An Exploration of Transformation in Society

Understanding Culture
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to :

1. Articulate observations on human cultural variation,

social differences, social change, and political identities
2. Demonstrate curiosity and an openness to explore the
origins and dynamics of culture and society, and political
identities.
 Definition of Culture
Culture is everything that is made,
learned, or shared by the members of a
society, including values, beliefs,
behaviors, and material objects.

Two parts of Culture

1. Material culture is the visible part. It may be the food we eat, your cars, your
houses or anything that members of society make, use and share.
2. Non-material culture is intangible but this influences our behavior like our
language, beliefs, values, rules of behavior, family patterns and political system
 Five Components of Culture
1. Technology is one component that makes our life easier. We can have volume production of goods that can be used by
us through this component.
2. Symbols are cultural representations of reality. They give meanings to events and things like a statue, handshake,
college ring, flag etc.
3. Language is the most powerful of all human symbols as it allows us to communicate with one another. It also conveys
our beliefs and culture.
4. Values are ideas. They determine our character. They are the standards by which we assess goodness, acceptability,
beauty or desirability.
5. Norm is a rule that guides our behavior. It gives concrete terms how we should behave – what we should do and what
we should not do.
 Classification of Norms:

• Mores distinguish right from wrong

• Folkways distinguish between right and rude. They are referred as customs.
They are measurements of behavior but not approved by society.
• Laws are written rules of conduct enacted and
enforced by government
• Taboo is an activity that is forbidden or sacred based on religious beliefs or
morals. Breaking a taboo is extremely objectionable in society as a whole.
Around the world, an act may be taboo in one culture and not in another.
 Difference between Culture and Society
• Society – consists of people who interact to share a common culture

• Culture – consists of beliefs, behaviors, objects and other characteristics common to a

particular group or society.
• Nature - refers to your innate qualities or nativism while nurture is your personal
experiences. Nature is your genes, the physical and personality traits determined by
your genes which stays with you wherever you were born or raised .
• Nurture - refers to your childhood, or how you were brought up .
 Cultural Change
• It is shared as we share it with our group members .

• It is based on symbols because these symbols give meaning to people either to agree
or not on their use.
• Sub-cultures exist in small cultural groups but differ in some way. Examples of
subcultures include: “heavy metal” music devotees, tattoo enthusiasts, gangs,
skinheads, etc.
• We add ethnocentrism which involves judging other cultures against the standards of
one’s culture; and cultural relativism which says that a culture should be sociologically
evaluated according to its standards, and not those of any other culture..
 Social Groups and Organization
➢ This lesson deals with how man needs other members of society to survive and to enjoy
life. The issue here is how to organize ourselves to for alliance into groups and organizations.

Classification of People

“No man is an island” goes the saying. Man can not thrive without the presence of other men.
There is a natural tendency for man to live with others in a group, to look for a companion or
group of companions in order to fulfill the need to belong and to experience some form of
comfort.
 GROUP
➢ A group serves many functions like giving an individual a sense of identity as well as emotional
intimacy.

AGGREGATE
➢ A collection of people who happen to be at the same place at the same time but who have no
other connection to one another.

CATEGORY

➢ A collection of people who share a particular characteristic. They do not necessarily interact with one
another and have nothing else in common .
 Social Group
These groups may be families, companies, circles of friends, fraternities and sororities and
local religious congregations

Nature of Social Group

➢ The group provides specific form as to the nature of interaction in the society.
➢ Members should develop a structure where each member
assumes a specific status and adopts a particular role.
➢ Certain orderly procedures and values are agreed upon.
➢ The members of the group feel a sense of identity.
 Types of Social Group
1. Social Group according to Ties (This is considered a primary group)
 It is the most fundamental unit of human society.

 A long-lasting group characterized by strong ties of love and affection.

 Do’s and don’ts of behavior are learned in this group.

2. Social Group according to Ties (A Secondary Group)

 Group with which the individual comes in contact later in life.
 Characterized by impersonal business-like, contractual, formal and casual relationship.
 Usually large in size, not very enduring and limitedr elationships.
 People needed other people for the satisfaction of their complex needs.
 3. Social Group to Form of Organization (Informal Group)
 Arises spontaneously out of the interactions of two or more persons.
 It is unplanned.
 Has no explicit rules for membership and does not have specific objectives to be attained.
 members are bound by emotion and sentiments.

4. Social Group according to Form of Organization (Formal

Group)

 Social organization
 Deliberately formed and their purpose and objectives are explicitly defined.
 Their goals are clearly stated and the division of Labor is based on member’s ability or merit
 5. Social Group according to Self identification (In-Group)
➢ It is a social unit in which individuals feel at home and with which they identify themselves.

6. Social Group according to Self identification (Out-Group)

➢ It is a social unit to which individuals do not belong due to differences in social categories
and with which they do not identify.

7. Social Group according to Purpose (Special Interest Group)

➢ A group which is organized to meet the special interest of the members

8. Social Group according to Purpose (Task Force)

➢ A group is assigned to accomplish jobs which cannot be done by one person.
 9. Social Group according to Geographical Location and Degree of
Relationship (Gemeinschaft)

 A social system in which most relationships are personal and traditional.

 It is a community of intimate, private and exclusive Living and familism.
 Culture is homogeneous and traditional-bound.

10. Social Group according to Geographical Location and Degree of Relationship

(Gesselschaft)

 A social system in which most relationships are impersonal, formal, contractual or

bargain-like.
 Relationship is individualistic, business-like, secondary and rationalized.
 Culture is heterogeneous and more advanced.
 Social Organization

Social organization
➢ The type of collectivity established for the pursuit of specific aims or Goods
Characterized by a formal structure of rules, authority relations, a division of labor and
limited membership or admission
Organization

➢ An orderly relationship or arrangement of parts.

➢ It is used to refer the interdependence and inter-related of parts in Groups.

Examples of social organization:

➢ Family, church, college, factory, a play group, a political party, a Community.
 Types of Social Organization

1. Political Organization: State (Government)

2. Economic Organization: Factory
3. Religious Organization: Church
4. Financial organization: Bank
5. Educational organization: School and Colleges

Goal of Social organization

 Organization is an arrangement of persons and parts

 By arrangement, it is meant that every member of the organization has an assigned role, a
position and a status
 Norms and Mores of Social Organization:

Every organization has its norms and mores which control its members, as a result, an
organization can function smoothly if its members follow the organization norms.

Sanctions:

If a member does not follow the norms, he is compelled to follow them through
sanctions (conditions) which may range from warning to physical punishment.
For example; a member may be expelled or dismissed.
 References
 Acton, Ashton Q. (2014). Issues in international sociology and social work research and
application. USA: Scholarly Editions.

 Difference Between Anthropology and Sociology. Retrieved from:

 www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/...anthropology-and sociology. (06 June 2015)

 Ferrante, J. (2014). Sociology a Global Perspective. 9th edition. USA: cengage Learning.
Print

 Mauss, M. (2005). The Nature of Sociology Berghahn Series. USA: Durkheim Press. Print

 Sociology/Anthropology. Retrieved from: www.stolaf.edu/catalog/9697/socanthro.html. (06

June 2015)