Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Subject Teacher: Kimberson P. Alacyang

MODULE 3 – UCSP gmail: [email protected]

ASPECTS, ELEMENTS, HIERARCHY AND PERCEPTIONS OF CULTURE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Through discussion, the learners are able to:
A. define terms related to Culture;
B. describe culture as a complex whole;
C. identify elements of culture; and
D. become aware of why and how cultural relativism mitigates ethnocentrism

DISCUSSION
1. CULTURE refers to the system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, artifacts that are
part of any society
A. MATERIAL CULTURE
includes all the society’s physical objects
B. NON- MATERIAL CULTURE
includes the values, beliefs, symbols, and language that define a society

2. ASPECTS OF CULTURE refers to the dynamism, flexibility, and adaptability of culture; including its
ability to be learned, shared and transmitted, unstable and contested, and integrated.

3. HIERARCHY OF CULTURE refers to the result of the interplay of different groups of people where
one group is usually larger or more powerful than the others.
LEARNING POINTS
A. ELEMENTS OF CULTURE
1. NON- MATERIAL CULTURE
✓ Characterized by symbols
a. Beliefs and Values
shapes the norms of the society
b. Laws
c. Norms
established expectations of society as to how a person is supposed to act
TYPES
1) Folkways
✓ patterns of repetitive behavior which becomes habitual and
conventional part of living
✓ NOT STRICTLY ENFORCED; unwritten guide to social interaction
✓ Examples: pointing with your lips to indicate the location of a thing;
doing face- palm to display embarrassment, disappointment, or
sarcasm
2) Mores
✓ they structure the difference between right and wrong
✓ example: stealing is widely considered a wrongful act
3) Taboos
✓ are norms that are so strongly ingrained that even the thought of
them is greeted with revulsion
✓ example: (in a Filipino context) cannibalism, incest
d. Language refers to the system of symbols that can be put together in an infinite
number of ways to communicate

2. MATERIAL CULTURE
✓ tools and technology, clothing, eating utensils, and means of transportation
a. CULTURAL LAG
✓ refers to situations in which not all parts of a culture change at the same
pace. A group’s material culture usually changes first, with the non-
material culture lagging behind
 Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Subject Teacher: Kimberson P. Alacyang

MODULE 3 – UCSP gmail: [email protected]

✓ example: the old- school way of courting via harana or wood chopping
(pagsisibak ng kahoy) which were regarded as acts of sincerity and
seriousness VERSUS being courted via using modern technology like
Messenger which is regarded as easy and breezy
b. CULTURAL DIFFUSION
✓ refers to the transmission of cultural characteristics. This happens when
some cultural groups contact with other cultural groups, resulting in groups
learning from one another.
✓ examples:
o basketball shoes being worn even by non- basketball players
o the Filipinos consuming an American brand McDonald’s burgers
and fries
✓ leads to CULTURAL LEVELING, a process in which cultures become similar
with one another

B. HIERARCHY OF CULTURE
1. THE DOMINANT CULTURE refers to the larger group that wields more power than the
other groups.

2. SUBCULTURE
✓ refers to self-organized groups with shared interests, lifestyles, beliefs, etc.
✓ examples: gangsters, bikers, goths, emo, etc.

3. COUNTERCULTURE
✓ is a subculture that sets its members in opposition to the dominant culture
✓ Countercultures challenge the culture’s core values.
✓ examples: LGBT groups, Feminist groups, Suffragists

C. PERCEPTIONS OF CULTURE
1. IDEAL CULTURE
✓ Includes the values and norms that a culture claims to have
✓ Used as standards in viewing an act/situation to be right or wrong
✓ Absolute and strict: ‘should be’, ‘has to be’, and ‘must be’
✓ Example: marriage has to be/should be/must be based on romance

2. REAL CULTURE
✓ Includes the values and norms that are actually followed by a culture
✓ Used mostly as guidelines for preferred behavior
✓ Adaptable value system: ‘can be’
✓ Example: there are marriages that happen either because of economic status or
it was fixed by the ancestors

3. ETHNOCENTRISM
✓ the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own
culture
✓ judgement towards others is based on own culture: ‘ay, saamin kasi…’
✓ MAIN IDEA: My culture is better than yours.

4. CULTURAL RELATIVISM
✓ the view that no culture is superior to any other culture
✓ MAIN IDEA: My culture and your culture are both beautiful.
 Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: 11/12
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

Subject Teacher: Kimberson P. Alacyang

MODULE 3 – UCSP gmail: [email protected]

ACTIVITY 3:
Complete the table by providing what is asked then answer the question that follows. (20 points)
Utilizing your knowledge regarding your own culture or cultural orientation and the society you
belong to, list two examples of the following elements of culture and include a line description of the
example. Write your answers on a ½ sheet crosswise. (15 points)
Elements Example 1 Example 2
Beliefs
Folkways
Taboos
Mores

Question:
Can one claim that he is a part of a culture by identifying examples of elements of culture? Why or
why not? (5 points)
Rubric for checking the essay:
Content (3)(2)(1)
Technicalities (2)(1)

V. REFERENCES:

• Baleňa, E, .et al. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics. Quezon City: Educational
Resource Corporation
• Carayugan, M., Malit-Alicante, F. (2014) Development of Sociology Handbook through
Assessing Importance and Relevance of Sociology Topics. Baguio City: University of the
Cordilleras.
• Lanuza, Gerry M. (2016) Understanding culture, society, and politics. First edition. Manila : Rex
Book Store
• Madrid, R., Santarita, J. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics. Quezon City: Vibal
Group, Inc.
• Palispis, S., Sampa, E. (2015) Introduction to Sociology and Anthropology. Third Edition. Manila:
Rex Book Store
• Panopio, I., Raymundo A. (2004) Sociology: Focus on the Philippines. Quezon City: Ken Inc
• Schaefer, R. (2001). Sociology (7th Edition). New York: McGraw Hill.