These 6. Assimilation occurs when the culture of a larger
include homes, neighborhoods, cities, schools, churches, society is adopted by a smaller society, that smaller
synagogues, temples, mosques, offices, factories and society assumes some of the culture of the larger
plants, tools, means of production, goods and products, society or cost society.
stores, and so forth. 7. Accommodation occurs when the larger society and
2. Non-material culture consists of intangible things smaller society are able to respect and tolerate each
(Banaag, 2012). Non-material culture refers to the other’s culture evenif there is already a prolonged
nonphysical ideas that people have about their culture, contact of each other’s culture.
including beliefs, values, rules, norms, morals, language, Causes of Cultural Change
organizations, and institutions. 1. Discovery is the process of finding a new place or an
-For instance, the non-material cultural concept of object, artefact or anything that previously existed. For
religion consists of a set of ideas and beliefs about God, example, the discovery of fire led to the art of cooking;
worship, morals, and ethics. These beliefs, then, discovery of oil, of organisms and substances; of
determine how the culture responds to its religious diseases; of atoms and sources of energy.
topics, issues, and events. When considering 2. Invention implies a creative mental process of
non-material culture, sociologists refer to several devising, creating and producing something new, novel
processes that a culture uses to shape its members' or original; and also the utilization and combination of
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Four of the most previously known elements to produce that an original
important of these are symbols, language, values, and or novel product. It could be either social or material or
norms. it could also be invention of new methods or techniques.
Modes of Acquiring Culture Example of social invention: invention of number system,
1. Imitation - Children and adults alike have the government, language, democracy, religion, and
tendency to imitate the values, attitudes, language and alphabet Example of Material Invention: invention of
all other things in their social environment. Some of the wheel, machines.
those things imitated are internalized in their 3. Diffusion is the spread of cultural traits or social
personality and become a part of their attitude, practices from a society or group to another belonging
character and other behavioral patterns. to the same society or to another through direct contact
2. Indoctrination or Suggestion - This may take the form with each other and exposure to new forms. It involves
of formal training or informal teaching. Formally, the the following social processes:
person learns from school. Informally, he may acquire a. Acculturation – cultural borrowing and cultural
those behaviors from listening or watching, reading, imitation
attending training activities or through interaction. b. Assimilation – the blending or fusion of two distinct
3. Conditioning - The values, beliefs, and attitudes of cultures through long periods of interaction
other people are acquired through conditioning. This c. Amalgamation – the biological or hereditary fusion of
conditioning can be reinforced through reward and members of different societies
punishment. d. Enculturation – the deliberate infusion of a new
Adaptation of Culture culture to another.
1. Parallelism means that the same culture may take 4. Colonization refers to the political, social, and
place in two or more different places. Example: The political policy of establishing a colony which would be
domestication of dogs, cats, pigs and other animals may subject to the rule or governance of the colonizing state.
have semblance in other places. 5. Rebellon and revolutionary movements aim to
2. Diffusion refers to those behavioral patterns that pass change the whole social order and replace the
back and forth from one culture to another. This is the leadership. The challenge the existing folkways and
transfer or spread of culture traits from one another mores, and propose a new scheme of norms, values and
brought about by change agents such as people or organization.
media Examples: food and eating practices, marriage Ethnocentrism, Xenocentrism and Cultural Relativism
and wedding ceremonies, burial rituals, feast as Orientations in Viewing Other Cultures.
celebrations. Cultural variation is the differences in social behaviors
that different cultures exhibit around the world. What
may be considered good etiquette in one culture may
be considered bad etiquette in another. In relation to
this, there are important perceptions on cultural
variability: ethnocentrism, xenocentrism and cultural
relativism.
Etnocentrism is a perception that arises from the fact
that cultures differ and each culture defines reality
differently. This happens when judging another culture
solely by the values and standards of one’s own culture
(Baleña, et.al,2016). This is the tendency to see and
evaluate other cultures in terms of one’s own race,
nation or culture.
Xenocentrism is the opposite of ethnocentrism, the
belief that one’s culture isinferior compared to others.
People are highlyinfluenced by the culture or many
culture outside the realm of their society.
Cultural relativism is an attempt to judge behavior
according to its cultural context (Baleña, et.al,2016). It is
a principle that an individual person’s beliefs and
activities shoulbe understood by others in terms of that
individual’s own culture.
-This concept emphasizes the perspective that no
culture is superior to any other culture (Arcinas, 2016)
because (a) different socieities have different moral
code; (b) the moral code of a society determines what is
right or wrong within the society; (c) there are no moral
truths that hold for all people at all times; (d) the moral
code of our own society has no special status, it is but
one among many; and (e) it is arrogant for us to judge
other cultures, so we have to be tolerant to them.
Other Important Terms Related to Culture
1. Cultural diversity refers the differentiation of culture
all over the world which means there is no right or
wrong culture but there is appropriate culture for the
need of a specific group of people.
2. Sub-culture refers to a smaller group within a larger
culture.
3. Counterculture refers cultural patterns that strongly
oppose those widely accepted within a society (example
in the 1960”s counter culture among teenagers reflect
long hair, blue jeans, peace sign, rock and roll music and
drug abuse).
4. Culture lag is experienced when some parts of the
society do not change as fast as with other parts and
they are left behind.
5. Culture shock is the inability to read meaning in one’s
surroundings, feeling of lost and isolation, unsure to act
as a consequence of being outside the symbolic web of
culture that binds others. 6. Ideal culture refers to the
social patterns mandated by cultural values and norms.
7. Real culture refers to the actual patterns that only
approximate cultural expectations.
8. High culture refers to the cultural patterns that
distinguish a society’s elite
9. Popular culture refers to the cultural patterns that
are widespread among a society’s population.
10.Culture change is the manner by which culture
evolves.