UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

Module 1-5

Lesson 1 - Nature, Goals and Perspectives in Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science

BEGIN !!

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the nature of
understanding Culture, Society, and Politics. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different
learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of you as a student.

YOUR TARGETS !!

At the end of the module, you should be able to:

1. identify the nature, goals, and perspectives in anthropology, sociology and political science;
2. explain the importance of the goals of anthropology, sociology and political science;
3. explain the concepts of culture and society and relate it to a real-life situation;
4. analyze aspects of and changes in culture and society;
5. distinguish the general characteristics of culture as means of enriching our own culture; and
6. write examples of real-life situations that best describe the characteristics of culture.

TRY THIS !!

Direction: Write the letter that corresponds to your answer.

Identify the branch of science described in each item. Choose your answer from the given choices and write it
on the space below.
a. Anthropology b. Sociology c. Political Science

1. This is the study of society, patterns of social interactions, culture of everyday life. ______
2. Its goal is to look for the similarities and differences among the cultures of societies around the world. In
doing so, we could be able to understand more about human nature, or be more tolerant on other
people’s behaviour and actions. ______
3. If we want to know why certain social phenomena happened, such as the television program Eat
Bulaga’s Kalyeserye gaining millions of tweets worldwide, this field of social science answers this
occurrences. ______
4. Its main concern is to learn how to use power over other to maintain social order and harmony among
citizens. _____
5. It studies various societies in different and geographical settings. _______

We are now ready to engage in discussing our new lesson in this module
 KEEP THIS IN MIND !!

In this part of your journey, we provide something for you to deepen your understanding about
culture.
Please continue reading with comprehension as you discover further knowledge that will help you out in
your quest on the remaining phases of this lesson. Since our course is Understanding Society, Culture, and
Politics, we can deepen our understanding of ourselves as members of society by studying these three
specialized fields, namely: anthropology for culture, sociology for society and political science for politics.
A lot of us are likely confused with the difference between sociology and anthropology. Confusion might
come from their commonalities as the two are dealing with the society and culture. Both of them study human
behavior and the different factors that affects our social relations. Since these two fields are most likely similar
to each other, let us first draw their differences.
To find out the differences between anthropology and sociology, let us study the similar and various
concepts between each field below.
Anthropology Sociology
Answers the questions.. What does it mean to be human? How do we study society?

Who are you? What are the things that you think
influence your life?
Where do you come from?
What is life to people lining in places
with different culture and behaviour?
Where did it started? Anthropology started as a science Sociology emerged as an academic
during the time of exploration when field right at the height of Industrial
European countries started to Revolution in Europe which mobilized
colonize what they considered as the entire population in a way that had
primitive societies where people never been before in human history.
were believed to be savages and This era had brought great changes in
barbaric a way people live in society
Who started this field? Franz Boas- considered as the Auguste Comte – French philosopher
Father of modern American and mathematician. He coined the
anthropology. His study led to the term sociology. He saw the need for a
doctrine of “historical particularism,” systematic science of studying society
where he stated that each society is and in dealing with the solution of its
considered as having a unique form basic problems.
of culture that cannot be understood
under an overall definition of general
culture.
Concept Anthroplogy is the study of people Sociology is the study of society,
and their culture. patterns of social interactions, and
It uses a special research method culture of everyday life. Unlike
known as ethnography in which anthropology, the knowledge created
antropologists are required to live by sociology is used to understand
with their subject of study for a long one’s own society.
period of time in order to make their Sociologists use qualitative research
writings more reliable and credible. method in doing their studies.
Subjects of Inquiry Biological anthropology refers to the Anything in a society that influences
study of human origins (genetics, people’s lives can be subjects of
race, evolutions, fossils, primates). inquiry, like different social
Cultural anthropology is the study of phenomena, issues, and problems.
living people (religion, social
system, language, clothing, foods, Sociologists can also look into things
beliefs, traditions, etc). that influence life like family
Linguistics is the study of language, background, socio-economic status,
its evolution, its connection to other ethnicity, social classes, religion,
languages, and others. gender, beliefs, traditions, norms,
Archeology refers to the study of among others.
dead culture (religion, social system, Some fields are social organization,
language, how they dress, foods, social psychology, applied sociology,
beliefs, traditions, etc). and human ecology.
Goals The goals of anthropology are the The goals of Sociology are the
following: following:
 - See the commonalities among -Obtain possible theories and
people (tradition, language, principles about society as well as
kinship, etc). various aspects of social life.
- Look at what makes us the same -Study the nature of humanity to
to understand more about human further examine our roles within a
nature. society.
- Discover what makes people -Appreciate that all things in society
different from each other in order are interdependent.
to understand and preserve Expose our minds to different
diversity. perspectives in attaining truth.
- Produce new knowledge and new
theories about mankind and
behavior.

After finding out the difference between anthropology and sociology, let us now proceed with another
discipline in social science that plays another important role in our life.

Politics impacts our lives directly or indirectly, whether we are aware of its effects or not. If there is a
crime that took place, we call a police, and this scheme is part of government. If there was a fire that occured,
we call the fire department, and that’s also a part of government. Military is government as well, let alone our
civil liberty and our rights which have influences on us daily. In school, you were asked to read by heart the
Constitution. When you are apprehended by an authority, you asked your violation and insisted on your legal
rights. Even inside your house, there are still set of rules that are being enforced and followed. All these things
are related to a field called Political Science.

Description/Explanation
Origin - The study of political science was started by the ancient Greeks.
- Aristotle on his book “Politics” stated that Man is a political animal. It means
that it is our nature to live in a society and to have power over another.
Concepts - Political Science is the systematic study of government, politics, and political
power.
- It is often defined as who gets what, when, where and how.
Subjects of - political theory, philosopy and different political ideologies
Inquiry - public management
- human rights
- International relations and foreign policies
Goals - Make people a better citizens.
- Keep social order and harmony among different group of people.
- Protect the rights of an individual.
- Avoid conflict and promote cooperation.

Lesson 2 - Concepts, Aspects, and Changes of Culture and Society

CULTURE and SOCIETY as a COMPLEX WHOLE

Edward Tylor, one of the founders of modern anthropology, characterize culture as a “complex whole”
which encompasses beliefs, practices, traits, values, attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge and
everything that a person learns and shares as a member of the society.1

The “complex whole” above suggests that culture cannot be simply broken down into a set of
characteristics. It means that an understanding of a part can only be achieved in relation to other parts of the
system. This requires an approach where all at once, one can get an appreciation of what culture is all about
without being bothered by its complexity or by any definition that attempts to capture such complexity.

A society cannot exist apart from culture. A society may refer to group of people that follows or shares
same cultures. People, as members of the society, possess, produce and also transmit culture but they cannot
consider themselves as culture. No culture can exist without social interaction in society; meanwhile, society
cannot exist in the absence of people who have learned to live and work together.
 CHARACTERISTICS of CULTURE

1. Culture is social because it is the product of behavior.

 Culture does not exist in isolation. It is a product of society. It develops
through social interaction. No man can acquire culture without
association with others.

2. Culture varies from society to society.

 Every society has a culture of its own that differs from other societies. The culture of every
society is unique by itself. Cultures are not uniform. Cultural elements like customs,
traditions, morals, values, and beliefs are not constant.

3. Culture is shared.
Culture is not something that an individual alone can
possess. Culture, in sociological sense, is shared. For example, people of a
society share all customs, traditions,

1. Culture is learned.
Culture is not inborn. It is learned. Unlearned behavior then, is not
culture. Shaking hands, saying thanks, etc. are cultural behaviors. Not all
behaviors are learned, but most of these can be. Combing hair, standing in line,
telling jokes, criticizing the president, and going to movies all constitute behaviors
that need to be learned.

5. Culture is transmitted among members of society.

Cultural ways are learned by people from others. Many of these ways are handed down from elders,
parents, teachers, and others (most likely individuals of older generation), while other cultural
behaviors are handed up to elders. Transmission of culture is made possible by language.
Language is the main vehicle of culture. Transmission of culture may take place also through
imitation as well as through instruction.

6. Culture is continuous and cumulative.

Culture exists as a continuous process. In its historical growth, it tends
to become cumulative. Ralph Linton called culture “the social heritage” of
man. No culture ever remains constant or permanent. It is subject to slow but
constant variation. Likewise, culture is responsive to the changing
conditions of the physical world; hence, it is dynamic.

7. Culture is gratifying and idealistic.

Culture provides proper opportunities for the satisfaction of our needs and desires. Our
needs, both biological and social, are fulfilled in cultural ways. Culture consists of the
intellectual, artistic, and social ideals, and institutions where members of the society
profess and strive to confirm.

For inquiries and clarification,

contact the module developer:
FB Acct. – Janine Jalac Saguid

EMA EMITS COLLEGE PHILIPPINES

(Formerly: Eastern Mindoro Institute of Technology & Sciences)
Del Pilar St.; Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro
Telefax No. (043) 284-3974
 Telefax No. (043) 284-3974

Long Test
Name: Instructor:
Course & Section:
Understanding Culture, Society & Politics

PART I :
#PIN-POINT

Using the given illustration above, identify the concepts that you can relate to culture, society and
politics.

Culture Society Politics

PART II : APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!!

#Walang Forever -
Change is inevitable because it is the law of nature. Similarly society does not remain static. It changes, as
the world continues to change, most especially with the advent of new discoveries in science and technology. It
is not new to us how our ways of life before is no longer the ways of life of today’s generation. People should
be open for changes. It is very important that we understand and accept the challenges these changes are
imposing on us and recognize all the factors that brought these changes.
Since changes is already happening at present, let us realize how social change occurs because of the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Tell the changes on some aspects of your life by completing the table below.
Before COVID-19 During COVID-19
Way of life

View of the world

Priorities in life

Relationships with others

EMA EMITS COLLEGE PHILIPPINES

(Formerly: Eastern Mindoro Institute of Technology & Sciences)
Del Pilar St.; Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro
Telefax No. (043) 284-3974
 Telefax No. (043) 284-3974

Prelim Exam
Name: Instructor:
Course & Section:
Understanding Culture, Society & Politics
Direction: Read the following items carefully. Write the letter that corresponds to your answer.
Part I - # i-classify-it
Sociology and anthropology are social science disciplines that focus on studying the behavior of humans within their
societies. The main difference between the two concepts is that sociology concentrates on society (social institutions/structures)
while anthropology focuses on culture. With this, identify the following statements below if it is a scenario related to sociology or
anthropology. The words in bold letters serve as your clue.

1. A Family is usually consisted of a mother, father and their children.

2. Dela Cruz family was guided by the religious belief that “A family that prays together, stays together.”
3. The parents, together with their children, loved to go out and dine in together, eating their favorite foods like adobo,
kare-kare, sinigang, and sinampalukan.
4. Ana, a member of the family, meanwhile learned how to cook these foods through a culinary school.
5. During summer vacations, the family goes to the province to visit their grandparents and other relatives.
6. They learned from their grandparents that fiestas are celebrated to give thanks to bountiful blessings and to give
honor to the patron saint of the town.
7. The leaders of their local church prepared activities during the celebration.
8. Government officials contributed some help to make the event successful.
9. Dela Cruz family really enjoyed the activities especially the part when native Filipino games were played.
10. Peace and order were maintained through the enforcement of certain written rules and regulations.

Part II : Direction: Read the following items carefully. Encircle the letter that corresponds to your answer.

1. Culture is a way of life of people. According to Edward B. Tylor, culture is regarded as “a complex whole.” The word
“complex” is synonymous to the word ________________.
a. simple c. complicated
b. plain d. easy

2. Which of the following choices is not part of the so-called concepts of culture?
a. Language c. Religion
b. Institution d. Traditions

3. Which of the following is not an example of culture?

a. Fiesta c. Machines
b. Courtship d. Emotions

4. Which statement is wrong about the concept of culture?

a. Culture is a way of life transmitted through social interaction.
b. Every society has its own distinctive culture.
c. Culture refers to group’s ways of behaving and thinking.
d. Culture can evolve into anything.

5. How do we learn our culture?

a. through social interaction c. biologically inherited
b. by reading books d. All choices are correct.

6. All of the following items are parts of complexity in a society. Which one does not belong to the group?
a. Organization c. Food
b. Beliefs d. Symbols

7. Analyze all the given statements. Trace which one is the best description of the complexity of culture and society.
a. Society can exist without culture. c. Society can operate without culture command.
b. Culture can exist without society. d. People carry and transmit culture as members of society.

8. Edward B. Tylor described culture as “a complex whole.” Which of the following choices supports Tylor’s description on
culture?
a. Culture as a complex whole means it encompasses traits and values of the society.
b. Culture as a complex whole means it includes laws and norms in the government.
c. Culture as a complex whole means it deals with everything that a person learns and shares as a member of the society.
d. Culture as a complex whole means it refers to the beliefs and traditions of modern Filipinos.

9. Culture is defined as the process through which human beings satisfy their wants. This statement simply means that culture is
__________.
 a. continuous c. social
b. gratifying d. transmitted

10. “Culture is not something that an individual alone can possess.” Which characteristic or aspect of culture is best described
by the said statement?
a. Culture is learned. c. Culture is continuous.
b. Culture is shared. d. Culture is transmitted.

11. The following are all considered as means of transmitting culture among members of the society. Which one is the main
vehicle of passing culture from one generation to another generation?
a. Instruction c. Language
b. Imitation d. Symbols

12. Culture develops through social interaction. No man can acquire culture without association with others. What aspect of culture
is best suitable for this statement?
a. Culture is shared. c. Culture is transmitted.
b. Culture is social. d. Culture is learned.

13-14. Which statements are not true about the aspects of culture in relation to society?
a. Culture is shared and learned within societies.
b. Culture is continuous and growing.
c. There are known human societies that do not exhibit culture.
d. Culture does not vary from society to society.

15. One of the characteristics of culture is being continuous and cumulative. No culture remains constant or unchanged; it is subject to
slow but constant change. Culture is responsive to the changing conditions of the physical world; hence, it is dynamic. Which scenario
below best fits as an example of the given statements on culture?
a. The Department of Education conducts learning instruction through blended learning modalities and not the face-to-face
strategy which people are already used to.
b. The Department of Health pursues and promotes proper self-care or health care to avoid virus-related illnesses.
c. The Department of Interior and Local Government strictly implements directives on preventing drug-related activities and
other correlated events.
d. The Department of Public Works and Highways pursues and supports the administration’s “Build, Build, Build Program,”
in order to invite foreign and local investors.

16. Sinulog Festival is Cebuano’s way of honoring Sto. Nino; Pangasinan’s Bangus festival signifies their bountiful harvest of fishes
particularly bangus; meanwhile, Bicolano’s “Bicol express” truly marks their “Uragon” (courageous) style because of the spiciness
and hotness of the said food. The mentioned traditions represent culture as being ___________.
a. symbolic c. encompassing
b. intergrated d. learned

17. Mang Isko and Aling Perla used to have a family devotion (prayer) every Saturday. They demonstrate and explain to their
children the reason for having deep faith to God. What aspect of culture is best suitable for this situation?
a. Culture is shared. c. Culture is transmitted.
b. Culture is social. d. Culture is learned.

18. Maharlika is a young woman of Agta tribe. She is excellent in performing their ethnic dance. According to her, the elders in their
tribe transferred the steps of the dance to her. What characteristic or aspect of culture is being referred to by this experience?
a. Culture is learned. c. Culture is continuous.
b. Culture is shared. d. Culture is transmitted.

19. The following are all considered as means of transmitting culture among members of the society. Which one is the main vehicle of
passing culture from one generation to another generation?
a. Instruction c. Language
b. Imitation d. Symbols

20. Pinoys are fond of singing and listening to music. Before, people used to do sing-a-long with a jukebox, then it was changed to
karaoke, and now, most people sing their favorite songs in videoke. Their ways of enjoying music has gone through changes but still
lives up until today. Therefore, culture is __________.
a. learned c. continuous
b. shared d. transmitted