UNDERSTANDING

CULTURE,SOCIETY AND
POLITICS
Level: SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Semester: FIRST
Subject Group: CORE SUBJECT Quarter: FIRST

Course Description:
This course uses insights from Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology to develop
students’ awareness of cultural, social and political dynamics, and sensitivity to cultural
diversity; provide them with an understanding of how culture, human agency, society and
politics work; and engage them in the examination of the country’s current human
development goals. At the end of the course, students should acquire ideas about human
cultures, human agency, society and politics; recognize cultural relativism and social
inclusiveness to overcome prejudices; and develop social and cultural competence to guide
their interactions with groups, communities, networks, and institutions.
Course Requirements:
Below is the list of activities that must be completed and submitted with their corresponding
percentage.

LESSON ENABLING ASSESSMENT PERFORMANCE CHECK

1 1.Historical Footprint 1.Social Issue
2 2.Banamos Festival 2.Collage
3 3.Multiple Choice 3.Slogan
4 4.Essay 4.Role Playing
5 5.Think it Over 5.Self Expression
6 6.My Social Group 6.Exploring Social Groups

GRADING SYSTEM

Performance Check 50%

Enabling Assessment Activity 30%
Quarter 1 Examination 20%
.
1st Quarterly Grades 100%
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 1

Prerequisite Assessment
1. What is anthropology?
2. What is sociology?
3. What is political science?

Learning Materials: Module, pen, paper, internet (if applicable)

Prerequisite Content-knowledge: Basics of anthropology, sociology, and political science
Prerequisite Skill:
INTRODUCTION
A. TIME ALLOTMENT: 4 hours
B. CONSULTATION: For questions and clarifications, you may consult your subject
teacher on the assigned schedule via face-to-face, FB messenger, mobile number.
C. MELCS: At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
• Discuss the nature, goals and perspectives in/of anthropology, sociology and
political science.
D. INSTITUTIONAL VALUES: Social Awareness
Learners will be able to apply critical thinking in:
• Identifying the nature, goals, and perspectives in/of anthropology, sociology and
political science
• Describing their community in cultural, social and political aspects.
E. OVERVIEW OF THE LESSON
This lesson is about the nature, goals and perspectives in/of anthropology, sociology and
political science and how these three disciplines affect our everyday life.

STUDENT’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Chunk 1: Difference between Anthropology and Sociology
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 society and
culture. Both of them study human behavior and the different factors that affect our social
relations. Since these two fields are most likely similar to each other, let us first draw out the
differences.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 2

To find out the difference between anthropology and sociology, let us study the similar
and various concepts between each field below:

Anthropology Sociology
Answers What does it mean to be human? Who How do we study society? What are the things
the are you? Where do you come from? that you think influence your life? What is life to
question people living in places with different culture and
… behavior?
Where did Anthropology started as a science during Sociology emerged as an academic field right
it start? the time of exploration when European at the height of Industrial Revolution in Europe
countries started to colonize what they which mobilized the entire population in a way
considered as primitive societies where that had never been before in human history.
people were believed to be savages and These era had brought great changes in the
barbaric. way people live in a society.
Let it be clear that anthropology started Sociology started as the study of European
as the study of non-European people by society by European people (inward).
European people (outward). During that time, emerging institutions arose
During their colonial encounter with and replaced the old ones such as how science
these people, Europeans started tomake was taking over religion, when the reign ofkings
a written records about non- Europeans. and queens fell down, and when the era of
They focus on kinship, language, race, feudalism had ended. People saw the
religion, cultural perceptions, and others. importance of studying these emerging
institutions and how they started and what
impact they could make to an individual and the
new society in general.
Who Franz Boas – considered as the father of Auguste Comte – French philosopher and
Started modern American anthropology. His mathematician. He coined the term sociology.
this field? study led to the doctrine of “historical He saw the need for a systematic science of
particularism,” where he stated that each studying society and in dealing with the solution
society is considered as having a unique of its basic problems.
form of culture that cannot be
understood under an overall definition of
general culture.
Concept Anthropology is the study of people and Sociology is the study of society, patterns of
their culture. It uses a special research social interactions, and culture of everyday life.
method known as ethnography in which Unlike anthropology, the knowledge created by
anthropologists are required to live with sociology is used to understand one’s own
their subject of study for a long period of society. Sociologists use qualitative research
time in order to make their writings more method in doing their studies.
reliable and credible.
Subjects Biological anthropology refers to the Anything in a society that influences people’s
of Inquiry study of human origins (genetics, race, lives can be subjects of inquiry, like different
evolutions, fossils, primates). social phenomena, issues, and problems.
Cultural anthropology is the study of Sociologists can also look into things that
living people (religion, social system, influence life like family background,
language, clothing, foods, beliefs, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, social classes,
traditions, etc). religion, gender, beliefs, traditions, norms,
Linguistics is the study of language, its among others.
evolution, its connection to other Some fields are social organization, social
languages, and others. psychology, applied sociology, and human
Archeology refers to the study of dead ecology
culture (religion, social system,language,
how they dress, foods, beliefs,traditions,
etc).
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 3

Anthropology Sociology
Goals The goals of anthropology are the The goals of Sociology are the following:
following: -Obtain possible theories and principles about
-See the commonalities among people society as well as various aspects of social life.
(tradition, language, kinship, etc). -Study the nature of humanity to further
-Look at what makes us the same to examine our roles within a society.
understand more about human nature. -Appreciate that all things in society are
-Discover what makes people different interdependent.
from each other in order to understand -Expose our minds to different perspectives in
and preserve diversity. attaining truth.
-Produce new knowledge and new
theories about mankind and behavior.
-Look at one’s own culture more
objectively

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.

Chunk 2: Politics
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 the police, and this scheme is part of government.
If there was a fire that occurred, 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 sets 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 Inquiry - political theory, philosophy and different political ideologies
-public management
- human rights
- international relations and foreign policies
Goals - Make people better citizens.
-Keep social order and harmony among different group of people.
-Protect the rights of an individual. - Avoid conflict and promote
cooperation.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 4

ANSWER SHEET (Please submit only the answers. Do not return the entire module.)

Name: Section:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME MIDDLE INITIAL

Engagement
Enabling Assessment Activity 1

Archaeology is a branch of anthropology that studies the culture of dead people. Archaeologists
rely on the pieces of evidence that they exhumed from discovered old cities and civilizations. We
learn many things about our past based on their findings. Today, people can store information
digitally and put it in formats that can last for a long period. In relation, let us do an activity by
describing yourself to the future generation through clues about you and the present society where
you live.
DIRECTION: AS A STUDENT OF THIS GENERATION, YOU ARE TASKED TO MAKE A HISTORICAL FOOTPRINT OF YOUR
CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY SO THAT PEOPLE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE OF TODAY
LIVED, AND WHAT THEIR PERSONALITY, VALUES, SET OF BELIEFS, AND IDEAS WERE. YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM
WITH ONE WRITTEN EVIDENCE THAT DESCRIBES YOUR SOCIETY AND TWO OBJECTS WITH EXPLANATION THAT
REPRESENT YOUR PRESENT SOCIETY.

Description of your society:

Drawing or picture of two objects that represent your society with explanation:

Assimilation
Performance Check 1

Direction: Based on the picture below, identify the major social issue or problem that
affects our society today. Explain how the disciplines of anthropology, sociology, and
political science help us in addressing this issue.

SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME OF PARENT/GUARDIAN

DATE:
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 5

Prerequisite Assessment
1. Define culture and society.
2. What are the theoretical approaches used in studying culture and society?

INTRODUCTION
Learning Materials: Module, pen, paper, internet (if applicable)
Prerequisite Content-knowledge: Nature, goals, and perspectives in/of anthropology,
sociology and political science
Prerequisite Skill: Picture Analysis
A. TIME ALLOTMENT: 4 hours
B. CONSULTATION: For questions and clarifications, you may consult your subject
teacher on the assigned schedule via face-to-face, FB messenger, mobile number.
C. RUA: At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
• Analyze the concept, aspects and changes in/of culture and society
• demonstrate a holistic understanding of culture and society
D. INSTITUTIONAL VALUES: Critical thinking and creativity
Learners will be able to apply critical thinking in:
• Identifying the concept, aspects and changes in/of culture and society
• Creating a diagram that depicts the characteristics of culture.
E. OVERVIEW OF THE LESSON
This lesson is about the concepts, aspects and changes in/of culture and society

STUDENT’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Chunk 1: Culture

The word culture hails from the Latin word cultural which derived from colere that means,
“to cultivate.” Culture is a mean of society used in responding to nature. It is not just meant
through to respond merely to various forces of the physical environment but defines a person
as well as a human being endowed with his inherits freedom and rationality. Perspective,
behaviors andattitude towards life and its environment are redefined.
Culture consists of the beliefs, behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to the
members of a particular group or society. Through culture, people and groups define
themselves, conform to society’s shared values, and contribute to society. Thus, culture
includes many societal aspects: language, customs, values, norms, mores, rules, tools,
technologies, products, organizations, and institutions (Isabel Panopio).
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 6
Culture is everything that a person learns as a member of a society. The three italicized
words are important in understanding the concept of culture better.
Aspects of Culture
1. Dynamic, flexible, and adaptive
2. Shared and contested (given the reality of social differentiation)
3. Learned through socialization and enculturation
4. Patterned social interactions
5. Integrated and sometimes unstable
6. Transmitted through socialization/enculturation
7. Requires language and other forms of communication
Characteristics of Culture
1. Culture is learned – The symbolic character of culture provides the people ideas or
knowledge which are a mental representation of all realities that surround them as well as
their meaning corresponding to them.
2. Culture is normative – The normative culture guides people to do things in conformity
with the people’s accepted norms which they use to regulate their ways. It is not simply
meant to know the truth of things but also of the goodness of things.
3. Culture is cumulative – This is the splendor of having the culture of our ancestors
handed down to us regardless how long these traditions or customs have been imbibed or
practiced.
4. Culture is adaptive – Culture adapts itself to and around its geographical setting. How
culture is formed and assimilated by the people largely depends on the environment where
it is situated then culture can be characterized to be adaptive.
5. Culture is diverse – It is a difference of various social structures, beliefs, values and
other practices that people use in adapting to a given situation.
6. Culture is everything – It is what a person has, does, and thinks as part of society.
This implies all of a person’s belief system, set of behaviors, and material possessions.
7. Culture is shared - Every culture is shared by a group of people, usually inhabiting the
same part of the world. Hence, to share a culture, it must be taught to members of
contemporary society who will, in turn, teach the younger generation.
8. Culture affects biology – Humans are born into cultures that have values on beauty
and body. As such, they alter their bodies to fit into the physiological norms that are
dictated by culture.
9. Culture is maladaptive – Culture can also cause problem for the people who subscribe
to it. These problems arise when the environment has changed and culture has remained
the same.
10. Culture changes – The final characteristic of culture is that it is never static. Cultures
undergo gradual changes. With passing time, some beliefs change, certain traditions and
rituals are eliminated, language and mannerisms of people change, and thus their culture.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 7
Chunk 2: Society
Society can be defined as a product of human interactions as humans subscribe to the
rules of their culture. It is an organization that caters to a human’s need for belongingness
in a group.
Societies Framework
1. Social Interaction – this is a compilation of ways and means by which humans interact
with each other within the confines of a society. Hence, the prevailing culture within a
society dictates the forms of interaction used by individuals with one another. Interaction
is not merely defined by an actual physical contact, as it covers every human interchange
that is within a mutually subjective orientation. This implies that as long as the parties
involved are aware of each other, interaction is possible.
2. Social Organization – this concept refers to the interrelationship of parts of society. As a
society is an organization in itself, it is structurally divided into layers of contexts and
positions that help perpetuate its existence. The positions created within a society
constitute the category of status. This may include being a student, a son, and a parent.
Each status prescribes a set of accepted behaviors that define the individual’s responses
and inclinations. This set is called roles.
A group is a basic unit of an organization. It involves the at least two individuals who are
in constant interaction based on their statuses and roles.
Institutions are established when roles, statuses, and groups are perpetuated within the
context of society. Institutions are the building blocks of society, as it through these that
norms are produced from one consistent exchanges of individuals and groups.
3. Social Structure and Agency - this is the foundation of every society from which
emanates the possible roles, statuses, institutions, and organizations. It can be said that
social structure is the determining factor by which every other part of a society gains its
context.
Theoretical Approaches/Perspectives to the Study of Culture and Society
1. Structural-functional Theory- This perspective regards society as a complex,
interrelated system. Consider the human body, where each of our limbs, organs, and
other components has its own specific role but also works together to make a completely
working system. According to structural-functional theory, culture serves as the structure
in society that exists to satisfy human needs.
2. Conflict Theory- This theory was initially proposed by Karl Marx, holds that society is
constantly in conflict due to struggle for finite resources.
According to the conflict theory, people with wealth and power want to keep it by
whatever means necessary, most notably through oppressing the poor and helpless.
Individuals and organizations within society will attempt to increase their own money and
power, according to a core principle of conflict theory.
3. Comparative Perspective- The comparative perspective is based on the idea that a
society or social system cannot be fully understood without comparing it with other
societies or systems. The main limitation of this perspective is that societies differ in so
many ways and therefore may not always be compared meaningfully. (Crossman, 2017)
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 8

4. Interpretive Approaches- This perspective maintains definitions of culture that are

widespread in the literature more broadly, emphasizing that culture relates to both
"substance" (i.e. shared, historical, and structured ideas, values, and practices) and
"communities" (i.e. groups of people). Interpretive approaches, on the other hand, utilize
and use this concept in a different way than most developmental research, emphasizing
contextual knowledge and description above linear and internal explanation. (Fasoli,
2020)
5. Critical Approach- The critical approach to studying and understanding organizational
communication are nested in the idea that power is not equally distributed. This
imbalance of power creates a hierarchy that can be seen in both society as a whole and
in the workplace. The overarching goal of the critical approach is to uncover the reasons
for the imbalanced power and bring those causes to the attention of the oppressed so
that they can push for power equalization in their organization.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 9

ANSWER SHEET (Please submit only the answers. Do not return the entire module.)

Name: Section:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME MIDDLE INITIAL

Engagement
Enabling Assessment Activity 2
i-Cover: Bañamos Festival
Situation: As a potential journalist, you are assigned to do some research about the
famous festival in Los Baños, the “Bañamos Festival.” In previous celebrations of this
event, gather some pictures posted online and write down notes of the important
things about the festival that are related to the different characteristics of culture.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 10

Assimilation
Performance Check 2

Direction: Create your own illustrative collage that depicts the concept of culture and society.
Focus on the theme. After doing the collage, complete the statement below the box. Do this in
separate piece of paper.

SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME OF PARENT/GUARDIAN

DATE:
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 11

Prerequisite Assessment
1. How cultural relativism mitigates ethnocentrism?

INTRODUCTION
Learning Materials: Module, pen, paper, internet (if applicable)
Prerequisite Content-knowledge: Concepts, aspects and changes in/of culture and society
Prerequisite Skill: Research about Banamos Festival

A. TIME ALLOTMENT: 4 hours

B. CONSULTATION: For questions and clarifications, you may consult your subject
teacher on the assigned schedule via face-to-face, FB messenger, mobile number.
C. RUA: At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
• values cultural heritage and express pride of place without being ethnocentric.
D. INSTITUTIONAL VALUES: Social awareness
Learners will be able to apply critical thinking in:
• Identifying the difference between cultural relativism and ethnocentrism
• Comparing the different practices of various society.
E. OVERVIEW OF THE LESSON
This lesson is about the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural understanding.

STUDENT’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Chunk 1: What is Ethnocentrism?
Ethnocentrism is a belief that one’s own culture is better than others. They tend to
compare, evaluate, and even judge other people’s ways based on the values and standards
set in one’s own culture. Their worldview is based on the beliefs, assumptions, expectations,
and values shaped by one’s language, behavior, customs, values, religions and other aspects.
Due to ethnocentric beliefs, many people are blinded from seeing things in another
perspective. Ethnocentric people tend to dislike or make false judgment on other cultures.
They tend to become biased and judge another culture as bad and wrong.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 12
Even though we deny it, most of us are ethnocentric at some point in our lives. Some
do not even realize that they are being ethnocentric at that moment. Below are some of the
examples of ethnocentrism:
• The American society sees themselves as a world leader. As a result, they interfere inthe
political affairs of other countries and try to control them, leading to misunderstanding and
miscommunication amongst nations which sometimes result to war.
• During the time of Adolf Hitler, Germans believed that they are a superior race. This led to
the death of 6 million Jews whom they considered as an inferior race.
• European countries go beyond their ethnocentric biases and saw non-European cultures
as uncivilized and underdeveloped countries of savages and barbarians. They used this
perspective to justify colonialism and imperialism.
• Cases of hate crimes and terrorism violence can usually be traced back to religious
conflicts and misunderstandings.
Chunk 2: Cultural Relativism as the Opposite View

Cultural relativism is a belief that cultures are equally complex. There is no such thing
as superior or inferior culture.
Cultural relativism is very important in studying the culture of other people. It is a way
of viewing the beliefs, values, and practices of a culture from its own viewpoint. Another way
to say this is that others should understand an individual’s beliefs and activities in terms of that
person’s own culture.
• Cultural relativism promotes greater appreciation of the cultures that an individual
might encounter along the way.
• Cultural relativism is a good way to rehearse the norms and values of a society – a
requirement that one must subscribe to, regardless of his/her cultural origin.
• It means that the function and meaning of a trait are relative to its cultural setting.

To understand better the main difference between ethnocentrism and cultural relativism,
an illustration is provided below:
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 13

ANSWER SHEET (Please submit only the answers. Do not return the entire module.)

Name: Section:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME MIDDLE INITIAL

ENGAGEMENT
Enabling Assessment Activity 3

Direction: Read the following items carefully. Write the letter that corresponds to your answer
on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Ben is an ethnocentric. He considers other people, specifically indigenous tribes, as backwards

people who have no manners at all. Why do you think Ben come up with this bias?
a. He regards another culture as superior.
b. He regards his own culture as superior.
c. He regards his own culture as normal and uses it to measure foreign cultures.
d. He regards another culture as superior and uses it to measure his own culture.

2. Lisa was a proud cultural relativist. She sees that Ilocanos are thrifty because of their
geographical location. Likewise, she sees nothing wrong about it. What did Lisa exhibit in that
situation?
a. She believes anything goes in one’s own culture.
b. She measures behavior by how the other culture regards this practice.
c. She has no concept of right or wrong.
d. She measures which cultures are related to others.

3. What might be the result of ethnocentrism on a global scale?

a. Other people may be treated as savage or morally corrupt.
b. There is no way to determine which is right or wrong.
c. Native people often wish to colonize superior culture.
d. Believing one’s own culture is superior makes one a morally corrupt savage.

4. For better opportunities, many Filipinos were forced to work abroad, exposing themselves to
unfamiliar culture. Culture shock is a feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is
suddenly subjected to other’s way of life or set of attitudes. Which of the following is NOT a
symptom of culture shock?
a. Feeling homesick when in a new place
b. Feeling like the new culture is superior to your own
c. Obsessing about the cleanliness of food and water in a new place
d. Feeling the hostility towards natives or locals

5. Which of the following statements is a positive effect of ethnocentrism?

a. Rina posted on her Facebook wall saying that eating fried tarantula is “yuckie.”
b. Greg posted a statement which says, “Ang galing ng Pinoy, angat sa iba, kaya’t tayo ay
magkaisa.”
c. Shiela posted a picture of Carlos P. Romulo with a caption, “This little brown monkey that you
are referring to does not eat banana peelings. He is a Filipino not an American.
d. Wendel tweeted, “Nakakatakot na ang panahon ngayon daming taong gumagala na tadtad ng
tattoo ang katawan.”
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 14

For numbers 6-10, identify whether the given statement is an example of ethnocentrism or cultural
relativism. Write letter A if it is ethnocentrism and B if it is cultural relativism.
6. Korean culture is better than our culture because many Filipinos try to imitate and adopt this
culture.
7. The Aetas of Zambales, the Mangyans of Mindoro and other Filipino tribes have different
religious beliefs. Their Gods are manifested on the different forms of nature like trees, mountains,
rivers, volcano, their dead ancestors, and many more. I think there is nothing wrong about that. It
does not make them a lesser group of people.
8. Indigenous people should learn to change their old and traditional ways of life in order to be
happy and successful.
9. People in my culture could learn a lot from people in other cultures.
10. Filipinos’ religious traditions like the celebration of fiestas should be banned because it is just
a waste of time, energy, and resources.

Assimilation
Performance Check 3
Direction: On a piece of short bond paper, create a slogan that promotes respect and
tolerance towards other cultures all over the world. At the back of your paper, write a brief
explanation of your work. The slogan will be assessed based on the rubric below.

Rubric for Slogan

5 4 3 2 1
Content All guidelines Majority of Some of Many of No
are followed the the the guidelines
guidelines guidelines guidelines are
are are are not followed
followed followed followed
Creativity Exceptionally Very good Good Fair sense No sense of
creative sense of sense of of creativity
creativity creativity creativity
Originality Exceptionally Very good Good use Fair use of No new
new idea use of new of new new idea idea
idea idea

SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME OF PARENT/GUARDIAN

DATE:
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 15

Prerequisite Assessment
What are the different processes that led us to be a modern human?

INTRODUCTION
Learning Materials: Module, pen, paper, internet (if applicable)
Prerequisite Content-knowledge: Ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
Prerequisite Skill: Create a slogan

A. TIME ALLOTMENT: 4 hours

B. CONSULTATION: For questions and clarifications, you may consult your subject
teacher on the assigned schedule via face-to-face, FB messenger, mobile number.
C. RUA: At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
• Analyze the significance of cultural, social, political and economic symbols and practices
D. INSTITUTIONAL VALUES: Social awareness
Learners will be able to apply critical thinking in:
• Identifying the human origins and the capacity for culture
• Analyzing the different processes that lead us to be a modern human.
E. OVERVIEW OF THE LESSON
This lesson is about the significance of cultural, social, political and economic symbols
and practices

STUDENT’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Chunk 1: Human Biocultural and Social Evolution
Biocultural Evolution is the mutual, interactive evolution of human biology and culture;
the concept that biology makes culture possible and that developing culture further influences
the direction of biological evolution; a basic concept in understanding the unique components
of human evolution. (Jurmain et al. 2012: 7)

Cultural Beginnings
Culture is defined as “that complex whole which encompasses beliefs, practices,
values, attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person
learns and shares as a member of a society (Tylor, 2010). It is a by-product of the attempt of
humans to survive their environment and to compensate for their biological characteristics and
limitations.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 16

To understand culture, you need to know the following:

1. Biological capacity of humans for culture (thinking, speaking, gripping, and
walking/standing capacity)
2. Place of humans in the animal kingdom
3. How humans came to develop early forms of culture

Our evolution toward humanity as we know it has been a long journey of survival against the
elements of the environment and against competing species. As our ancestors evolved
biologically in response to their environment, they have also developed cultural technologies
that aided them to efficiently obtain food and deter predators. Archaeologists refer to these
early traditions as stone tool industries instead of culture, as the material products of these
periods merely display the methods used by early humans in creating tools and not the modern
context by which we define it.

Biological Evolution
Biological evolution is defined as any genetic change in a population that is inherited
over several generations. These changes may be small or large, noticeable or not so
noticeable. In order for an event to be considered an instance of evolution, changes have to
occur on the genetic level of a population and be passed on from one generation to the next.
This means that the genes, or more specifically, the alleles in the population change and are
passed on. These changes are noticed in the phenotypes (expressed physical traits that can
be seen) of the population.
A change on the genetic level of a population is defined as a small-scale change and
is called microevolution. Biological evolution also includes the idea that all of life is connected
and can be traced back to one common ancestor. This is called macroevolution.
Biological evolution is not defined as simply change over time. Many organisms
experience changes over time, such as weight loss or gain. These changes are not considered
instances of evolution because they are not genetic changes that can be passed on to the
next generation.

Natural Selection
Natural selection is the process by which biological evolutionary changes take place.
Natural selection acts on populations and not individuals. It is based on the following
concepts:
• Individuals in a population have different traits which can be inherited.
• These individuals produce more young than the environment can support.
• The individuals in a population that are best suited to their environment will leave more
offspring, resulting in a change in the genetic makeup of a population.
The genetic variations that arise in a population happen by chance, but the process of
natural selection does not. Natural selection is the result of the interactions between genetic
variations in a population and the environment.
The environment determines which variations are more favorable. Individuals that
possess traits that are better suited to their environment will survive to produce more offspring
than other individuals. More favorable traits are thereby passed on to the population as a
whole.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 17

Genetic Variation
Genetic variation occurs mainly through DNA mutation, gene flow (movement of genes
from one population to another) and sexual reproduction. Due to the fact that environments
are unstable, populations that are genetically variable will be able to adapt to changing
situations better than those that do not contain genetic variations.
Sexual reproduction allows for genetic variations to occur through genetic
recombination. Recombination occurs during meiosis and provides a way for producing new
combinations of alleles on a single chromosome. Independent assortment during meiosis
allows for an indefinite number of combinations of genes.
Sexual reproduction makes it possible to assemble favorable gene combinations in a
population or to remove unfavorable gene combinations from a population. Populations with
more favorable genetic combinations will survive in their environment and reproduce more
offspring than those with less favorable genetic combinations.

Chunk 2: Processes of Cultural and Sociopolitical Evolution

In reference to cultural formation, the Paleolithic stage has provided the bases for
the development of complex human groups through the establishment of culture. At this
period, must situate the early humans in terms of their physical environment. This way, we
understand the succeeding adaptations that they made which revolutionized the entire way
that the human species have existed in this planet. By the end of the Paleolithic period, Earth
was getting warmer as the Ice Age was already at its last stage. This implies that Earth’s
surface was changing.
Early humans have always been dependent on their environment, which made
foraging (hunting and gathering) the primary mode of subsistence. With the drastic changes
in geography and food sources, the early humans were once again faced the need to adapt
new strategies to survive. It was in this setting that the “Neolithic Revolution” (Childe, 1936)
spread throughout the planet.

The Neolithic Revolution

This period is characterized by a major shift in economic subsistence of the early
humans from foraging to agriculture. This dramatic shift affected the other aspects of their
lifestyle, as foraging made them nomads and agriculture encouraged permanent settlement.
The shift in itself changed the entire array of behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and corresponding
material inventions.
There are generally two perspectives on the impact of the Neolithic revolution on
human populations. Traditionally, it is being argued that with the development of agriculture
and technology, humans were able to develop socio-politically, as the existence of systematic
food production has provided food surplus that enabled members of the population to indulge
in self-actualizing activities such as the arts and politics. Opposing this perspective,
progressive scholars argue that the same phenomenon of surplus production has hadnegative
impacts on human populations such as social divisions, high population density, and gender
inequality.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 18

Early Civilization and the Rise of State

One of the earliest states and civilizations was found in the Fertile Crescent which is
known as the Mesopotamian civilization. The word Mesopotamia is a Greek word for “Land
between two rivers” which is often referred to as the cradle of civilization. It is the region of the
Western Asia located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It is known as the Fertile
Crescent where the first evidence of agriculture was also found. Here the first human
civilizations were taking the earliest steps from hunter-gatherer society into settled community.
Moreover, it is in Mesopotamia that the history writing appeared as early as over 5,000
years ago. This invention was so important that it marks the end of the Prehistory, and the
beginning of history. One of the first writing systems, the Cuneiform, is one of the most
important civilizations in the history of Mesopotamian culture.
Every city in Mesopotamia had its own government, rulers, warriors, patron god, and
functioned like an independent country. Mesopotamian cities were Ur, Uruk, Kish, Lagesh.
There is a temple at the center of each city called a ziggurat (a massive, tiered, pyramid-
shaped structure).
Another ancient state and civilization was the Egyptian civilization. It emerged more
than 5,000 years ago along the River Nile in the north-east of Africa. The Ancient Egyptians
lived near the River Nile because of its fertile land suitable for growing crops and domestication
of animals. Each year, water from the Nile rose and flooded the area. When the water went
back, it left mud that made the fields fertile.
Egyptians called their king a pharaoh. The pharaoh was all- powerful: He passed laws,
He ruled the country, He owned most of the land, and He controlled trade and led the armies.
Egyptians believed that the pharaohs were gods.

Democratization of Early States

The early states were governed by a limited few who ascended to power through
wealth, birth right, or religious dogma. This alienated the masses from the daily
administration of rules and regulations in their society. As a result, the social cleavage in early
civilizations widened and resulted in social clashes.
The traditional view on the history of democracy highlights its development among the
city-states of ancient Greece, around 507 BCE. It is believed that an Athenian statesman
named Cleisthenes proposed demokratia as political ideology that aimed at dispersing power
from the monopoly of the elites to the masses. This allowed for the closing in of social gaps
between diverging social groups. Upon its introduction, democracy in Greece was primarily
about the inclusion of marginalized sectors of the society in the day-to-day operations of the
government. From deciding on laws and implementing rules to deciding on court cases, the
masses were given direct access to decision-making activities in the state.
Although this narrowed the social gap between the rich and the poor, it did not address
other issues such as gender inequality and racism. The new order allowed for the creation of
political identity and citizenship, which was exclusively ascribed to men who were born in
Greece by both Greek parents. Hence, women and individuals with multicultural background
were not given a seat in decision-making activities.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 19

ANSWER SHEET (Please submit only the answers. Do not return the entire module.)

Name: Section:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME MIDDLE INITIAL

ENGAGEMENT
Enabling Assessment Activity 4

Direction: As a millennial and a Filipino youth, how will you respond and adapt to this changing world
where people and society have indeed developed and became more advanced than before? However,
consider some circumstances that are hooked on it.
• Your physical attributes & capacity in the midst of environmental crisis.
• Your manner of living where some ways are now unbecoming
• Your commitment to abide as a citizen where some authorities are not performing well

Assimilation
Performance Check 4

Directions: (Group Activity) Make a short reenactment showing how biological changes
affect the way of living during the different stages of socio-cultural evolution (Hunting and
gathering; pastoral; agricultural and horticultural; and stage of commerce). The class will be
divided into four groups and will be assessed based on the given rubric below.

10 %

SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME OF PARENT/GUARDIAN

DATE:
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 20

Prerequisite Assessment
1. How can you differentiate socialization from enculturation? Explain and give your examples.

INTRODUCTION
Learning Materials: Module, pen, paper, internet (if applicable)
Prerequisite Content-knowledge: Cultural, social, political and economic symbols and
practices
Prerequisite Skill: Make a short reenactment showing how biological changes affect the way of living
during the different stages of socio-cultural evolution.

A.TIME ALLOTMENT: 4 hours

B. CONSULTATION: For questions and clarifications, you may consult your subject
teacher on the assigned schedule via face-to-face, FB messenger, mobile number.
C. RUA: At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
• Explain the context, content, processes, and consequences of socialization.
D. INSTITUTIONAL VALUES: Social awareness
Learners will be able to apply critical thinking in:
• Identifying the concepts and aspects of socialization and enculturation.
• Determining the connection between the agents of socialization and enculturation
to the development of an individual
E. OVERVIEW OF THE LESSON
This lesson is about the importance of socialization and how to become a better member
of society.

STUDENT’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Chunk 1: SOCIALIZATION
Socialization simply means the process of learning one’s society and its culture. It is
moreover the same as interacting, mingling and being with other people or groups within/
outside of your society.
Through socialization, one learns the culture’s language, their roles in life, and what is
expected from them. Without socialization, a person will develop different physical and mental
disabilities. It is sad to know that individuals with no successful socialization develop mental
illness, abnormal or odd behavior and self -isolation. Do you know that there are different
groups of people that influence your orientations and perspectives to life? These groups are
called agents of socialization. These agents play a crucial role in developing yourself as a
person and a member of the society.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 21
Agents of Socialization
• Family
Most of the habits, manners, beliefs and the way we think are develop in the family. A huge
part of your personality is molded by your family because this is where you spent your
childhood. Your family influences you on the way you behave and act as a person. This is
when socialization process is crucial and intense.
• School
Here, you interact or socialize with other people- your classmates, teachers, administrators
and others which are outside your family within a society. Your socialization with them has
made a lot of experiences in you. It is in the school that your behavior and attitude are shape
to become a better member of society. So a part of your personality is developed by this agent.
• Peer group
Your circle of friends is also an agent of socialization. Your peers usually have similar ages,
social status and share interests. Your peer group influences you on the way you can accept
yourself. It is with your peer group that you find yourself belonged.
• Social media
As agent of socialization plays a crucial role in shaping your personality as well. Majority of us,
young and old, are connected through social media. Much of our waking time is spent on using
social media.
So, this agent of socialization influences your way of life intensively thus doing large
part in your personal development. There are other socialization agents who are alsoimportant
in molding you as a person: the community, the church and the government.
You see? What you are now is a product of socialization. You have been socializing
from the time you were born until now. Socialization is a continuing process until we die.
Socialization is really a necessity for it develops you as person.
Enculturation
We are living in a society of many cultures. Culture is the customary beliefs, social
forms, and material traits of a racial, religious or social group (merriam-webster.com).
These cultures make people different from one another. A group has a set of shared attitudes
and practices which are partially or even totally apart from what others have.
As an individual grows up in a social group, he/she learns to understand his/her
identity. This is where enculturation comes in. Enculturation is the process by which people
learn the requirements of their surrounding culture and acquire values and behaviours
appropriate or necessary in that culture.
According to Stephen A. Grunland and Marvin K. Mayers (1988) (as cited from
Hoebel, 1982), enculturation is both a conscious and an unconscious conditioning process
whereby man, as child and adult, achieves competence in his culture, internalizes his culture
and becomes thoroughly enculturated. Socializing with people plays a great part in achieving
it. He/she deals with. An individual also learns from observing the surrounding he/she is in.
As a child lives with his family and the community, he/she adapts socially accepted
values (e.g. attending to religious obligations, respecting the elders, etc.) At a very young age,
a child is instilled with values by his/her parents and family. He / She see the importance of
being together as respected when they eat. Also, he/she learns the foundations of learning;
be it reading the alphabet and counting of numbers.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 22
In school, he/she learns to be socially educated person as he/she observes and
adapts the behavior of other people (e.g. singing the National Anthem, paying respect to the
flag, showing respect to teachers and valuing friendship among friends and classmates). A
person becomes more civilized as he learns more of culturally accepted behavior and
knowledge in school.
In a community, a person may be inspired to practice social duties and obligations as
observed and learned from those who do great contributions for the welfare of most people.
In these practices, one may also become a steward of goodwill.
A teenager learns to clothe himself/herself like his/her friends or in great chances,
adapts how they behave and act. He / She appreciate the value of friendship, learn to find joy
in sharing commonalities and accept differences in choices and decisions. His / Her
confidence in dealing with people can be rooted from a well-maintained relationship with
friends.
The government upon its imposition of law refines a person’s way of living.
Through which, he/she learns his civil rights and exercises them righteously. Likewise, he/she
learns to respect government policies and abides to them, knowing that every action has
limitation.
In his/her dealing with religious affiliations, a person’s belief in Omnipotent Being is
strengthened. This cultivates the idea that everyone like a brother and a sister. Thus, respect
towards one another is valued. He or she learns to respect differences in faith.
Parents and other authorities are called the initiators of enculturation. As one is
enculturated by those initiators, the process is manifested in his/her actions, choices and
decisions. If it is not because of enculturation, a person will not become the way he/she in the
society. One will not be able to discern what is right from wrong or even make actions to handle
problems encountered. Because of enculturation, an individual knows the boundaries of
his/her actions, words and ideals. As a learned individual, one becomes accepted by the group
he/she belongs with. Enculturation teaches a person of his/her roles in the society. True
enough, he/she becomes functional member of the society.
Chunk 2: Identity Formation
You have learned that through enculturation and socialization, an individual learns the
norms of his or her society. The compilation of the values, attitudes, and beliefs that individuals
receive from their family, peers, and community enables them to create a personal identity
that simultaneously separates them from the other members of the group and incorporates
them in its system. Such differentiation from the general social template is called
individuation. This can be related to the concept of personal identity.
Social identity is a person’s notion of who he or she is in society. This includes the
roles and statuses that he or she performs in accord to what the society expects of him or her.
There are two types of identity that an individual takes on:
1. Primary identity – consists of the roles and statuses that an individual learns as a child.
This includes the core social identities that are often ascribed to an individual such as sex,
age, and ethnicity.
2. Secondary identity – as a child gets enculturated and socialized with his or her society’s
norm, he or she participates in the construction of his or her secondary identity. This
includes roles and statuses that are achieved such as occupation, educational
background, economic status, and gender.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 23
From this identity we created our status and role as a member of society.
• Status - is the position that an individual is expected to hold in a group or a community;
describes the position a person occupies in a particular setting.
➢ Ascribed status (inherited) - is the social status a person is assigned at birth or
assumed involuntarily later in life. It is a position that is neither earned nor chosen but
assigned. These rigid social designators remain fixed throughout an individual's life
and are inseparable from the positive or negative stereotypes that are linked with one's
ascribed statuses.
➢ Achieved status (acquired) - is one that is acquired on the basis of merit; it is a position
that is earned or chosen and reflects a person's skills, abilities, and efforts.
• Role - is the set of norms, values, behaviors, and personality characteristics attached to a
status.
➢ Role performance – this is the behavior of an individual within a social space in
accordance to his or her status.
➢ Role set – this is the multiplicity of roles within a given status.

“We all occupy several statuses and play the roles that may be associated with them.”
Norms and Values
Simply put, a norm is a rule that guides the behavior of members of a society or group.
Emile Durkheim considered norms to be social facts, that is, things that exist in society
independent of individuals and that shape our thoughts and behavior. As such, norms have a
coercive power over us. Sociologists consider the force that norms exert both good and bad.
It is easy to be confused with the terms norms, normal, and normative. Sociologically
speaking, they are different. Normal refers to that which conforms to norms, so while norms
are the rules that guide our behavior, normal is the act of abiding these rules. Normative on
the other hand, refers to what we perceive as normal, or what we think should be normal,
regardless of whatever it actually is. Normative refers to beliefs that are expressed as
directives or value judgments.
Some norms are proscriptive (stating what we should not do), and some are
prescriptive (stating what we should do). Proscriptive and prescriptive norms are not
equal in importance. William Graham Summer coined the terms (1) mores to refer to norms
that are widely observed and have great moral significance; and (2) folkways to refer to
norms for routine and casual interaction.
• Mores - a set of moral norms or customs derived from generally accepted practices. Mores
derive from the established practices of a society rather than its written laws.
• Folkways - a custom or belief common to members of a society or culture.
One way to differentiate mores from folkways is through the following example: A
man who does not wear a tie to a formal dinner party may raise eyebrows for violating
folkways; were he to arrive wearing only a tie, he would violate cultural mores and invite
a more serious response.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 24
Values, on the other hand, are culturally defined standards that people use to decide
what is desirable, good, and beautiful, and that serve as broad guidelines for social living.
There are four aspects of the sociological concept of value:
1. Values exist at different levels of generality or abstraction;
2. Values tend to be hierarchically arranged;
3. Values are explicit and implicit in varying degrees; and
4. Values often are in conflict with one another.
Values and beliefs not only affect how we see our surroundings, but also help form
our personalities. We learn from families, friends, schools, and religious organizations to think
and act according to particular principles, to believe certain truths, and to pursue worthwhile
goals.
Chunk 3: Conformity and Deviance
Do you act differently from what others expect of you? How do they respond to your
statements and actions? These are questions that must be considered when discussing the
concept of deviance and conformity.
• Conformity is the act of following the roles and goals of one’s society. This behavior often
met with rewards and acceptance from other members of the society.
• Deviance is the act of violating the prescribed social norms. Acts of deviance are often
associated with a stigma. A stigma is a strong sense of disapproval on nonconforming
behavior from members of a society. When deviance is within the context of legal
structures, it may even be considered a crime or a violation of a law.
Because deviance is always juxtaposed with a norm, which changes based on
environmental factors, it is also constantly changing. As it socially constructed, the actions that
are considered deviant vary per society and per social status.
There are several theories that explain the existence of deviants (humans/groups) and
deviance (acts). These are as follows:
1. Social control theory – deviance is primarily caused by a lack in stronger social bonds
within a society.
2. Rational choice theory – the individual’s decision to follow or to go against social norms
is dependent on their perceived cost and benefit of such action. This implies that humans
weigh the impact of following a norm.
3. Differential association theory – conformity or deviance is learned by an individual from
those he or she associates with. Hence, if an individual has stronger associations with a
group of deviants, then it is most likely that he or she would conform to deviant behavior
than that of what the general considers a norm.
4. Labeling theory – actions are initially not considered deviant until they are labelled as
such members of the community. Based on this theory, there are two stages of deviance:
➢ Primary deviance is a type of act that does not end with the individual being labelled
as such.
➢ Secondary deviance is the type of act that results from being labelled by society as
deviant.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 25
5. Conflict theory – society consists of opposing groups of people who access to power is
unequal. The group that has access to power determines which actions are deviant based
on their perceived advantage.
6. Structural strain theory – this theory proposes two perspectives in the formation of
deviant behavior. On the macro level, deviance is a product of the breakdown of social
norms which produces anomie or social disorganization. On the micro level, deviance is
a product of the role strain that an individual experience due to lack of resources to cope
with the demands of the social norms.
7. Social control theory – is a type of functionalist theory that suggests that deviance occurs
when a person’s or group’s attachment to social bonds is weakened.
Based on this perspective, Merton (1957) created a model illustrating the types of
responses that individuals have toward social norms with regard to two variables: cultural
goals and institutional means. Cultural goals consist of the values that are important for the
society. Institutional means are the processes that have been established through social
structures such as the government, school, church, and even family.

In Merton’s typology, individuals who accept their society’s cultural goals and that of
the process to accomplish it are labelled as conformists, whereas those who accept the goal
but not the process are called innovators. Such individuals are bent toward achieving the
same social goals using an alternative approach. Individuals who reject the goal but accept
the process are prone to ritualism, as they perform the social norms without subscribing to
the social goals that such lead to. Those who reject both the goals and the approach are in
the process of retreatism, which would redefine the goals and processes in a society in the
form rebellion.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 26
Social Control
To maintain social order and stability, social control is needed. The two elements that
promote social control are internalization and sanctions. Internalization is an integral part
of communicating and incorporating social norms to an individual’s personality. It is in this
process that an individual is made to automatically conform to the dictates of his or her society
through a cost-benefit orientation. One key element in ensuring that individuals are able to
internalize social norms is the establishment of sanctions.
Sanctions are powerful in leading an individual to conform to social norms. Despite
an individual’s disinclination to conform, when the sanction is strong, there is highly possibility
that he or she will decide to follow the norm. Sanctions can be categorized into two types.
• Formal sanctions - these are the rewards or forms of punishment that are formally
awarded by an institution.
• Informal sanctions – these are the rewards and forms of punishment that are
spontaneously given by an individual or a group of people as a response to a behavior
that was either accepted or disapproved.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 27

ANSWER SHEET (Please submit only the answers. Do not return the entire module.)

Name: Section:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME MIDDLE INITIAL

ENGAGEMENT
Enabling Assessment Activity 5
Direction: Think it Over. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the importance of the following icons representing the agents of socialization
to your development as a person?

2. Which among the given factors (referring to icons presented above) has the most
important part in the development of a person? Why?

3. How can you differentiate socialization from enculturation? Explain and give your
examples.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 28

Assimilation
Performance Check 5

Direction: Choose any of the tasks below which you feel easy for you to do. Use a separate sheet.

a. Write 3 to 5 sentences showing your appreciation on the topic socialization and enculturation.
b. You can also write a “motto” or tag line about socialization and enculturation.
c. You may also draw if you want about socialization and enculturation.
d. A poem is very much welcome about socialization and enculturation

Poem/Motto/Tag Line/Essay

Content Relevant to the topic. Related or connected statements.

Grammatically correct sentences
Mechanics Use of Proper Language Use of correct spelling or vocabulary.
Use of proper or correct punctuation marks. Follow the
prescribed amount of words/time.
Originality Statements or sentences are not copy-pasted.
Neatness Minimal erasures or no any form alterations

Drawing

Relevance Relevant to the topic, with a brief and appropriate description.

Originality Not a copy-pasted drawing or illustration, but an original concept.
Craftsmanship Exudes skill in drawing even in the most basic manner.

SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME OF PARENT/GUARDIAN

DATE:
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 29

Prerequisite Assessment
1. Why social groups are important to one’s well-being?

INTRODUCTION
Learning Materials: Module, pen, paper, internet (if applicable)
Prerequisite Content-knowledge: Socialization and how to become a member of society
Prerequisite Skill: Discuss the importance different agents of socialization

A. TIME ALLOTMENT: 4 hours

B. CONSULTATION: For questions and clarifications, you may consult your subject
teacher on the assigned schedule via face-to-face, FB messenger, mobile number.
C. RUA: At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
• Analyze the forms and functions of social organizations.
D. INSTITUTIONAL VALUES: Social awareness
Learners will be able to apply critical thinking in:
• Defining the concept of social groups
• Identifying the characteristics and forms of social groups.
E. OVERVIEW OF THE LESSON
This lesson is about how society is organized and the importance of social groups.

STUDENT’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Chunk 1
Social Groups
Everyone belongs to a group; your race, gender, favorite sports team, your college,
even the place where you were born were all examples of groups. Sometimes groupings are
determined by factors related to who we are (sex, age, race/ethnicity) but in many other cases,
they arrive in a somewhat arbitrary fashion. In school, you would likely associate with
classmates who share the same interests as you do like having a common hobby or sports
affiliation or even fashion sense or even love of a certain type of music.
What is a Group?
A group is composed of two or more persons interacting with each other and guided
by a set of norms. It is also defined as specified number of individuals where each recognizes
members as distinct from non-members.
Basic Classifications of Social Groups
• Primary Groups
Primary groups are marked by concern for one another, shared activities and culture, and
long periods of time spent together. They are influential in developing an individual’s personal
identity. The goal of primary groups is actually the relationships themselves rather than
achieving some other purpose. The examples of a primary group but not limited to be your
family and childhood and close friends.
Sample Groups: Family, Play group, Village/Neighborhood, Work-team
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 30
• Secondary Groups
Secondary relationships involve weak emotional ties and little personal knowledge of one
another. In contrast to primary groups, secondary groups don’t have the goal of maintaining
and developing the relationships themselves. These groups are based on usual or habitual
interests or affairs. It includes groups in which one exchanges explicit commodities, such as
labor for wages, services for payments, and such.
Sample Groups: Nation, Church Hierarchy, Professional Association, Corporation, University
classes, Athletic teams, and groups of coworkers.
• In-group
Belonging to the same group as others who share the same common bond and interests who
are more likely to understand each other refers to an in- group.
Sample Groups: Sports team, Unions and Sororities
• Out-group
Those who do not belong to the in-group are part of the out-group, which exist in the
perceptions of the in-group members and takes on social reality as a result of behavior by in-
group members who use the out group as a negative point of reference.
• Reference Groups
A reference group is a collection of people that we use as a standard of comparison for
ourselves regardless of whether we are part of that group. We rely on reference groups to
understand social norms, which then shape our values, ideas, behavior, and appearance. This
means that we also use them to evaluate the relative worth, desirability, or appropriateness of
these things.
By looking to reference groups--be they those of race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, region,
ethnicity, age, or localized groups defined by neighborhood or school, among others-- we see
norms and dominant values, and we choose to either embrace and reproduce them in our own
thoughts, behavior, and interactions with others; or, we reject and refute them by thinking and
acting in ways that break from them.
Sample groups: parents, siblings, teachers, peers, associates and friends
• Network
A network is a collection of people tied together by a specific pattern of connections. They can
be characterized by the number of people involved, as in the dyad (by twos) and triad (by
threes), but also in terms of their structures (who is connected to whom) and functions (what
flows across ties). Networks indeed, are able to do more things and different things than
individuals acting on their own could. Networks have this effect, regardless of the content of
the connections or persons involved.
Nowadays, the giving of information and establishing of connections and various relationships
can be done through social networking sites. In this manner, it is easier to form connections,
relationships and linkages.
Example: Family Members, Friends, Work Colleagues, Classmates
There is another strong example of a network that has boomed since the beginning of the 21st
century. Since 1979, electronic forms of social networking have boomed, starting with
CompuServe and MySpace, and moving to other networking applications such as Facebook,
Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram.
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 31

ANSWER SHEET (Please submit only the answers. Do not return the entire module.)

Name: Section:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME MIDDLE INITIAL

ENGAGEMENT
Enabling Assessment Activity 6
Direction: From among the many groups that you have had, past and present, choose one
that you think had the most memorable impact. Describe the group in column A, and then
enumerate the impacts it had on you as a social person in column B.

A.The Group: (Name) B.

Its lasting impacts on me as a social person
Description: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Assimilation
Performance Check 6
 Colegio de Los Baños – Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics 32

SIGNATURE OVER PRINTED NAME OF PARENT/GUARDIAN

DATE: