Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Department of Education
Regional Office IX, Zamboanga Peninsula
Understanding Culture,
Society and Politics
Second Semester – Module 2: Concepts,
Aspects, and Changes of Culture and Society
This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to assist
you master the ideas of culture and society. The scope of this module permits it to
be employed in many various learning situations. The language used acknowledges
the various vocabulary levels of students. The teachings are organized to follow the
quality sequence of the course. However, the order within which you browse them
may be modified to correspond with the textbook you are currently using.
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The module presents the topics on:
• Society and Culture as a fancy Whole
• Aspects and Changes of Culture and Society
After researching this module, you are expected to:
1. Analyze the concept, aspects and changes in/of culture and society.
What I Know
Pretest
Multiple Choice: Encircle the letter that corresponds to your chosen answer.
1. It is considered the ‘’essence of society’’ and is the enduring subject of social
science explorations.
A. Artifact
B. The Social
C. The Political
D. Power relation
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C. When you believe that some cultures are backwards if they lack the
technology and consumerism of your own culture
D. All of the above
True or false. Assess whether the statements in column A are true or false. In
column B, write T if the statement if true and write F if the statement is false.
A B
1. It is the habit of each group to take for granted the superiority of
its culture.
2. Culture relativism does not mean that all customs are equally
valuable, nor does it imply that no customs are harmful.
3. Equality and similarity do not necessarily translate to real or
imagined inferiority/ superiority of cultures out there.
4. As an attitude, ethnocentrism promotes greater appreciation of the
cultures that one encounters along the way.
5. Ethnocentrism is a sense of value and community among people
who share a cultural tradition.
6. As a behavior, cultural relativism is a good way to rehearse the
norms and values of society.
7. People everywhere think that their own expectations, opinions, and
customs are right, true, proper, natural, and moral.
8. Culture relativism is a research method as well.
What’s In
This self-learning module will assist you with understanding the ideas of
culture and society. Especially, you will learn culture and society as an unpredictable
entire, just as different angles. This module will assist you with understanding
society as that field which incorporates convictions, rehearses, values, mentalities,
laws, standards, antiques, images, information, and all that an individual learns and
offers as a citizen. Likewise, the module will assist you with understanding the
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highlights of culture and society, and the critical changes or change occurring in the
current society.
Anthropology
What’s New
Activity 2. What I Think About This
Directions: Rundown your perception about the given picture beneath. Keep in
touch with your perception in the space provided.
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What Is It
Society and culture are two durable constructs in the vocabulary of the social
science. Although they can be claimed as” niche concepts” in sociology and
anthropology, these terms are so malleable that other disciplines (such as political
science, psychology, history, and economics to mention a few) have been quite
successful in expanding their perspective frontiers using them as a tool. In this
context, culture and society become “fugitive concepts” as their explanatory features
move beyond the ambits of their “original disciplines.
Culture according to E.B Tylor “is that complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, morals, laws, customs, and ant other capabilities and habits
acquired by man as a member of society.
Aspects of Culture
E.B Taylor, an English anthropologist, was the first to coin the term ‘culture’
in the eighteenth century. The study of society is incomplete without the proper
understanding of the culture of that society because culture and society go together.
Culture is a unique possession of man. Man is born and brought up in a cultural
environment. Culture is the unique qualify of man which separates him from lower
animals. Culture includes all that man acquires in his social life.
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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.
3. culture is shared- culture is not something that an individual alone can possess.
Culture, in a sociological sense, is shared. For example, customs, traditions, beliefs,
idea, values, morals, etc. are all shared by people of a group or society. The patterns
of learned behavior and the results of behavior are possessed not by one or few
persons, but usually by a large group.
Functions of Culture
Ethnocentrism
The word ethno come from the Greeks and it refers to a people, nation, or
cultural grouping. Centric, on the other hand comes from Latin and refers to the
“center.” The term ethnocentrism then refers to the tendency of each society to place
its own culture patterns at the center of things. Ethnocentrism is the practice of
comparing other cultural practices with those of the one’s own and automatically
finding those other cultural practices to be inferior. In other word, it is the act of
evaluating other cultures according to perceptions originating in the standards and
customs of one’s own culture.
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Functions of Ethnocentrism
Cultural Relativism
Cultural relativism is the idea that all norms, beliefs, and values are
dependent on their cultural context and should be treated as such. In a way, cultural
relativity is a belief that maintains it does not matter whether culture is equal or
different because equality and similarity do not necessarily translate to real or
imagined inferiority/ superiority of cultures out there.
Culture as Heritage
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What’s More
Activity 3. Observation Exercise
For an hour, sit down outside your house or in a sari-sari store and observe how
people conduct themselves that place. Take note of the unwritten rules of decorum
and propriety. Avoid being observed by those you are observing, otherwise you may
not get the data you are looking for. Write down your observation.
OBSERVATION EXERCISE
Instruction: Create a Poster about your own culture. Fill out the following
information on your own poster such as family, language, ethnicity/ heritage,
foods, religious beliefs, traditions, arts/music, knowledge around your face.
FAMILY RELIGION
TRADITION/CUSTOMS
LANGUAGE
FOODS
ETHNICITY/HERITAGE
KNOWLEDGE MUSIC/ARTS
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RUBRICS 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1
FOR POSTER Point
MAKING
Coverage of Details on the Details on the Details on the poster Details on the
the Topic poster capture the poster include relate to the topic but poster have
important important are too general or title or nothing
information about information but the incomplete. The to do with
the topic and audience may need audience needs more main topic
increase the more information to information to
audience’s understand fully understand
understanding
Use of All graphics are All graphic is related All graphics relate to Graphic do
Graphics related to the topic to the topic and the topic not relate to
and make it easier most make it easier the topic
to understand to understand
Organization Information is Information is Information is The
highly organized organized with titles organized, but titles information
with clear titles and and subheadings and subheading are appears to be
subheadings missing or do not help disorganized
the reader understand
Layout and All information on Most of the Most of the information Much of the
Design the poster is in information on the on the poster is in information on
focus and can be poster is in focus focus and the content the poster is
easily viewed and and the content is easily view unclear or too
identified easily viewed and small
identified
Activity 5: On the lines below, write about what you ‘ve learned by doing the activities.
Be as specific as possible and use COMPLETE SENTENCES
It Matters because
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
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What I Can Do
Activity 6. My Culture, my Heritage
Identify two Philippine cultural heritage under threat- one tangible and one
intangible. For both, identify the threats and their possible sources, and then come
up with a plan of action on how to deal with these threats. Write your output on the
table.
2.
2.
3.
Assessment
Multiple Choice: Encircle the letter that corresponds to your chosen answer.
1. It is considered the ‘’essence of society’’ and is the enduring subject of social
science explorations.
A. Artifact
B. The Social
C. The Political
D. Power relation
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2. Cultural idiosyncrasies are perfect examples of this concept.
A. Cultural Conflict
B. Cultural Diversity
C. Social Diversity
D. Social Stratification
3. Which of the following shows the existence of xenocentrism culture.?
A. Ana love to eat chocolates made by her mother
B. The president advocates the “Bayan Muna Bago Sarili” program.
C. Laura fear to lose on a Quiz Bee competition that is why she study day and night.
D. Juan loves to by imported goods because he thinks it is better than the
local product.
4. The following are functions of culture except
A. Culture defines situations
B. Culture provides behavior patterns
C. Culture defines attitudes, values, and goals
D. Culture is transmitted among members of society
5. When do we become ethnocentric?
A. When you judge the behavior and beliefs of people who are different from you
B. When you believe that there are primitive cultures, especially if their way
of life is different from yours
C. When you believe that some cultures are backwards if they lack the
technology and consumerism of your own culture
D. All of the above
True or false. Assess whether the statements in column A are true or false. In
column B, write T if the statement if true and write F if the statement is false.
A B
1. It is the habit of each group to take for granted the superiority of its
culture.
2. Culture relativism does not mean that all customs are equally
valuable, nor does it imply that no customs are harmful.
3. Equality and similarity do not necessarily translate to real or
imagined inferiority/ superiority of cultures out there.
4. As an attitude, ethnocentrism promotes greater appreciation of the
cultures that one encounters along the way.
5. Ethnocentrism is a sense of value and community among people who
share a cultural tradition.
6. As a behavior, cultural relativism is a good way to rehearse the norms
and values of society.
7. People everywhere think that their own expectations, opinions, and
customs are right, true, proper, natural, and moral.
8. Culture relativism is a research method as well.
9. Ethnocentrism hinders the understanding or cooperation between
groups.
10. Ethnocentrism encourages the solidarity of a group.
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Additional Activities
Activity 7. Self-evaluation Ladder
As a Senior High School student, what do you think are the necessary steps that
you need to do to start or create change if you want to see change in your
community?
4.
3.
2.
1.
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Answer Key
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References
CONTRERAS, ANTONIO P., et al. Understanding Culture, Society and Politics. Quezon City: Phoenix
Publishing House Inc., 2016
ARCANGEL, MELANY C., Understanding Culture, Society and Politics. Department of Education
Region IV-A CALABARZON., 2020
LUDENA, JOREY L., Analyze the Concept, Aspects and Changes in /of Culture and Society.,
Department of Education Region 10- Cagayan de Oro., 2020
image of family
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/548665167103165648/
https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/clip-art-ethnic-people.
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Region IX: Zamboanga Peninsula Hymn – Our Eden Land
Here the trees and flowers bloom Gallant men And Ladies fair
Linger with love and care
Here the breezes gently Blow, Golden beams of sunrise and sunset
Here the birds sing Merrily, Are visions you’ll never forget
Oh! That’s Region IX
The liberty forever Stays,
Hardworking people Abound,
Every valleys and Dale
Here the Badjaos roam the seas Zamboangueños, Tagalogs, Bicolanos,
Cebuanos, Ilocanos, Subanons, Boholanos, Ilongos,
Here the Samals live in peace All of them are proud and true
Region IX our Eden Land
Here the Tausogs thrive so free
With the Yakans in unity Region IX
Our..
Eden...
Land...
One night I had a dream. I dreamed I think that I shall never see
that I was walking along the beach
A poem lovely as a tree.
with the LORD.