USCP-REVIEWER Social Differences:

MODULE 1 ➢ Gender – It is the socially constructed characteristic

of being male and female.
Though the term society and culture are used
today as a scientific concept by most of the social ➢ Socio - economic Status - It refers to the category of
sciences, its most comprehensive definition has been persons who have more or less the same socio-economic
provided in anthropology. Humans are social beings. privileges.
That is why we live together in societies. Day-to-day we
interact with each other and develop social relationships. ➢ Exceptionality – It refers to the state of being
Every society has a culture, no matter how simple that intellectually gifted and/or having physically or mentally
culture may be. Culture is shared. challenged conditions.

Anthropology a branch of knowledge which deals with

the scientific study of man, his/her works, behavior, and
The Concept of Social Change
value in time and space.
The problem of social change is one of the central foci of
Sociology is the study of human institution and their
sociological inquiry. It is so complex and so significant
relationships. This discipline examines how human
in the life of individual and of society that we have to
actions in modern societies are shaped by social groups
explore the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of social change in all its
and by wider social, economic and political pressures.
ramifications.
Political Identities refer to a political approach wherein
Social changes - are variations from the accepted modes
a person or people of a particular religion, race, social
of life; whether due to alternation in geographical
background, class and other identifying factors will form
conditions, in cultural equipment, composition of the
exclusive socio-political alliances, moving away from
population or ideologies and brought about by diffusion,
broad-based, bipartisan politics to support and follow
or inventions within the group.
political movements which share a particular identifying
quality with them.
Human Cultural Variation refers to the differences in Factors of Social Change:
social behaviors that different cultures exhibit around the
world. What may be considered good etiquette in one 1. Physical Environment - Human misuse can bring
culture may be considered bad etiquette in another. very rapid changes in physical environment which in
turn change the social and cultural life of a people.
2. Population Changes - a stable population may be
Cultural Variation: able to resist change but a rapidly growing population
must migrate, improve its productivity or starve.
➢ Religion – a system of beliefs and practices as well as
system of actions 3. Attitudes and Values - societies differ greatly in their
general attitude toward change. People who revere the
directed toward entities which are above men. past and preoccupied with traditions and rituals will
➢ Ethnicity – it is the expression of the set of cultural change slowly and unwillingly.
ideas held by a 4. Technological Factors - when the scientific
distinct ethics or indigenous group. knowledge is applied to the problems in life it becomes
technology. Technology is a systematic knowledge
➢ Nationality – it is the legal relationship that binds a which is put into practice that is to use tools and run
person and a country machines to serve human purpose. Science and
technology go together. In utilizing the products of
technology man brings social change.
Social Differences the differences among the individuals
on the basis of social characteristics and qualities.
SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDYING CULTURE,
SOCIETY, AND POLITICS
Culture to described facets of social experience in relation to the
phenomena concerned.
1. Adaptation and Integration – these makes possible
for man to adapt and integrate himself to his What is interesting about concepts is that
environment by being creative and resourceful in coming conceptual tools, they allow us to form other concepts,
up with ways and means of survival. or relate concepts to each other or even deconstruct old
ones and replace them with something new.
2. Patterns of Acceptable Social Behavior
3. Conveys and Facilitates Meaning – through verbal
and non-verbal communication, written and non-written Culture is an umbrella term which encompasses the
language, forms of expression and symbolisms. social behavior and norms found in human societies, as
well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs,
4. Production of man-made things
capabilities, and habits of the individuals.
5. Human Satisfaction – as we develop ways to make
life more enjoyable, comfortable, easier and more
rewarding such as recreational activities, leisure, Component of Culture:
entertainment and arts etc.
➢ Material Culture - refers to the objects or belongings
of a group of people, such as automobiles, stores, and the
physical structures where people worship.
Social
1. Representation of our identity ➢ Non-material Culture - in contrast, consists of the
ideas, attitudes, and beliefs of a society.
2. Characterize the totality of a territory
3. Symbols of political interdependence
Elements of Culture:
4. Avenue for economic interdependence
➢ Knowledge - it refers to any information received and
perceived to be true.
Political ➢ Belief – the perception of accepted reality. Reality
1. Collective Activity – involving people who accept a refers to the existence of things whether it is material or
common membership or at least acknowledge a shared non-material.
fate.
➢ Social Norms – these are established expectations of
2. Initial diversity of views society as to how a person is supposed to act depending
on the requirements of time, place or situation.
3. Reconciliation of difference
Different Forms of Social Norms:
4. Authoritative Policy
• Folkways – The patterns of receptive behavior which
becomes habitual and conventional part of living.
MODULE 2 • Mores – the set of ethical standards and moral
obligations as dictates of reason that distinguishes
Culture, society and politics are concepts.
human acts as right or wrong or good from bad.
They exist in the realm of ideas and thoughts. As such,
they cannot be seen or touched and yet the influence the • Values – anything held to be relatively worthy,
way we see and experience our individual and collective important desirable, or valuable.
social beings.
➢ Technology – the practical application of knowledge
Concepts have created and have been used in converting raw materials into finished products.
to have firm grasp of phenomenon. Just like any other
words, concept are initially invented as icon to capture
phenomena and in the process assist the users/inventors
Aspects of Culture:
➢ Dynamic, Flexible, and Adaptive – culture people when they cannot achieve their goals on their
constantly changes and adapt to the current state of own.
society. It continuously restores itself whenever customs
• Integrated and at Times Unstable - The patterns of
do not fit in the current situation anymore. It does not
social interaction are connected to each other and may
remain stagnant.
change from time to time.
➢ Shared and Contested – culture is learned and • Transmitted Through Socialization - culture can also
acquired through different interactions with people. be transmitted from one person to another and even from
Culture is shared learning experience. Because culture one society to another.
constantly changes, we get to share the learning process
with other people. However, culture is also contested • In every interaction, language is the most important
indifferent ways and situations. Because of diversity, tool that is always used. Language is not only restricted
culture is always subjected to debate and analysis. to verbal language. It is also used in non-verbal
communication or body language during interaction.
➢ Learned Through Socialization or Enculturation -
Socialization is an ongoing process of learning • Society - is a group of individuals involved in
languages, behaviors, customs, values, norms, and others persistent social interaction, or a large social group
to acquire a personal identity. It helps us learn the sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically
culture. Socialization also teaches us how to interact subject to the same political authority and dominant
with other people and helps us develop the behaviors cultural expectations.
that we think are inborn or part of human nature.

➢ Patterned Social Interaction - Socialization helps us

MODULE 3
acquire both good and bad parts of our culture. How do
we identify the good and the bad? Ethnocentrism
People have a tendency to judge or evaluate
other cultures in the context of their own culture.
Five Patterns of Social Interaction:
Language, behavior, customs, or religion, which are
• Exchange or social exchange is the expectation that understandably unique for every culture are the common
whenever we do something good, we will receive subjects of these judgments. Sociologically speaking,
something good in return (Thompson and Hickey, this ideology or tendency is known as ethnocentrism.
2005, p.129). It is the most basic pattern of socialization.
Ethnocentrism is the idea that one’s own culture is
Cooperation is when people or groups of people work above or superior than others. It is also the belief that
together to achieve a common goal. Cooperation is one's own culture is the main standard by which other
considered to be essential for human survival because, cultures may be measured or understood. Ethnocentrism
without cooperation, social life would be unmanageable is failing or refusing to see the world and its aspects in a
(Thompson and Hickey, 2005, p.129). wider or encompassing perspective. It may cause people
to practice bias and intolerance. That could lead to
• Competition may be viewed as the opposite of Xenophobia and Racism.
cooperation. Instead of working together towards a
common goal, competing individuals or groups battle to Seeing the belief and behavior of others which are
achieve the target that only one can have (Thompson different from yours as brutish, confusing, or
and Hickey, 2005, p.129). unbecoming is an ethnocentric thought or behavior. The
tendency to be avoidant, doubting, or questioning
• Conflict arises when people disobey rules, control a towards members of another culture is also a
person by force, or hurt other people just to achieve their manifestation of ethnocentrism.
goals. However, conflict is not always considered bad.
threatened by an external factor (Thompson and Cultural Relativism
Hickey, 2005, p.129).
Not all people are ethnocentric. There are those who use
• Coercion happens when there is a use of threat or wider perspectives in associating their culture from
force in persuading others. People usually coerce other another’s. There are people who accept and respect the
evident differences of members of the society. When
people recognize that each culture is naturally different Age of Exploration changed the course of world history
from others, that is cultural relativism. Cultural in a way which deprived the conquered.
relativism does not mean that we should immediately
It is widely believed in the field of sociology
accept and tolerate cultural differences. Instead, it
that ethnocentric behavior may be mitigated through the
requires understanding the culture of other people in
recognition and application of cultural relativism.
their own cultural context that is free from another’s
biases. A person can practice cultural relativism by
recognizing that culture shapes what is considered to be
beautiful, ugly, appealing, disgusting, virtuous, funny,
Cultural relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and abhorrent, and that these should not be the basis for
and values are dependent on their cultural context, and evaluating other cultures. Cultural relativism shapes our
should be treated as such. According to Franz Boas understanding of different issues in the society as to why
(1887), "...civilization is not something absolute, but ... certain religions believe in this and others do not, or how
is relative, and ... our ideas and conceptions are true only come this group eats this type of dish, wears this weird
so far as our civilization goes." clothing, sings and dances along to music while others
prefer not to. What we need is an open heart and an
With cultural relativism, it is suggested that the way
unbiased and critical mind, exposure, education, and
people live should be evaluated not based on their own
involvement in activities, and programs supporting and
cultural context but on the social community the people
recognizing the uniqueness and beauty of every culture
themselves inhabit.
for us to truly grasp what cultural relativism means.
Cultural relativism means respect and tolerance.
In conducting their sociological studies, social scientists
are recommended to practice or show cultural relativism.
There should be no reservations and blind opinions
while they are immersed in the community of their
subjects. One may also practice this concept by learning
and recognizing that there are reasons or cultural
significance of why people of a certain community act
and talk the way they do.

How Cultural Relativism Mitigates Ethnocentrism?

It is believed that each person, in one way or
another, possesses an ethnocentric attitude or behavior.
There is nothing wrong with having such because, unlike
social scientists or anthropologists, not all people are
equipped with sufficient knowledge and exposure to
cultures across the globe, thus, the hardship in
understanding and tolerating others' acts and values.
However, we also have to recognize that ethnocentric
behavior, if not controlled, may cause trouble to oneself,
especially in this modern time when everyone calls for
social or cultural inclusion.
Historically, colonialism was justified by
ethnocentrism. When Europeans reached the areas
populated by the natives whom they considered as
uncivilized and savage, they saw the promise to civilize
and tame them through religion (Christianity) and
colonialism. Despite its advantages, we can say that the