SOCIETY AND

CULTURE
 ELEMENTS OF A SOCIETY
A. Social Solidarity – where by members of the community
live together for mutual benefits.
B. Shared identity and culture
C. Common Language
D. 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
SOCIETIES
1.Hunting and Gathering- communities date as
far back as several million years ago and were
considered the first societies. The basic social
and economic units were the family and local
clan which organized hunting and gatherings
activities and distributed the accumulated food
supply
2. Horticultural and pastoral societies
Horticultural societies relied on the cultivation of
plants as their primary source of food.
PASTORAL SOCIETIES depended on the
domestications of animals. Around 10,000 years ago,
the development and spread of agriculture led to the
emergence of civilization in Mesopotamia and china,
and this brought about the establishment of
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
Agricultural societies food production became more
efficient due to the new methods of farming, the
invention of more advanced tools, and the establishment
of permanent settlements.
Industrial Societies Technological advancements resulted
in the invention of machines that improved production.
Post industrialist societies where knowledge is a
commodity and technological innovation is key to long-
lasting growth and development.
 CULTURE
Is one of the important bases
that define and influence a
society.
 FOUR VITAL CULTURAL
COMPONENTS
1. SYMBOLS – Refers to the things that convey meaning or represent
an idea.
2. LANGUAGE – Is a set of symbols that enables members of society
to communicate verbally (spoken) and non-verbally (written,
gesture)
3. VALUES – are shared ideas, norms, and principles that provide
members of the society the standards that pertains to what is right
or wrong, good or bad, desirable or non-desirable.
4. NORMS – are shared rules of conduct that determine specific
behavior among society members. Folkways norms that may be
violated without serious consequences. Mores norms with moral
connotations.
5. LAWS – are norms that are legally enacted and enforced.
SOCIALIZATION
Refers to the life long process of forging identity
through social interaction.
 ENCULTURATION
Refers to the process by which an
individual learns or acquires the
important aspects of his/her society’s
culture
 TWO MAJOR VIEWS WITH REGARDS TO
HOW CULTURES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
IN COMPARISON TO OTHERS
Relativistic Approach – considered culture 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.
 ETHNOCENTRISM
Diminishes or invalidates “other” ways of life and
create a distorted view of one’s own.
XENOCENTRISM – consider their culture as inferior to
others.
CULTURAL RELATIVISM – which recognizes and
accepts the cultural differences between societies.
SOCIOLOGY
Relates culture with the overall
context of social order.
 DIFFERENT SOCIOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVES
Structural Functionalism – consider culture as a
glue that binds society together, leading to
social order.
Conflict Theory – study the culture of “dominant
classes” and analyze how this culture is imposed
on other classes.
Symbolic interactionism – believe that culture
provides shared meanings to the members of
society.
 POLITICAL SCIENCE
Also examines culture
as a vital aspects of
society.
Multiculturalism – entails the establishment of
political groups and institutions comprised of
people from diverse cultures.

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY – advances awareness and

acceptance of cultural differences but
encourages a critical stance in dealing with issues
regarding diversity.