REVIEWER IN UCSP

Lesson 1: starting points for understanding, culture, society and politics

A. Sharing of Social and Cultural Backgrounds of Students as Acting Subjects or Social Actors,
Agents, Persons
Gender - is the range of characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between, masculinity
and femininity.
Socioeconomic status (SES) - is an economic and sociological combined total measure of a
person's work experience and of an individual's or family's economic and social position in
relation to others, based on income, education and occupation.
Ethnicity - refers to cultural traits that are shared by a category of people such as language,
religion, or national origin. When people integrate ethnicity as part of their identity and create
a specific cultural, religious or national community, they self-consciously constitute an ethnic
group.
Religion - is a "unified system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things, that is to say,
things set apart and forbidden - beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral
community.
Identity - refers to distinctive characteristics that define an individual or are shared by those
belonging to a particular group.
B. Observations about Social, Political and Cultural Behavior and Phenomena
*Food Taboos*
One of the food taboos among Muslims, for instance, is the eating of pork. Understand their
culture rather than regard them as "weird."
*Istambays*
Usually regarded as unruly, often suspected as thefts, and of other misdemeanours.
And many of them are people who have difficulty in finding jobs because of inadequate
opportunities in the Philippines.
*Political Dynasties*
Refer to groups whose members are involved in politics. It can be seen in families that have
been part of the government for several generations. This can occur in two ways. One way is for
members of a family to occupy a same certain government position in every term.
*Elections*
A formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public
office.
C. Observations on Social, Political and Cultural Change
Social change - refers to transformations that alter the roles and status of people as well as the
structure and organization of society and its institutions.
Political change - occurs when there is an alteration in the way power and authority are
exercised in a particular state.
D. Definition of Anthropology, Political Science and Sociology
Anthropology - is the systematic study of the biological, cultural, and social aspects of man. And
it is derived from two Greek words, anthropos, which means "man," and logos, which means
"study" or "inquiry."
Social Anthropology – it is the studies on how social patterns and practices and cultural
variations develop across different societies.
Cultural Anthropology – the studies cultural variation across different societies and examines
the need to understand each culture in its own context.
Linguistic Anthropology - it studies language and discourse and how they reflect and shape
different aspects of human society and culture.
Physical Anthropology / biological – the studies the origins of humans as well as the interplay
between social factors and the processes of human evolution, adaptation, and variation over
time.
Political Science - the systematic study of politics, which Andrew Heywood describes as "the
activity through which people make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they
live." and It focuses on the fundamental values of equality, freedom and justice and its
processes are linked to the dynamics of conflict, resolution, and cooperation.
Sociology - is defined by Anthony Giddens as "the study of human social life, groups, and
society." and it is an academic discipline that attempts to provide a deeper assessment of
individual and group behaviour, as well as the phenomena, by examining the interplay between
economic, political and social factors.

Lesson 2: Defining culture and society from perspective of anthropology and sociology
A. Society as a group of people sharing a common culture
Society - is a group of individuals sharing a common culture, geographical location, and
government.
Human beings - are considered to be naturally inclined to establish societies, since it is in
interacting with others that they are able to ensure their survival by establishing mutually
beneficial relationships with one another. It enables individuals to acquire necessary survival
skills, maximize their potential, and share resources.
*Elements of a society*

 Social solidarity - whereby members of the community live together for mutual benefit.
 Shared identity and culture - among members that serve as basis for their patterns of
action and behaviour.
 a common language
 a large population and the ability to sustain succeeding generations of members
 definite geographical area
 political, economic, and social organization
B. Definition of Culture
Culture - is one of the important bases that define and influence a society. and it refers to the
set of beliefs, ideas, values, practices, knowledge, history and shared experiences, attitudes, as
well as material objects and possessions accumulated over time and shared by the members of
society.
*Components of culture*

 Technology – it is the combination of objects and rules.

 Symbols - Anything that represents something else; the very basis of human culture.
 Language - the organization of written or spoken symbols into a standardized system.
 Values - Are shared beliefs about what is good or bad; the type of values held by a
group determines their character.
 Norms - shared rules of conduct.
 o Folkways - are norms that describe socially acceptable behaviour but do not
have great moral significance attached to them.
o Mores - are norms that have great moral significance attached to them that
when violated endangers society. (e.g. dishonesty, fraud, killings).
Material culture - consists of tangible things. (Technology, architecture, fashion, food).
Non-material culture - consists of intangible things. (Values, language, beliefs,
traditions/practices, political system, etc.)
C. Aspects of Culture
a. Dynamic, flexible, and adaptive.
b. Shared and contested (given the reality of social differentiation).
c. Learned through socialization or enculturation.
d. Patterned social interactions.
e. Integrated and at times unstable.
f. Transmitted through socialization/enculturation.
g. Requires language and other forms of communication.
Culture - is varied, diverse and at the same time hold similarities.
Cultural universals - are common traits or elements among cultures.
Cultural particulars - are different ways developed to express universals.
Subculture - is a part of the dominant group but differs from it in some important aspects. (e.g.
China town, youth groups, circus people, military, police, lawyers, etc.)
Counterculture - is a subculture deliberately and consciously opposed to certain central beliefs
of the dominant culture. (e.g. Goth, punk, prison counterculture, gangs)
Culture - is learned through enculturation & socialization.
Enculturation - the process of acquiring and internalizing culture.
Socialization - the process of learning and accepting social behavior, values, beliefs, norms, and
language.
*Patterns of Social Interaction:*
1. Exchange
2. Cooperation
3. Competition
4. Coercion
5. Conflict
D. Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism as Orientations in Viewing Other Cultures
(Response to Variations)
Ethnocentrism - diminishes or invalidates "other" ways of life and creates a distorted view of
one's own. As a result, this could affect individual behavior and relationships with other
cultures.
Cultural Relativism - recognizes and accepts the cultural differences between societies. It’s also
view believes that every aspect of a culture can be justified by the context in which the culture
has been formed. And Interaction between members of different societies is more likely to
succeed if everybody is aware and is respectful of cultural diversity.
Multiculturalism - As a descriptive term it refers to cultural diversity where two or more groups
with distinctive beliefs/cultures exist in a society. It can also refer to government policy as a
formal recognition of the cultural distinctiveness of particular groups. And it implies a positive
endorsement of cultural diversity.

Lesson 3: looking back at biocultural and social evolution

A. Stages of Human Evolution

 Hominid (Manlike Primates)

 A. Ramapithecus
- believed to have lived 14 million years; remains could be found in Siwalik Hills
of India.
- could stand upright and used stones and sticks to frighten enemies.
- was found by Mrs. Mary Leaky at the volcanic ash of Laetolil, Tanzania, East
Africa in 1975.

 Homo Habilis ("Handy Man") - The apelike men used stone tools as weapons and
protection from their enemies.
 A. Zinjanthropus
- was about 4 feet; could walk upright with small brain; believed to have lived
about 1.75 mil. Years ago.
-used crude stone as weapons for protection against predators.
- was discovered by Louis S.B. Leakey in Olduva Gorge, Tanzania, East Africa in
1999.
 B. Lucy
- discovered by American archaeologist, Donald C. Johnson
- was a whole skeleton of a teenage girl, at Hadar, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
 C. Australopithecus
- was believed to live in Africa about 5 million years ago
- had small brain but could walk straight and use simple tools

 D. Lake Turkana (1470 man)

- was about 5 ft tall and walked upright; had a brain double the size of a
chimpanzee's brain.
- used more refined tools.
- was excavated in Lake Turkana, Kenya East Africa by Dr. Richard Leakey (son of
the Leakeys) in 1972; remains consisted of a shattered skull and leg bones.

 Homo Erectus ("Upright Man") - was believed to be the first manlike creature that lived
500,000 years ago in Asia, Africa, and Europe. And this manlike specie could walk
straight; with brain almost the same as that of the modern man. it is made refined tools
for hunting and weapons for protection from the enemies
 A. Pithecanthropus Erectus
- was discovered by Eugene Dubois at Trinil, Java, Indonesia in 1891; was called
the Java Man.
- about 5 ft tall; could walk erect; heavy and chinless jaw: hairy body.
 B. Sinanthropus Pekinensis(Peking Man)
- was discovered at Choukoutien village, Beijing, China in 1929.
- was about 5'2" tall; could walk upright; brain size almost as large as that of the
modern man.
- believed to have lived 500,000 years ago.
  Homo Sapien ("Wise Man") - it is believed to be where modern man had directly
descended from: lived about 250,000 years ago. And they had similar physical
descriptions as the modern man. Their activities were largely dependent on hunting,
fishing, and agriculture. And they buried their dead, used hand tools and had religion.
 A. Neanderthal Man
- was discovered in the cave of Neanderthal valley near Dusseldorf, Germany in
1856.
- was believed to have lived in the high temperate zones in Asia and Europe
about 70,000 years ago.
-heavily built with powerful jaws; brutish and primitively intelligent.
- Usually lived in caves and dependent in hunting and fishing.
- had religious beliefs and more advanced than Homo erectus.
 B. Cro Magnon Man
- was more stronger homo sapien than the neanderthal which was discovered by
French archaeologist Louis Lartet in the Cro Magnon Cave at Ley Eyzies in
Southern France.
- was believed to live in Europe, Asia and Africa.
- Their remains had been found in western Asia including Italy, Spain, France and
Russia and all over Africa.
- About 5 ft 11 inches with more developed brain than their predecessor.
- As prehistoric men, they had stone implements, art objects, and consistent
hunting skills.

B. The Evolution of the Primitive Men

 Paleolithic period (Old Stone Age: 3 million years to 8,000 B.C.)

- Common primitive men identified in this period were the homo erectus such as
the Java Man and Peking Man; the homo sapiens such as the Neanderthal and
Cro Magnon Man.

A. Rough stone tools were used as main weapons and tools such as chisels,
knives.
B. Lived in hunting, fishing, and gathering fruits available.
C. Used fire; lived in caves and later learned to build primitive shelter.
D. Learned to develop primitive arts, personal ornaments, and other art forms.
  Neolithic Period (New Stone Age: 8,000 4,000 B.C.)
- Started in the disappearance of the Cro- Magnon and new people which were
considered as modern men.

A. Development of refined stone tools and weapons.

B. Made their own houses.
C. Learned to domesticate animals such as horse, pigs, dogs, cattle, etc.
D. Learned to weave and use clothes as protection for their skin.
E. Began to cut trees which was used as boat for means of transport.

 Age of Metals (4,000 B.C. - 1,500 B.C.)

-The use of metal such as bronze, copper and iron produced a new historical
development from the cradle civilization of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia,
including India and China.
- More developed social, cultural, political and economic system which had
spread in Middle East, Asia and even South America.
-Had already direct contacts through the tribes, kingdoms, empire and later on
state which the constant political activities were through conquest, wars and
trade.

B. Cultural and Sociopolitical Evolution

 The Neolithic Revolution

a. Agriculture and the Origins of Civilization.
b. Causes of the Agrarian Transformation.
c. The Domestication of Plants and Animals.
d. The Spread of the Neolithic Revolution.
1. Early Civilization and the Rise of the State
A. Before the Rise of Civilization (Paleolithic Age)
- Early people were nomadic hunter-gatherers; lived off the land; pastoral society
helped to further tie groups to specific areas of land.
- Raising of animals created strain on nomadic people to find large and reliable sources
of foods.
 - Drawback: unusually aggressive; babies were greatly dependent for many years on
adult care.
- Homo sapiens evolved; evidence showed that they had belief in the afterlife;
developed social structures and hierarchies.
- Cave paintings, burials, and tools are leftover relics of the period.

B. Civilizaton Makes Its Debut (8000-3000 BC)

- Neolithic means "new stone" though agriculture was the crowning achievement of the
period.
- Agriculture increasingly became widespread causing surplus of food and to stay and
be rooted to protect property causing social and cultural bonds to form.
- When everyone did not have to farm anymore, people became artisans and craftsmen
which brought trade and a class of merchants.
- Artisans contributed to the homogenization of culture.
- Merchants caused Cultural Diffusion; human religion began to evolve.

C. Democratization
Democratization - is the transition to a more democratic political regime. It may be the
transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a transition from an
authoritarian political system to a semi- democracy or transition from a semi- authoritarian
political system to a democratic political system.
*Origins of Democracy*
Democracy means people-power or rule by the people.
- came from the ancient Greeks who combined the words demos (people) and krates (rule)
to create the term.
- The term was coined during a period in Greek history when the city of Athens
experimented with a form of government in which all citizens, rather than one king or a
small group of wealthy men, made the laws of their state.
Democracy is a system in which people decide matters as a group. The term is typically
used in the context of a form of government in which all the citizens have a vote. The
principles of democracy are also applicable to other bodies, such as universities, unions,
companies or other organizations.
Athens - was the first city state to allow ordinary citizens access to government offices and
courts. In theory, all Athenian citizens were eligible to speak and vote in the Assembly
which set the laws of the city-state.
- In reality, Athens was not a true democracy as women were not included nor
were foreigners, slaves or freed slaves.
- Also, according to the rules of citizenship both parents must have been
Athenian citizens for a person to qualify to take part in the Assembly.
- The democracy therefore, was only a very small minority of the people living in
Athens. It was, however, the closest any country had come to establishing a democratic
society at this time.
*Causes of Democratization*

 Wealth
 Social equality
 Culture
 Foreign intervention
  Education
 Foreign trade
 International cooperation
 Dictatorship
 Democracy protests
 Threat of conflict
*Types of Society*
1. Hunting and Food Gathering Societies
- The earliest form of human society
- People survived by foraging for vegetable foods and small game, fishing, hunting larger
wild animals and collecting shellfish;
- subsisted from day to day on whatever was available:
- used tools made of stones, woods and bones.

2. Horticultural societies
- People learned to use human muscle power and handheld tool to cultivate fields;
- classified as subsistence farming and surplus farming.
SUBSISTENCE FARMING:
- involved producing enough to feed the group;
- Settlements were small;
- Neighbourhood is solid;
- Political organization was confined in the village;
- Authority was based on position inherited by males through the kinship system.
SURPLUS FARMING:
- Practiced in thickly populated and permanent settlements;
- There was occupational specialization with prestige differences;
- Social stratification was well established;
- The community tended to be structured by kinship relations that were male
dominated.

3. Pastoral Societies
- Relied on herding and domestication of animals for food and clothing to satisfy the
greater needs of the group.
- Most pastoralist were nomads who followed their herds in a never- ending quest for
pasture and water.
- Was organized along male-centered kinship groups.
- Was usually united under strong political figures, centralized political leadership did
not occur.

4. Agricultural Societies
- Societies were characterized by the use of the plow in farming.
- Creation of irrigation system provided farming enough surplus for the community.
- Ever-growing populations came together in broad river-valley system.
- Those who controlled access to arable land and its use became rich and powerful since
they could demand the payment of taxes and political support.
- By taxing the bulk of agriculture surplus, the political leaders could make
bureaucracies implement their plans and armies to protect their privileges.

5. Industrial Societies
- Characterized by more than just the use of mechanical means of production.
 - Constitutes an entirely new form of society that requires an immense, mobile diversity
specialized, high skilled, and well- coordinated labor force.
- Creates a highly organized systems of exchange between suppliers of raw materials
and industrial manufacturers.
- Industrial societies are divided along class lines.
- Industrial has brought about a tremendous shift of populations.
- Kinship plays a smaller role in patterning public affairs are highly secularized.
- Predominant form of social and political organization in industrial societies is the
bureaucracy.

6. Post- Industrial Societies

- Depends on specialized knowledge to bring about continuing progress in technology.
- Characterized by the spread of computer industries.
- Knowledge and information are the hallmarks of this society.
- Resulted in the homogenization of social relations among individuals and the
interaction between humans and the natural environment.

Lesson 4: becoming a member of society

Enculturation - describe the process of being socialized into a specific culture.
Socialization - refers to the lifelong process of social interaction through which people acquire
their identities and necessary survival skills in society.

*Function of society*
1. Personality and role development
2. Skills development and training
3. Values formation
4. Social integration and adjustment
5. Social control and stability
A. Identify formation
George Herbert Mead – according to him, "The self is something which has a development; it is
not there at birth, but arises in the process of social experience and activity, that is develops in
the given individual as a result of his or her relations to the process as a whole and to the
individuals within that process".
Individual personality - is the important result of the process of socialization.
Personality - An individual's stable pattern of thought, feeling and action.

B. Norms and Values

Norms - are informal understandings that govern the behaviour of members of a society. It
recognizes smaller group units, such as a team or an office, may also endorse norms separate or
in addition to cultural or societal expectations. And it usually regarded to exist as collective
representations of acceptable group conduct as well as individual perceptions of particular
group conduct.
Values - social values form an important part of the culture of the society. is the fundamental
rights, patriotism, respect for human dignity, rationality, sacrifice, individuality, equality,
democracy etc. guide our behaviour in many ways.And are the criteria people use in assessing
their daily lives; arrange their priorities and choosing between alternative course of action.
C. Status and Roles
Status - defined by Max Weber as the esteem or "social honor" given to certain individuals or
groups. It can also r refers to the relative position of an individual in a society or a social group.
An individual may have many statuses. A status can be acquired or lost as an individual go
through his/her life. Statuses can either be ascribed or achieved.
Ascribed status - is the social status that an individual has no control of It is set by the
circumstance of once birth. Ascribed statuses include ones socioeconomic status at birth, age,
and ethnicity, among others.
Achieved status - is the social status that an individual voluntarily takes based on his/her own
merits or capability.
Roles - refer to the characteristic way of behaving of an individual according to his/her status.
Role set - A number of roles attached to a single status.
Role conflict - When an individual is subjected to a scenario wherein the individual is required
to do more than one task based on his/her social role that cannot be done at the same time or
the roles are incompatible with each other, this is called a?
Age (Chronological age) - is a measure of an individual's age based on the calendar date on
which he or she was born. It is measured in days, months and years.
Gender - refers to a culturally- imposed characteristics that define masculinity and femininity.
Context of socialization - is concerned with the relationship of a person to his or her social
environment.
Context of enculturation - is focused on cultural learning.
Acculturation - the process of learning another culture aside from own culture belong.
Process of socialization - mainly involve the internalization of rules and patterns of behaviours
observed from the members of the society.
Conscious Process of Enculturation - It can also be achieved through observing and copying of
the actions and behaviour of the people around us.
Unconscious process of enculturation - it happens every time a person socializes and observes
activities held in the culture. It is affected by the experiences of a person.
Conformity - refers to the process of altering one's thoughts and actions to adapt to the
accepted behaviour within his or her group or society.
Deviance - is defined as a behaviour that elicits a strong negative reaction from group members
and involves actions that violate commonly held social norms.
A. Social control is defined as any systematic means and practices used to maintain norms,
rules, and laws.
B. Forms of Deviance

 Ritualism - involves the rejection of cultural goals but the routinized acceptance of the
means for achieving the goals.
 Retreatism - involves the rejection of both the cultural goals and the traditional means
of achieving those goals.
 Rebellion - is a special case wherein the individual rejects both the cultural goals and
traditional means of achieving them but actively attempts to replace both elements of
the society with different goals and means.
 Innovation - involves the acceptance of the goals of a culture but the rejection of the
traditional and/or legitimate means of attaining those goals.
Conformity - involves the acceptance of the cultural goals and means of attaining those goals.
Human Dignity - refers to the idea that a person has the innate right to be valued, respected,
and treated well.
Human Rights - are legal, social, and ethical principles that consider the human person as
deserving of liberties and protections by virtue of his or her human dignity.
Common good - aims to see the possibility of using politics, collective action, and active citizens
in the realization of freedom, autonomy, and self- government for the self- interest of the
whole society.
- The foundations of the common good are the human dignity and human rights.

Lesson 5: how society is organized

Society - is a social system that is composed of people assigned to perform definite tasks and
functions in a social system called social institution.
*Three requirements for a group:*
1. There must be two or more people.
2. There must be interaction.
3. The members of the group must be together physically.
Group - is composed of two or more persons who have something in common, are interacting
with one another and are guided by a set of norms.
*Human cluster*
1. Aggregate - unstructured group of people found in one place but do not interact with
each other (important characteristic is common physical location).
2. Social category - an agglomeration where members possess common identifying
characteristics but do not interact socially.
 3. Collective - crowds, masses, public and social movements are temporary groups; these
are clusters of people interacting with each other but the interaction is temporary or
short-lived.

*Importance of Groups (Salcedo 2002)*

1. The group is a transmitter of culture.
2. The group is a means of social control.
3. The group socializes the individual.
4. The group is the source of ideas.
5. The group trains the individual in communications.
Social Group - a collection of individuals who have relations with one another that make them
interdependent to some significant degree.
Interdependence - is a necessary condition that exists within social groups because it is what
enables its members to pursue shared goals or promote common values and principles.
Self-Categorization Theory
- A relevant approach in understanding the characteristics of social groups.
- proposes that people's appreciation of their group membership is influenced by their
perception towards people who are not members of their group.

 Primary Group - a small, intimate, and less specialized group whose members engage in
face to face and emotion-based interactions over an extended period of time.
 Secondary Group - are larger and less intimate, and more specialized groups where
members engage in an impersonal and objective-oriented relationship for a limited
time.
 In-groups - a group to which one belongs and with which one feels a sense of identity.
 Out- groups - A group to which one does not belong and to which he or she may feel a
sense of competitiveness or hostility.
 Reference groups – a group to which an individual compare himself or herself.
Peer group - is a group with members of approximately the same age, social status, and interests.
Generally, people are relatively equal in terms of power when they interact with peers.

Clique - a group of people that have many of the same interests & commonly found in a High
School/College setting; most of the time they have a name & rules for themselves.

Club - is a group, which usually requires one to apply to become a member.

Cabal - is a group of people united in some close design together, usually to promote their private views
or interests in a church, state, or other community, often by intrigue.

Household - All individuals who live in the same home.

Community - is a group of people with a commonality or sometimes a complex net of overlapping

commonalities, often-but not always-in proximity with one another with some degree of continuity over
time.

Gang - is usually an urban group that gathers in a particular area. It is a group of people that often hang
around each other.

Mob - is usually a group of people that has taken the law into their own hands. And usually groups
which gather temporarily for a particular reason.

Posse - was originally found in English common law. It is generally obsolete, and survives only in
America, where it is the law enforcement equivalent of summoning the militia for military purposes.
However, it can also refer to a street group.
Squad - this is usually a small group, of around 3 to 15 people, who work as a team to accomplish their
goals.

Dyad - This is a social group with two members.

Triad - this is a social group with three members, which contains three relationships, each uniting two of
the three people.

Team – it contain more members.

Networks - refers to the structure of relationships between social actors or and the larger social
institutions to which they all belong to.